protege 5 gauge conversion

S

SpicyMchaggis

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I have a 2002 DX w/o tach and Im looking into switching to P5 gauges (white face w/ tach.) The conversion isn't my concern, its the lights. The P5 gauges are red-backed while my DX dash lights are all green.. Anyone know how to switch from green to red? Im not a big fan of the christmas color scheme..someone mentioned to me it was just a dimmer switch..but I'm not very sure..feel free to help..Thanks!
 
It doesnt have to be from a Protege 5, I have silver-faced gauges in my sedan. I think it would be hard to switch the colors though.
 
yea i know, I want the red dash lighting..the P5 gauges have it..but, i just need to figure out how to switch the dash lights..its not bulbs i dont think...and the new shop manual for our cars didnt have anything about it
 
You mean amber, right. I have amber. I THINK it's a colored film layer in the dash and HVAC units, so it's hard, but I could be way off. Good luck.
 
I'm pretty sure my cluster is the same as the Protege 5's. My ES is the same exact thing interior wise compared to the P5(except leather steering wheel). Amber, red, whatever. Same thing.
 
I talked to my local dealership about it, The P5 guages are RED, while the ES's are an amber ish color..They were very vauge about the whole ordeal, they seem to think its the color of them film inside the dash..this is sounding to me like it will be ALOT of work
 
one of you touched on it....NO its not colored lights...there is an actual red film on the back side of the guages that gives the guages that red color at night.....so to use the P5 guages and have some other color...you would have to take the guage cluster apart...and ATTEMPT to remove that film.....which would be quite hard I believe, and then put some other color film on....seems like to much work to me.
 
i awlays thought it was colored condoms over the bulbs. either way take my advice.. breaking a guage cluster sucks -=(
 
im just going to get the P5 red gauges..then once i get my new deck in and gauge pods in the dash.i'll just see what I can do about the remaining lights (AC knobs)
 
The P5 cluster is AMBER NOT RED. It is very ugly, trust me... The bulbs have amber sleeves on them, and there is an amber film on the gauges. You can't just remove the film, it is embedded into the gauges. And you can't just replace the bulbs, because of the film. I have spent hours trying to figure out alternatives. I just replaced the gauges with the VW look a like ones. As far as the AC controls etc. The bulbs have the amber sleeves on them as well, but you can change them to RED or any color.. There is no film around the radio gauges etc.... Hope this helps
 
speedline said:
The P5 cluster is AMBER NOT RED. It is very ugly, trust me... The bulbs have amber sleeves on them, and there is an amber film on the gauges. You can't just remove the film, it is embedded into the gauges. And you can't just replace the bulbs, because of the film. I have spent hours trying to figure out alternatives. I just replaced the gauges with the VW look a like ones. As far as the AC controls etc. The bulbs have the amber sleeves on them as well, but you can change them to RED or any color.. There is no film around the radio gauges etc.... Hope this helps
Click to expand...

What if I just replace the gauges with P5 ones?
 
uh..lets see..my next door neighbor's 2k3 P5 has red gauges..so Im sure the gauges are red..said and done..too bad he doesn't care about his car so he's not going to our meet..
 
Okay, we're going to end the confusion of the color of the gauges now. Mazdausa.com says it's red on both the ES and Protege 5. Links below. But take a look at the picture provided. Does that look red. Not really. Either way its an amberish red. Same color. The end.

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/dis...r=modelsDesignInterior&vehicleCode=PR5#lights

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/dis...arameter=modelsDesignInterior&vehicleCode=PRO
pho_veh_design_interior02_PRO.jpg
 
MarkSpark said:
Okay, we're going to end the confusion of the color of the gauges now. Mazdausa.com says it's red on both the ES and Protege 5. Links below. But take a look at the picture provided. Does that look red. Not really. Either way its an amberish red. Same color. The end.

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/dis...r=modelsDesignInterior&vehicleCode=PR5#lights

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/dis...arameter=modelsDesignInterior&vehicleCode=PRO
pho_veh_design_interior02_PRO.jpg
Click to expand...

:confused: I could care less what color it is, I just like the way it looks.
 
ueah seriously, I mean isn't amber a red? so everyone is right...unless someone said umber, and then it is a whole different story...
 
yea were all right..its special time..lets all strap on our helmets and play musical chairs..yea the amber or red..whatever..it looks sweet..i want...gimmie gimmie gimmie
 
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