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When I got my 97 XK8 I drove into an underground car park and could not read anything. I changed the bulbs but did not realize how rubbish it was until I put the LEDs in . WOW its like a 2022 car with an electronic dash even in the day. My message centre could not be read even though the bulb was good. The supply was bad so I soldered wires to it and piggy backed it with the others ..perfection.
TIP the smaller bulbs are a bit loose in the holders so I ran solder down the contact areas to beef them up. Buy LEDs with at least 3 leds to get it nice and bright ..the dimmer still works with the headlamps on.
Best to read this as you need the bulbs in the right way round..All the positives are at the bottom.
I changed mine on my XK8 2001. What a huge difference. Trying to see down into those tunnels was pretty redicilous in multiple driving conditions especially with a convertible. I got all the LED bilbs for under $10. Tested and marked for positive, installed and WOW as you say. Very quick install under 2 hours including bulb testing and socket marking. That car got rear ended and totalled and I've akready received my new bulbs for my new 2004 XKR Convertible.
I changed mine to new LED's last year and what an amazing difference! They can be read even in the the brightest sunshine. I love it! Another little thing was putting electrical tape over the headlight daytime sensor so they stay on all the time like daytime running, lamps. Works perfectly!
I changed mine to new LED's last year and what an amazing difference! They can be read even in the the brightest sunshine. I love it! Another little thing was putting electrical tape over the headlight daytime sensor so they stay on all the time like daytime running, lamps. Works perfectly!
Can't you adjust the dimmer button in place of the tape?
I used these 8 SMD T 10 units but as you are in US you will have to search the web .. In the end I did not fit the T5 ones as the were too loose in the holders and only work the warning lights which were bright enough. You would need to coat the bulb contacts with solder to thicken them up for a tight fit . I soldered wires to one T5 3 SMD and fitted it to the information display piggybacked to another T10 as the info display had no live feed.
Last edited by Pistnbroke; Apr 14, 2022 at 02:40 AM.
i got mine from Amazon. See photos below. As mentioned in my post copied below, the LED’s I purchased were pre-marked as to the polarity, so no confusion and simple to know the correct orientation.
Z
Originally Posted by zray
Finally took the time to work on two minor issues on the ‘02 XKR
1) changed out all 8 instrument light bulbs. They were all dim and one of the tach bulbs was kaput.
Thanks to the Rev Sam video and numerous posts on the subject I didn’t have any hiccups. And not much to add to the body of knowledge.
One small thing - since I was using LED’s for the larger lamps I was
aware that they are polarity sensitive, and knew that the positive metal connection strip is located on the bottom lamp socket area. With all that a given, I was pleasantly surprised to see the brand of LED’s I purchased were marked positive / negative. That made it a breeze to install the bulbs without having to test each one beforehand.
2) My part load breather o-rings we’re shot. It has dual (2) o-rings on the plug-in connector at the driver side valve cover. Both of them had missing segments. The best fitting replacement was 7mm ID x 2mm section width (11mm OD). The next larger size of 8mm ID x 2mm section width was a NO-GO when I tried to reinstall the breather hose into the valve cover. I used Viton / 75 duro o-rings for the best durability possible (to my knowledge). The full o-ring number is: AS568A-010
FYI , there are 2 different size bulbs to replace all main bulbs in the main drivers dash and 2 more if you have the 3 gague cluster in the center panel.
I bought all the LED Bulbs for the Speed-o and I bought the Kit to change the Temp Gage so it would actually work.. Before I could put all those Parts in the Car, my Steering Wheel stopped going up and down and in and out. and my Driver's door started trying to stay locked when I was trying to get out and I have to use the Clicker to un-lock it to open the darn Door! I don't know how or why the Steering Wheel stopped working not what I should do to fix these problems......Should I buy a bomb or run it off a cliff? Problem: We don't have any Cliffs down here!
Now, Today, my beautiful Alcantara Highliner fell down while I was driving down the Freeway...Ain't Life Grand?
Billy Clyde @ Cinco Ranch
Last edited by bcprice36; Apr 15, 2022 at 03:52 PM.
I bought all the LED Bulbs for the Speed-o and I bought the Kit to change the Temp Gage so it would actually work.. Before I could put all those Parts in the Car, my Steering Wheel stopped going up and down and in and out. and my Driver's door started trying to stay locked when I was trying to get out and I have to use the Clicker to un-lock it to open the darn Door! I don't know how or why the Steering Wheel stopped working not what I should do to fix these problems......Should I buy a bomb or run it off a cliff? Problem: We don't have any Cliffs down here!
Now, Today, my beautiful Alcantara Highliner fell down while I was driving down the Freeway...Ain't Life Grand?
Billy Clyde @ Cinco Ranch
WTH? did you do anything at all before the things stopped working?
Sorry for the delay, been very busy late)y. I used the Sylvania LED
bulbs also they work very well. As to using tape over the daytime sensor it was just the easiest way to turn the headlights on in daytime, and didn't know there was any other way to do it.
(Your question, WTH! Did I do anything before these things started to happen?)
Yes Mark, I did! I helped drive the XKR 112,200 Miles....over a period of 17 or 18 years! Me and the Company that owned it prior to me.....
Do you have any idea how to repair the Steering Wheel machoism that allows the Wheel to go up and down and in and out? If so, please pass that information on to me....I would appreciate it! I know there's a motor down there somewhere, as I can hear it occasionally, but where do I find-out how to repair the problem?
(Your question, WTH! Did I do anything before these things started to happen?)
Yes Mark, I did! I helped drive the XKR 112,200 Miles....over a period of 17 or 18 years! Me and the Company that owned it prior to me.....
Do you have any idea how to repair the Steering Wheel machoism that allows the Wheel to go up and down and in and out? If so, please pass that information on to me....I would appreciate it! I know there's a motor down there somewhere, as I can hear it occasionally, but where do I find-out how to repair the problem?
Billy Clyde @ Cinco Ranch
What i neant was had you made any modifications or repairs or were looking into anything around those areas that would have caused them to stop working as its odd, they just died. Maybe not, these cars are quirky. My understanding there is 1 motor that engages different gears to change from up and down to in and out as they work one at a time instead of together. I'm sure you checked for bad fuse or other electronic connection. You mentioned you hear the motor from time to time. Is it random or only when your trying to use the function? If the motor runs when touching the button but no movement, it seems what ever gear that initially turns the other gears or mechanisms may be stripped. Or it could be the motor has come loose. If the motor comes on all by itself, there's definitely an electric connection issue and possibly a gear problem. If the gears/nechanism that moves the wheel jammed, it could have put pressure on the motor gear stripping it and loosening its mount. Ideas to pursue. On to my new light replacement project.
Last edited by Markmbaha1; Apr 17, 2022 at 12:17 PM.
UPDATE - I just finished installing all the new bulbs in my 2004 XKR Dashboard. Bur they were upside down. In my 2001 xk8 the positive side had to be down. Of course I did the same. Oops not one light worked. I flipped them so all positives pointed up, and perfect. Beautiful much brighter, slight better colors and I can see in daylight and with top down. I had akways been told positive down. Just the opposite. No idea when it changed. So if ive mistakenly told anyone wrong, i apologize. I didn't know it changed.
HELP!
Does anyone know where I can find directions and such to repair the moveable Steering Wheel? The motor runs but the Steering Wheel doen't.........
Is there a UTUBE Program about how to adjust or repair the mechanism that controls the up & down and the in and out motions of the Steering Wheel? I have looked most of the Day for some information on how to repair that system....My doesn't perform as it is suppose to anymore. I have no idea what or how to repair it! Where can I find something to help me?
HELP!
Does anyone know where I can find directions and such to repair the moveable Steering Wheel? The motor runs but the Steering Wheel doen't.........
Is there a UTUBE Program about how to adjust or repair the mechanism that controls the up & down and the in and out motions of the Steering Wheel? I have looked most of the Day for some information on how to repair that system....My doesn't perform as it is suppose to anymore. I have no idea what or how to repair it! Where can I find something to help me?
HELP!
Does anyone know where I can find directions and such to repair the moveable Steering Wheel? The motor runs but the Steering Wheel doen't.........
Is there a UTUBE Program about how to adjust or repair the mechanism that controls the up & down and the in and out motions of the Steering Wheel? I have looked most of the Day for some information on how to repair that system....My doesn't perform as it is suppose to anymore. I have no idea what or how to repair it! Where can I find something to help me?
LED dash illumination WOW
