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Red lights on dash please!

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by MadeleineR, Jan 5, 2014.

  1. MadeleineR

    MadeleineR New Member

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    Hi Everyone,
    I'm sorry if this post is already addressed elsewhere - I only saw one thread but the emphasis seemed to be on discussing which color was best etc... so, here's my question/issues:

    I don't like the lighting and colors on the various parts of the dash. Pale greenish tint on some things... red for hazard (a good easy to find button, I get that) and then bright blue faux gear knob, with a different periwinkle blue power button...

    Does anyone know:
    Is it possible to change all lighted parts of the dash (except for the navigation system - I assume that can't change?) to red? That is the color I want on as much as I can have it.

    Is it something simple I can do myself? We just bought our Prius, and it is on warranty so I'm a bit nervous about doing anything to void... but I would really love to change up the lighting if I can. I'm grateful for any input from the community here - this group always gives better info than anywhere else - really. Thanks all!
     
  2. Eclipse1701d

    Eclipse1701d Prius Enthusiast

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    You could try different tinted color plastic over the dash to change the color... Other than that, unless you are an engineer, that's it.
     
  3. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

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    There is a choice of two colors for the MFD found under "menu" if I remember correctly. The other items, steering control buttons sound system and door switches can be changed by soldering in your choice of colored LED (not for the faint heart ed) as can some of the dash icon LED's. The speedo display cannot be changed.

    John (Britprius)
     
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    artist's brush and red craft paint? i could have sworn 'red lights on dash!' was going to be a trouble code situation.:p
     
  5. MadeleineR

    MadeleineR New Member

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    Hi John,
    The menu option is not available in our 2013 - I remember that too, and had it in our 2008 model. That, along with cabin storage in general - eyeglasses storage x2 (don't even have one spot for sunglasses in the '13 model) that great drawer low on the '08 console... glove box that you don't have to wrench around to reach into... a door storage that was 3x the size of the '13... yep, all that is gone from switching out our beloved '08 for the '13. We do love many improvements between generations of Prius, and don't regret the change, but it's hard to understand taking away storage and just having hollow chunks of plastic that you know could (were) useful areas before. Sigh.
     
  6. MadeleineR

    MadeleineR New Member

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    you know, I was actually thinking about using stage lighting colored gels, cut to fit... elsewhere, people talk about soldering and led kits... but yeah, I'm keeping my "day job" and that isn't as an engineer.
     
    elementnomore likes this.
  7. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

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    Sorry Madeleine, but you did not mention that you had a gen3, and your avatar still shows a 2008. Plus your in the gen2 section.
    I much prefer the outside of the gen3 and would have changed to one myself, but I test drove one for three days and could not get on with the interior. Apart from being newer I could find no logical reason to change.

    John (Britprius)
     
  8. MadeleineR

    MadeleineR New Member

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    SOOO sorry John! Yes, I realized I hadn't updated that yet, and just did it right after seeing your first reply... you are a wise man to keep your gen. II for now... frankly, we might have as well but there were a few tradeoffs that made it appealing - and then there was this endlessly frustrating thing our old Prius did - if we didn't run the AC year 'round the cabin windows would all fog up - didn't matter what temp it was outside, dry as a bone out... didn't matter. After multiple attempts to address this with Toyota and dealer, we just gave up. Also, other driving features are nice, the wireless for music streaming from my iPhone instead of having to plug it in... and also, I have to be honest - that solar moonroof is great. All that said, I felt oddly sentimental and pretty hard to walk away from our '08, and if we find it an ok move financially, when gen. IV comes out if it has better cabin design, we might trade. That tricked-out silly console design on our '13 is just nuts. You know what mod I'd like best of all? Getting rid of that wanna-be-cool-dude electric blue gear knob. It just screams adolescent guy. I don't know why, if Toyota wants to try and be "hip" they don't go for geek/nerd vibe more. The push-button flat disk type of gear shift mods out there are really great, but aprox. $300 isn't in the budget right now.

    ENJOY the hell out of your Gen. II and long may it reign John!
     
  9. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    The 2010-11 have black hazard button and black power button. You can order the parts to replace your existing buttons. The shift knob can be easily changed out to one of the many knobs out there, including JDM piano black knob that's an enlarged version of the stock knob.