Center cluster panel lamp replacement/upgrade

I just updated the light bulb wiki with the LED bulbs for that. http://priuschat.com/wiki/nhw11-lighting/ I set the wiki to default to green in an attempt to match stock. You can choose different colors easily once you click through. If you want all the Center cluster lights to match the new blue bulb. You will need 7 LED's total.

 

Don't do it unless you absolutely have to. The center dash gets really fragile with age and will practically shatter if you breathe on it wrong. Replacements are available last I looked, but it's a $200 part. I got one at Camelback Toyota in Phoenix, they do ship.

 

Oh yes! Super fragile! Mine broke just trying to unscrew the radio. Mounting points snapped off and rotated with the screw, rather than letting go of the screw. I can pinch a piece between my thumb and forefinger and snap it right off. Another $200 down the drain . Oh! FYI: the Toyota part number for the center dash finish panel is 55405-47030-B0. Mine came with new louvers and the duct stub to fit into the rest of the duct work already attached.

Also, after replacing my lights with the LEDs. I discovered that the stock photon wave guides are designed for truly omni-directional light sources. Functionally this means I now have bright and dim spots. For example, the top row of buttons, AM/FM, TRAF/DISPLAY, are only fed by wave guides. While the next row, DISK/TAPE, MAP/DEST, are directly lit. With the LED's 120 degree beam angle, the top row is now barely half as bright as the next row down. YMMV. I'll try to take a picture and post it, once it gets dark out.

 

As promised. Here are the finished photos.

20190221_035257 by Hipstor posted Feb 21, 2019 at 4:29 AM

20190221_035327 by Hipstor posted Feb 21, 2019 at 4:29 AM

Closeup of my 2003 Toyota Prius dash. All visible lights are LED replacements. Notice how the top row of buttons, AM/FM, TRAF/DISPLAY, are dim. While the next row, DISK/TAPE, MAP/DEST, are super bright. This is because the top is only fed by wave guides. While the next row is directly lit.

 

Idea I've had, but not actually put to the test:

Get some clear Plasti-Dip. Whip it up like meringue. Dip your LEDs. The air bubbles may diffuse the light output into a closer-to-omni pattern.

 

Chap is the guy that wrote up the instructions to minimize damage removing the center dash. I've done it and preserved the dash on a junk yard car, his guide works.