1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

2004 Tacoma instrument panel light bulb replacement?

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by mdortona, Jul 1, 2010.

  1. Jul 1, 2010 at 5:28 PM
    #1
    mdortona

    mdortona [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2010
    Member:
    #39682
    Messages:
    1
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    NJ
    Vehicle:
    04Tacoma
    Ok what is the secret? Do I need to rip out the whole dash to get to the right most light bulb that illuminates the gas gauge and and right side of the speedometer?
     
  2. Jul 1, 2010 at 9:00 PM
    #2
    clarkie152

    clarkie152 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 25, 2009
    Member:
    #28146
    Messages:
    553
    Gender:
    Male
    MA
    Vehicle:
    2016 4Runner Trail
    LED light swap, TRD wheels, KO2s, C4Fab lo-pro
  3. Jul 7, 2013 at 8:42 AM
    #3
    mediumjoe

    mediumjoe New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2013
    Member:
    #107759
    Messages:
    2
    Gender:
    Male
    York, PA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Tacoma
    So, Mike, I'm a new member and can't find if you got an answer to your question. Do I have to take the whole dash apart to replace the light behind my gas gauge?

    Joe
     
  4. Jul 7, 2013 at 9:31 AM
    #4
    Terminal4

    Terminal4 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2012
    Member:
    #71809
    Messages:
    155
    Gender:
    Male
    South of the Sierras
    Vehicle:
    98' RegCab 4x4
    Kings/camburgs, shackles, magnaflow, hid's, fj's n hankooks, 03 front bumper, batzmaru
    Sicyota04 likes this.
  5. Jul 8, 2013 at 4:51 PM
    #5
    mediumjoe

    mediumjoe New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2013
    Member:
    #107759
    Messages:
    2
    Gender:
    Male
    York, PA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Tacoma
    Thanks, I saw the two screws and took them out, but I stopped after taking them out because it looked like I then needed to take the panel light dimmer dial off and unscrew the ring that holds it before I could pull the bezel trim. I didn't want to get in too deep doing this because I can live without replacing the light, but didn't want to get stuff with a half dismantled dash. So, my choice is to keep going or forget the whole thing. Maybe its just not worth the trouble. Thanks anyway.
     
  6. Jul 8, 2013 at 7:28 PM
    #6
    jayhawk23

    jayhawk23 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2013
    Member:
    #107882
    Messages:
    1
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Jay
    Lompoc, CA
    Vehicle:
    04 PreRunner
    The links shown on this thread that shows how to remove/replace dashboard and everything else is out of date.
    Does anyone have an active link which shows the process.

    Also, love the blue superbright bulbs. Any down side to putting them in instead of the OEM lights?

    Thanks...cool site...first visit/post.
     
  7. Sep 3, 2013 at 8:36 PM
    #7
    PapaBeer

    PapaBeer New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 3, 2013
    Member:
    #111796
    Messages:
    3
    Gender:
    Male
    Crested Butte, CO
    Vehicle:
    04 4WD ext cab TRD
    K&N cold air intake Flowmaster exhaust 2.5" puck & addaleaf allpro rock sliders topper
    Do you remember what model number that was from superbrightleds.com?
    They seem to have a lot of different options. I've got a bulb out on the right side of the panel by the fuel guage on an 04.
     
  8. Feb 9, 2017 at 3:54 PM
    #8
    hortona

    hortona Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2014
    Member:
    #136350
    Messages:
    117
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    99 tacoma SR5 w/ 3rz-fe
    is it the same for the check engine light and those all of my speedometer and gas gauge lights work but not the check engine light and battery... thanks
     
  9. Feb 9, 2017 at 4:13 PM
    #9
    Sicyota04

    Sicyota04 Slowly but surely.

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2015
    Member:
    #145940
    Messages:
    3,484
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Morgan
    California
    Vehicle:
    04 DC 4x4
    01 - 04 Tacoma LED bulbs as follows: Instrument Panel 4 - #194's. HVAC Area 3 - Neox Wedge 4mm. Glove box, auto gear shift letters, ashtray, 3-4 #74 LED. All blue. It says instrument panel on the Neo Wedge LED's but it's not, on the 01-04 Tacomas. Maybe on an earlier year, not sure. I have an 04 Tacoma and these all worked in the areas I said for my truck

    IMG_4679.jpg
    IMG_4581.jpg
    IMG_3294.jpg
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2017
  10. Sep 26, 2017 at 7:05 PM
    #10
    pilot325cm

    pilot325cm Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2011
    Member:
    #66816
    Messages:
    16
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    casey
    mount airy
    Vehicle:
    TRD Tacoma
    3 inch sky Jacker Lift Nitto Grappler tires American Racing Atx 16in wheels
    2004 tacoma. All of my back light on my gauges went out but my check engine, fuel and all of the small ones still work. So I replaced my 194 bulbs with just regular 194 bulbs. I hooked everything back up and still no joy. Any ideas? I plan to take it apart tomorrow unplug and replug everything again.
     
  11. Sep 26, 2017 at 7:42 PM
    #11
    Timmah!

    Timmah! Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2016
    Member:
    #179385
    Messages:
    1,224
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    TIM
  12. Nov 5, 2017 at 12:13 PM
    #12
    doc1911

    doc1911 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 28, 2010
    Member:
    #46842
    Messages:
    171
    Gender:
    Male
    NC
    Vehicle:
    2018 Pro
    Soooo. .... I’m going to have to replace mine. The right side instrument gauges just died.

    A couple of questions

    1: does the above list by Sictoyta04 include the bulbs for the diff lock and ECT on the lower left side.
    2: if I use LEDs will the dimmer still work.
    3: are LEDs lasting? I don’t want to have this be an annual event. I’ll stick with OEM if they will last 5+ years

    Thanks
     
  13. Nov 5, 2017 at 12:35 PM
    #13
    Sicyota04

    Sicyota04 Slowly but surely.

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2015
    Member:
    #145940
    Messages:
    3,484
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Morgan
    California
    Vehicle:
    04 DC 4x4
    1.Not the diff lock or ECT.
    2.Yes, they're dimmable
    3.LEDs are suppose to last longer. You'll get a bad one every once in awhile. I just make sure to buy the good ones. Not the ones that are 30 for $10. Even though they all come from China I'm sure.
    Other people will chime in and give their opinions. I'm sure they'll know the bulb#'s you're looking for.
    @Timmah!
    @frizzman
     
  14. Nov 12, 2017 at 5:33 PM
    #14
    toyrunner

    toyrunner Puddle Jumper

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2016
    Member:
    #188846
    Messages:
    200
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Danny
    Pasadena, Ca.
    Vehicle:
    2004 4X4 Tacoma TRD Xtra Cab
    Kings in front, Bilstien Reservoir rears, Custom sway bar disconnects, 265/75 16 BFG AT's, ARB front bumper and FROR rear bumper. Bao-Feng 2 meter radio and Cobra CB
    2004 Tacoma V6 Xcab.
    I just did the Superbright LED in cool blue on the 4 main bulbs in the cluster and the low fuel bulb.
    Now the Cruise, ECT and low fuel don't illuminate. Is it possible that the one bulb for the low fuel is incompatible with the ECT, Cruise, and thus makes none of them work? They all worked before. I have a nice cool blue lit dash now and wanted to leave the other bulbs stock for better warning capability.
    Photo is of the main light bulbs illuminated only.

    2017-11-12 10.23.14.jpg
     
  15. Nov 27, 2017 at 4:13 PM
    #15
    nyg052003

    nyg052003 Nyg052003

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2015
    Member:
    #146433
    Messages:
    384
    Gender:
    Male
    Charleston, SC
    Vehicle:
    04 Tacoma TRD Offroad SR5 4x4
    Sicyota if I'm going back stock then I'd assume the numbers still apply just not LED's am I correct? The 2 furthest left are out and I have to change them. I'll watch the video here someone posted and see if it still works.
     
  16. Jan 27, 2018 at 7:41 AM
    #16
    doc1911

    doc1911 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 28, 2010
    Member:
    #46842
    Messages:
    171
    Gender:
    Male
    NC
    Vehicle:
    2018 Pro
    Just did mine. I stuck with orange, just kinda like it. A couple thought for the next guy

    1. LEDs are brighter. You can dim them but only to a certain point. I like my dash lights pretty low
    2. If you are doing your air control knobs get one white NEOx 4mm even if you change the color of the rest or stick with orange. The colors for the air temp are a plastic blue, orange and red. The white will keep the colors


    23B0E0DD-00F9-4ABB-BBB2-3E0974BA58FC.jpg


    6FFC17F4-F655-4CE3-93B8-831CECEC719E.jpg
     
  17. Jan 27, 2018 at 8:30 AM
    #17
    Sicyota04

    Sicyota04 Slowly but surely.

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2015
    Member:
    #145940
    Messages:
    3,484
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Morgan
    California
    Vehicle:
    04 DC 4x4
    When I changed my HVAC bulbs, I had to get a HVAC Unit out of a 3rd gen 4Runner since the Tacoma faceplate has that orange film behind it which blocks the other colored LED's from shining through. You won't get a true blue or white color shining through if the orange film is blocking it.
     
  18. Jan 30, 2018 at 1:10 PM
    #18
    nyg052003

    nyg052003 Nyg052003

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2015
    Member:
    #146433
    Messages:
    384
    Gender:
    Male
    Charleston, SC
    Vehicle:
    04 Tacoma TRD Offroad SR5 4x4
    Yeah I'll just go back with stock bulbs as well. I just hope I don't have to take half the dash down to change them
     
    Last edited: Jan 30, 2018
  19. Jan 30, 2018 at 1:11 PM
    #19
    nyg052003

    nyg052003 Nyg052003

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2015
    Member:
    #146433
    Messages:
    384
    Gender:
    Male
    Charleston, SC
    Vehicle:
    04 Tacoma TRD Offroad SR5 4x4
    yeah I'll likely stick with stock ones. I just hope I don't have to take half the dash down to change them
     
  20. May 21, 2019 at 5:15 PM
    #20
    Tikibutt

    Tikibutt Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2019
    Member:
    #283843
    Messages:
    93
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Rich
    Knoxville, TN
    Vehicle:
    2004 Tacoma 4x4
    So to clarify, there is an orange film for the HVAC. Is there one for the instruments? I really like the orange glow, and all instrument lights are out (I don't get to drive it much at night). I've searched for orange LEDs, with no luck on ebay, Amazon, or superbright. If the film is behind the speedo and tach, then I'll order some white LEDs and be done with it.
     
    This site contains affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
    #20

Products Discussed in

To Top