VXOC Astra-J/GTC - How-to Instrument Cluster LED Conversion

How-to Instrument Cluster LED Conversion

LED'S needed are

4x PLCC-2 side load I recommend KINGBRIGHT they are by far the brightest LED'S http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/351305339638?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

12x PLCC-2 I recommend the ones from this seller on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121277975850?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT I have had 100's of LED'S from this guy.

To remove the Instrument Cluster please see the following How-to

First is to remove the IPC from the car

[Image: 1.JPG]

Then undo the 3 screws outlined in red

[Image: 2.JPG]

Then unclip the black front I've marked some of the clips but work your way round

[Image: 3.JPG]

Remove the gauge covers I've marked the clips

[Image: 5.JPG]

Next remove the needles with two spoons

[Image: 9.JPG]

Turn the unit over and undo the 2 screws marked in green

[Image: 11.JPG]

Now unclip the unit I've marked one clip but just work your way round

[Image: 12.JPG]

Carefully lift cable lock upwards

[Image: 14.JPG]

Then unclip the 2 clips at the bottom then the top

[Image: 15.JPG]

The picture below is marked up as follows

12x Red is PLCC-2 white LED'S (you may have 2 LED'S here one will be RED you need to change the ones with yellow tops) The White start at D15 and end at D26 the Red start at D81 and end at D92.
4x Blue is PLCC-2 Red needle LED'S
4x Green is PLCC-2 Side load Up-level display

[Image: 18.JPG]

Thank-you to A20DTH for the use of this photo.

To get the correct polarity of the new LED you will see the corner is cut this is the negative end, see image below.

[Image: 21.JPG]

I've also marked the negative side on the board for each LED

[Image: 20.JPG]

Fit it all back together and that's it your LED conversion is done.

[Image: 19.JPG]

A Video showing the dimming

For Anybody who has the Black rings and you want to add the White rings for colour you will need a donor IPC to get the rings and dial sheet make sure this is a match for your's.

If you find you missing 4 LED's you can add these and use the donor IPC to get the resistors you need.

For LED D25 you need to take resistor R329

For LED D24 you need to take resistor R325

For LED D18 you need to take resistor R308

For LED D19 you need to take resistor R121

As with all electrical how-to's
we except no responsibility for any issues that could arise all are carried out at your own risk.
If the how-to is followed correctly you should have no issues.

Brilliant how to well done

Looks really great Rusty, good job done!

So it is ok to use plcc-2 led's instead of plcc-4 like originals are?

I ordered PLCC-4 as we thought it was but when I took it off it was a PLCC-2

Orig LED
[ATTACH]438[/ATTACH]

PLCC-4 LED
[ATTACH]439[/ATTACH]

Tomorrow I will be adding the polarity info into the how-to.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

polarity info added into first post.

cool glad someone mentioned that

I never noticed before that dash is lit up even without the lights being on (can only be dimmed with lights on tho)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

yes they are on all the time but not noticeable in the daylight

They are noticeable now I'm blue mate does look really nice.

Love the blue would love mine blue along with my gator and doors

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I did change the LED by the red line to RED the issue was there was too much light spread and the LED is located in the wrong position.

[ATTACH]453[/ATTACH]

Would of looked ace tho if it worked.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Anyone got any advice on how to ensure the needles are still calibrated correctly when putting them back on? Or is it just a case of putting them on and rotating them until they are at exactly 0?

dont push them all the way back on make sure there is a small gap so they move
and yes set them to zero but just take care

Yeah don't be idiot like me and push them in too far. Even tho they felt like there's no resistance when moved by hand my rev dial didn't move properly.

Got ya! Okay then Smile

just wanted to see if 0 was where it was supposed to sit and not just above or below it or something like that

I'm not feeling too confident about this!!! Ha. Plan is to put them on very lightly and not fully and then spin it all the way around until it hits 0...not sure it's gonna be as easy as that though and it's making me not wanna do this :-/

Yeah I can't get my head around this...not sure if things like the Rev counter also needs to be at 0 or if it needs to be where it would be when I turn the engine on...don't wanna throw them off and have it being wrong

its not that hard the rev counter just needs to point to zero this then will find its own level
fuel and temp will go no further than zero and the same as the speedo it will only go as far as zero

Oh so exactly 0 for all of them? And what do you mean about the fuel and temp gauge? Also I'm i okay to just put them on very loosely and spin them around anti clockwise until I get them at exactly 0? Thanks Smile

ask rusty on this but the first thing to try would be to plug the new unit in and see what happens
then if all does not go well try and swap the display to your old unit and again see what happens
then if that fails its over to rusty to see if he can program the new one in
and dont forget to put pics of both the circuit broads so we can see the difference
but get rusty to confirm all this

i just pointed them at zero and pushed them on they sort them self's out when they do the sweep i had no issues at all

Cheers for the info dude! Looking to do this when I get home in about an hour so may not get change to speak with rusty :(. What's the plan if the LEDs are in the wrong place on my circuit board so won't lift up the new screen properly?

This is my conversion done a few months back

Normal

[Image: 20150301_110201_zpsoybetat4.jpg]

VXR

[Image: 20140521_061901_zps7k3bsa8y_edit_1426266...7cznjx.jpg]

i like that baz looks real good Doublethumbs

cornishtaz Wrote:VXR

I'm still trying to find that signal wire mate but sure it's controlled via BCM or ECU once the button is pushed.

In case I'm not able to install my new IPC, I'm wondering if i'd be able to add LEDs onto my current IPC to illuminate the dials arounds the clocks. Does anyone know if this would be possible if i added the LEDs mentioned in this tutorial to the areas circled in red in my photo?

Thanks Smile

Only way to tell is give it a go

Fair doos

so how do I go about adding those to the board? Is it just a solder job?

Yes mate use the leds listed above hopefully the resistors will all ready be on the board

Ahhh the resistors...that could present a problem eh lol. Guess there's no way of finding out prior to doing the work?

No mate as I don't know the cct layout

Not going to lie...I'm not sure what that means :P haha. New to soldering LEDs onto the board...most of done with regards to electrics in my car is splicing into wires for power too. Will get those ordered anyway as they're only a quid and then I can figure out if they will work or not while I wait for them to arrive. Thanks for the info so far Smile

It's hard to do mate the SMD are tiny but there is a way to do it the SMD could be joined up with wires so they all power up but it's tricky and not something I would advice you do unless your good at soldering

Ahhhh right okay! So you thinking it's not even worth bothering full stop then? Even if I do have the capacitors?

Hello to everyone. I'm a new member from Greece. Very useful threads, great work Smile

.I have a question: How you disconnect the old leds?

(9:th-Feb-2016, 13:23:35)nikos_astra j Wrote: [ -> ]Hello to everyone. I'm a new member from Greece. Very useful threads, great work .I have a question: How you disconnect the old leds?

You need to use a soldering iron or hot air and a pair of tweezers.

Hello! Very nice work! I have some issues with my dashboard so i am going to replace the leds....I am going to copy you Rusty...I hope that there is not any copyright...:P

I tried to copy Mr. Rusty but a new idea emerged..
White with blue details..I dont have 4 leds KA-4040 but i placed PLCC2 leds at screen...

Although i have some problems and i don't know why..
Fistly some led are not lighting(see pictures). Also PLCC2 leds have less angle lighting and this makes some shades at screen corners..

Leds are ok because i test them with buzzer function of multimeter....

Rusty i need your help...:P

You may find you've got a dry joint on one of the non-illuminated leds, try resoldering them. As for the display are the 90° leds mounted straight as this'll affect the way the display is illuminated

(13:th-Apr-2016, 13:15:39)cornishtaz Wrote: [ -> ]You may find you've got a dry joint on one of the non-illuminated leds, try resoldering them. As for the display are the 90° leds mounted straight as this'll affect the way the display is illuminated

Thank you for your answer cornishtaz

The problem was that 2 led were connected with wrong way.
Now it is ok... Smile

Now another problem is the air clima controller..I have changed all LEDs and if a switch of the car some of the leds are flickering and when i start the engine 3 of the LEDs are not working... ..

Maybe i have to begin searching a new controller...:P

@tsaks89 can you pm me please need to ask you something thanks.

(20:th-Apr-2016, 11:30:59)tsaks89 Wrote: [ -> ]
(13:th-Apr-2016, 13:15:39)cornishtaz Wrote: [ -> ]You may find you've got a dry joint on one of the non-illuminated leds, try resoldering them. As for the display are the 90° leds mounted straight as this'll affect the way the display is illuminated

Thank you for your answer cornishtaz

The problem was that 2 led were connected with wrong way.
Now it is ok...

Now another problem is the air clima controller..I have changed all LEDs and if a switch of the car some of the leds are flickering and when i start the engine 3 of the LEDs are not working... ..

Maybe i have to begin searching a new controller...:P

The issue with the heater panel could be the leds you have used. I've had this issue on a heater panel I did.

Well, uh, took off the IPC to find that my gauges & needles are on plcc-4.

Any thoughts on what will happen if I use plcc-2? Didn't order any in blue :s

Edit: bit of testing with the meter & I cannot fathom why plcc-4 was used - plcc2 will work just fine. Guessing it was for a feature NOBODY received

[Image: 049665d93e573a21be0081ee4d8b78d0.jpg]

[Image: 7d8bc9114ff1f6435a45729844993335.jpg]

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

As I can remember when I was doing my H LED conversion to white, I had same type of leds in air condition part.
I just put the PLCC2 and they are still working fine

Sent from my LG G5 SE using Tapatalk

Yeah I have dropped in plcc2 for now - I am wondering if the plcc4 is to have a daytime & night-time brightness, further refined by the brightness control.

I think I will change them out for plcc4 in the future to find out.

Edit: the reason I am thinking this is related to brightness is because of how bright it is right now...

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

There PLCC-4 solder pads but they used PLCC-2 SMD's.

We did have a debate about this earlier on in the thread.

It's funny you should mention that @Rusty2009 - I thought I had seen something a couple of weeks ago when I first read this post. I'm using Tapatalk and saw nothing after the question about using plcc-2 instead of plcc4, but now, if I scroll **UP** in Tapatalk, I can see your reply & pictures. Had nothing, post end earlier.

If I jump to the top of the post, then scroll down, missing again.

I was experiencing the same thing last night on the how to remove steering wheel how-to :s

Anyway, yes, plcc4 pads, plcc2 smd factory fitted.

I used the plcc-4 i had for the needles anyway, not noticing any difference there either.

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

I am using tapatalk too, sometimes it works pretty strange.
Mine is Pro (paid version), but it seems it doesnt matter Big grin

Sent from my LG G5 SE using Tapatalk

Yeah I went pro as well, I think it was to stop them nagging me, despite never using it at the time.

||Sent based on the twin scientific principles of star maths and wishy thinking.||

Hi to all,can sombody give me the link to some whites led side mount?because i find only red orange and blue