HAD13

I hope that I am putting this in the right spot. I returned my TL after 22 hours of ownership because I could not read the guages, speedo in the afternoon glare. Anyone know of a way to mod or change the needles to white? I loved the car but need to have white needles. It a "can't see red on Black very well" sort of thing and I completely lose the needles in bright daylight even with MAX brightness.


Help please.

johnny--2k

Damn, that's a good question, and a great idea for a mod.

I can 't help you, but I'm interested in the answer as well!

joe80055

I'll go ahead and get a crack at that.. i have an old cluster laying around that I can take apart and play with

davenlei

HAD13,

Are you color blind to red?

csmeance

i think you just may have to change the bulb that illumates the needle

bluenoise

Isn't the needle itself made of red plastic? I thought I looked at it once with the car off and it still looked red.

rahulkumar

Yeah I thought it looked red when the car was off too...

rahulkumar

I remember that too. I was kinda surprised but after a while I never notice.

HAD13

Thanks for the replies. Yes, a little red on black color blind. The dealer called and suggested that they could paint or tape the needle white. Then asked if that would leave the needle Dark.Black / no light at night. The response was "Oh". I am wondering what would happen if they just painted or taped a portion of the needle white. I would see the white portion when the glare is bad and the red the rest of the time. Problem is that I am not taking the car unless I have a solution that will work. I don't want a new car with a botched speedo. Thanks again, Keep brainstorming.

bluenoise

I think the best thing for you would be if they could somehow put in a clear needle with a white LED illuminating it. As you said, the only thing that makes the needle visible is that it is lit from inside. Painting it white or applying tape would make it invisible at night.

I wonder if it would glow a different color under black light. UV LEDs are available.

davenlei

Since the issue is color blindness in specific colors, I wonder if they put a different color LED in to illuminate the red needle (Green, Blue, etc), if that will change the hue or color of the red plastic needle enough to take it out of the color range you are blind to?

If you dont know what I mean, put a blue light in a yellow turn signal lens cover and the color that shows will be green. Some thing like that but with the needle.

chfields

I'm wondering, didn't you notice this when you took the test drive?
How can you call the speedo botched when the problem is your color blindness?
I'm surprised the dealer took back the car, since there is nothing wrong with the car.
Sounds to me like you found a good dealer, if they are willing to work this hard for your business.

NFLblitze1

HAD13

Not sure if you got it. I said that the issue is me, not the car. I said that my test drives were in the evening (after work). When I mentioned botched speedo I meant if the dealer made an attempt at addressing my issue and it did not work and or had an adverse affect and I had agreed to keep the car prior to the attempt. You are right, Gunn Acura in San Antonio is willing to go the extra mile. Nonetheless, I appreciate the feedback.

chfields

I did misunderstand some of it and I do apologize if I offended you in any way.....

Will Y.

Other possibility- getting a digital add-on accessory like a G-force meter or add-on gauge cluster? There are several different types of performance meters which have digital speed readout (but won't tell you fuel level, RPM, etc.) for about $150+ that don't require altered wiring, or the old school add-on gauges which are more permanent and require hard wiring.

ndx2

Going with the different color needle idea, you could see if the Accord's needle fits the TL. With some luck, it could be an easy swap.

If not, write to the Acura directly and see if they have a way of accomodating your handicap.

On a sidenote, this "afternoon glare," are you referring the the cluster glass? If so, you could see if tinting it with glare-reducing (clear, obviously) film could help.

FiveLiterCheater

Yeah, I hate the whole red/white/blue gauge cluster thing....probably the most annoying thing in the whole car (IMO)

b827

What about the 07 gauges? Aren't they different? get some of those

NFLblitze1

they are red...which if im not mistaken...he is color blind too

subinf

Do you think there is any way to put a small digital display in the cluster? Thats only if you cant get the needles to change color.

HAD13

Not offended at all. I appreciate all the feedback. Thanks again

HAD13

Grerat feedback / ideas. By afternoon glare I guess I really mean when it is so bright outside the car like in mid to late afternoon. I see red fine when there isn't too much extreme sunshine competing with it. I asked the Acura dealer about the white Accord needles and he said that he would get back to me. As for someones idea about a digital speedo, that would be nice but I wouldn't want to make extreme changes on the car when it is brand new.

HAD13

I think that I am just going to give up on the TL for now and probably will wait a bit to start shopping again. The Lexus IS looks interesting and I think that it has white needles. Thanks again to everyone for their input.

dplaya746

wow that sucks for you having to return tl for a needle

whatjones911

Damn I would love white needles in place of the red. The theme in the car is the color blue and the red needles throw it off.

rockyfeller

iTrader: (6)

Well the colored LEDs to combine primary colors to get a secondary colors seems like a good idea......If you changed/wired a blue LED in you'd might make purple? Or try a yellow LED and get orange. The only sure fire way is to get a gauge cluster and experiment. I think I saw one on Ebay yesterday. The design of these gauges follow in the old Prelude's design of being backlit at all times, so painting the needles will make them opaque cutting down light output. You want them bright and visible.

geekybiker

Why not change the gauge face? There are a large number of aftermarket companys that make basically stickers that can changes the faces to anything you want. Would red on white be easier to read?

HAD13

So much positive support and input. Thank you. I think I like the idea of a sticker on the guage face. Maybe a White circle about an inch out from the post. The dealer is willing to install "tape" on the needle, like a 3/4 inch segment about a quarter inch from the post. I am going to call the dealer back this morning and see if the car is still there and go pick it up. I looked around and there just isn't another car out there with the same content at the same price point. Now I just need to figure out if I should have the dealership make the mod or attempt it myself. If I have the dealership do it the pro is that they know how to take the dash/cluster apart. The con is that I have less control and can't try different solutions. The pro of doing it myself is trying to figure out how to dismantle the cluster. The pro is more3 control and ability to try several different solutions. The con is my taking the cluster apart. Anyone have instructions / diagrams on how to dismantle the cluster / dash?

BrandonClaps

how do you stop at red lights? :curious george:

rbf351

the cluster comes apart in a matter of minutes, the bezel pulls out(attached with clips) and the cluster is held in by 4 screws.
here is when i pulled my TL cluster apart
http://rbf351.com/rob/main.php?g2_itemId=7891

HAD13

Good question. Its as much a contrast issue as a color issue. The new super bright LEDS used in the stoplights have really good intensity and the contrast the shade of the housing works pretty well. When its older lights or the rare issue with the new traffic lights I just go with position and the rest of the traffic.

HAD13

Outstanding! I will follow the link. I am pretty handy so it sounds like this is something to take care of myself rather than have the dealer do. Thanks again.

johnny--2k

wow! you'll have to let us know what the out come is, and post some pics if you do it. I'd love to do something different with the needles instead of red.

bluenoise

I think the background circle idea is the only real solution so far. If I'm not mistaken, putting a blue LED behind the red plastic needle will not give you purple. While red and blue combine to make purple when adding pigments, the red plastic needle will filter all but red light from the LED's output. Since there isn't any red in a blue LEDs glow, it may just be very dark red in the end.

rbf351

actually if you change the red led's to blye ,you will have no light at all on the needles.

also removing the needles is a bitch to do without breaking them.

ding069

what did you mod in your gauges? why did you take them apart like that?

rbf351

didn't do anything to the cluster, i was just bored and was checking them out

Acuraboy7

well you took it back already, what good would it do now?

HAD13

You are correct. I returned the car within the 48 hour / 300 mile return period. They sold the car three days later. On the 23rd they are expecting two additional Anthro/Ebony/Navi cars and will sell for the same price or less. They are a "One Price" dealership with an OK price of $32,380.00.