Josh Wardell's Ford Focus Mods
Colored Odometer and Needles Mod

Many have changed their instrument cluster with indiglo gauges, however were stuck with the stock orange needles and green odometer LCD. This changes the lighting of the needles to red, and the LCD to any color electrical tape you can find. Make sure you first read my indiglo how-to to get to these steps.

Price: $6.00
Time: 15 minutes
Tools: 400 & 600 sandpaper, scissors, needle-nose pliars
Parts: colored electrical tape (Home Depot), broken taillight tape (car store)

1. After opening the guage cluster as instructed in the indiglo how-to, cut pieces of the red taillight tape and stick them over the three inside bulbs, making sure not to block the circles where the gauge front plugs in. See a few pictures below.

2. Remove the black plastic surrounding the LCD. It's easiest to stick something in the bottom to release those tabs. This exposes the LCD, which is important to note, do NOT bend or attempt to pry or remove; it is soldered to the board in the back and the glass is fragile! Now use a small screwdriver or something to pry back the green filter on the back, around the entire edge. Needle-nose pliers may help pull this out.

3. Sand the green off the back of the plastic filter first with 400 grit sandpaper, then 600. You may want to wet the 600. Dry it off and place a strip of electrical tape over the BACK of the plastic filter WITHOUT stretching it. It should be fine with one piece centered on there, but I also covered the remaining top and bottom. Trim off excess tape.

4. Replace the plastic filter back behind the LCD. Cover the top of the plastic with electrical tape to reduce the light interfering with the main lights. Replace the black LCD cover.

5. After replacing the face you may want to quickly plug in the back to your car and test the color. I just think it looks cool:

5. Continue with instructions in the indiglo how-to.


Final gauges.


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Updated 10/29/2001
© 2001 Josh Wardell