how to change
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
Joined
·
4,977 Posts
Joined
·
12,362 Posts
Actually, the 2008 and newer Escapes (as well as most new Fords) don't have any bulbs anywhere in the instrument panel. The cluster uses five white LEDs, so there's not much you can do to change it. The inside of the gauge face has the color and a white gradient pattern coating.Weezy504 said:
The only bulbs you'll find inside the 2008 and newer Escapes are inside the shift bezel and the interior lights. Everything else is lit by LEDs.
I'm in the process of changing my Edge's cluster, but that involves three new circuit boards and 39 white LEDs. When I finish it, I'll post it here and on my Edge forum.
Joined
·
12,362 Posts
Did you want to change the color to something else?
I not only wanted to change the color, but the cluster was insanely dim with only five factory LEDs lighting everything. So, I designed three circuit boards to fit into the three main gauge cavities.
![]()
But with the newer cluster, I also had to stay within a few factory electrical specs. The FETs that control the factory LEDs aren't rated to take more than about 100mA, and they run the fives LEDs in the Edge cluster at around 65mA, total. My circuit boards have 39 LEDs in 13 set of 3 series-wired LEDs, and each set draws 5mA, so I kept the factory 65mA rating, but the cluster now looks like this:
![]()
The message center window was easy to change. The transparent green coating is on the front of the window, and it comes right off with isopropyl rubbing alcohol, leaving a perfectly clear window. I added transparent blue acetate to the fluorescent message center display underneath it.
No comparison. The whole cluster is really bright now, and the whole interior looks awesome at night.
![]()
What do you want your cluster and controls to look like?
I not only wanted to change the color, but the cluster was insanely dim with only five factory LEDs lighting everything. So, I designed three circuit boards to fit into the three main gauge cavities.
But with the newer cluster, I also had to stay within a few factory electrical specs. The FETs that control the factory LEDs aren't rated to take more than about 100mA, and they run the fives LEDs in the Edge cluster at around 65mA, total. My circuit boards have 39 LEDs in 13 set of 3 series-wired LEDs, and each set draws 5mA, so I kept the factory 65mA rating, but the cluster now looks like this:
The message center window was easy to change. The transparent green coating is on the front of the window, and it comes right off with isopropyl rubbing alcohol, leaving a perfectly clear window. I added transparent blue acetate to the fluorescent message center display underneath it.
No comparison. The whole cluster is really bright now, and the whole interior looks awesome at night.
What do you want your cluster and controls to look like?
like that...
or like yours
maybe just switch the white & blue leds around. other than that it looks awesome. what all do i need for this project? if i got all the stuff, would you do it for me? pretty please? i'm good with household/commercial electrical, not 12v. never was good at soldering connections.
*edit* ugh, /youtube is broken. err nevermind.
or like yours
maybe just switch the white & blue leds around. other than that it looks awesome. what all do i need for this project? if i got all the stuff, would you do it for me? pretty please? i'm good with household/commercial electrical, not 12v. never was good at soldering connections.*edit* ugh, /youtube is broken. err nevermind.
Joined
·
3,648 Posts
That is friggan cool! Love that dude!
Joined
·
12,362 Posts
I missed this post again.
:doh:
It takes me about 3 hours start-to-finish, and I can make any part of the gauge face any color you want, except for the red markings, which are on the FRONT of the gauge faces and can't be removed easily. From what I know from jshak07, there are only two red markings on an '08 Escape cluster (near the fuel gauge's E and the temp gauge's H).
If I know about this before you ship the cluster, I can order the parts and make the circuit boards in advance.
:doh:
It takes me about 3 hours start-to-finish, and I can make any part of the gauge face any color you want, except for the red markings, which are on the FRONT of the gauge faces and can't be removed easily. From what I know from jshak07, there are only two red markings on an '08 Escape cluster (near the fuel gauge's E and the temp gauge's H).
If I know about this before you ship the cluster, I can order the parts and make the circuit boards in advance.
Joined
·
3,648 Posts
You can make the circuit boards so the LED's light up as the speed/RPM increases???
Joined
·
12,362 Posts
I missed the YouTube post, too. Figures.
I'd probably need about a week to do animation like that, and I'd need an Escape to test it, since the Edge's cluster doesn't have exactly the same connections (maybe our Fusion does, but I haven't checked that yet). The Escape also has an 8K tach, and both my Edge and our Fusion have 7K tachs. I do know that I could do it, though.
If you just want the cluster changed to other colors, or just to make it brighter (much brighter than stock), I can do that easily. jshak07 is sending me his gauges, switches, and headlight switch so I can convert them to bright green.
I'd probably need about a week to do animation like that, and I'd need an Escape to test it, since the Edge's cluster doesn't have exactly the same connections (maybe our Fusion does, but I haven't checked that yet). The Escape also has an 8K tach, and both my Edge and our Fusion have 7K tachs. I do know that I could do it, though.
If you just want the cluster changed to other colors, or just to make it brighter (much brighter than stock), I can do that easily. jshak07 is sending me his gauges, switches, and headlight switch so I can convert them to bright green.
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
