Cluster Background light bulbs
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 2,800
Likes: 456
From: USA
I do not know anyway to change them without removing the cluster. Here is a thread that has detailed instructions for changing them:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ent-guide.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ent-guide.html
Racer
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 347
Likes: 25
From: Rockford Illinois
You can do it from the front. After taking off the Bezel just pop the metal covers for the bulbs and gently remove and install the bulbs with needle nose pliers. I replaced mine with Zenon bulbs.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 173
Likes: 18
QCVette explained this recently in a thread of mine:
Good luck to you. I will be doing mine sometime this winter.
I had put together something for another member a while back based on forum information and my experience in doing it several times.
I just looked and found an old package of lights. They are #882 bulbs. They are little 5 watt halogen bulbs. I think they are about $30 each at the dealer, but I got them at Advance Auto parts for about $8 each a couple years ago. I didn't shop around too much. They didn't have them in stock so I had to wait about 2 days. You may find them at various part stores.
The bulbs are halogens, so don't touch the bulb with your fingers. The bulbs may come with a twist-in socket base that twists into the back of the instrument cluster. To do that the instrument cluster has to come completely out.
The easier way is to pull the bulb out of the twist-in socket base from the front without taking out the whole cluster. The bulbs just pull straight out and push back in, so it is not breaking them or the socket base.
When you take the front trim plate off the instrument panel (just a few screws and then carefully manuver the plate out away from the panel) you can see there are some small snap-in covers over the place where the lights are. These covers are a bright metal and are under an inch diameter.
Once the covers are out, I use a small piece of electical shrink tubing. (Radio Shack sells a selection for a buck or two). I push the shrink tubing over the bulb. Take a small pliers like a needle nose and gently grip the outside the shrink tube on the bulb and pull the bulb out straight out without twisting. (don't grip very hard or you may break the bulb.)
Once the bulb is out, put some of the shrink tube over a new bulb and use the tubing to hold the bulb and guide the bulb into the existing twist-in socket base. The tubing will not hold the bulb well enough to push it all the way in by itself. You will need to only line it up and start it with the tubing and then push with your finger or the pliers (over the shrink tube so you don't touch it). Once it is in place, pull the tubing off. Replace the snap in cover. You can turn on the lights to make sure it lights.
Repeat the same procedure for the others. I think there are 4 bulbs.
Replace the front trim plate.
Done.
There are a lot of words, but the whole thing is only about 15 minutes and pretty easy. Just be cautious, take your time, and not break the bulbs. I have replaced 6 or 8 of them on 3 cars this way.
I just looked and found an old package of lights. They are #882 bulbs. They are little 5 watt halogen bulbs. I think they are about $30 each at the dealer, but I got them at Advance Auto parts for about $8 each a couple years ago. I didn't shop around too much. They didn't have them in stock so I had to wait about 2 days. You may find them at various part stores.
The bulbs are halogens, so don't touch the bulb with your fingers. The bulbs may come with a twist-in socket base that twists into the back of the instrument cluster. To do that the instrument cluster has to come completely out.
The easier way is to pull the bulb out of the twist-in socket base from the front without taking out the whole cluster. The bulbs just pull straight out and push back in, so it is not breaking them or the socket base.
When you take the front trim plate off the instrument panel (just a few screws and then carefully manuver the plate out away from the panel) you can see there are some small snap-in covers over the place where the lights are. These covers are a bright metal and are under an inch diameter.
Once the covers are out, I use a small piece of electical shrink tubing. (Radio Shack sells a selection for a buck or two). I push the shrink tubing over the bulb. Take a small pliers like a needle nose and gently grip the outside the shrink tube on the bulb and pull the bulb out straight out without twisting. (don't grip very hard or you may break the bulb.)
Once the bulb is out, put some of the shrink tube over a new bulb and use the tubing to hold the bulb and guide the bulb into the existing twist-in socket base. The tubing will not hold the bulb well enough to push it all the way in by itself. You will need to only line it up and start it with the tubing and then push with your finger or the pliers (over the shrink tube so you don't touch it). Once it is in place, pull the tubing off. Replace the snap in cover. You can turn on the lights to make sure it lights.
Repeat the same procedure for the others. I think there are 4 bulbs.
Replace the front trim plate.
Done.
There are a lot of words, but the whole thing is only about 15 minutes and pretty easy. Just be cautious, take your time, and not break the bulbs. I have replaced 6 or 8 of them on 3 cars this way.
Good luck to you. I will be doing mine sometime this winter.
