dashboard lights and radio
- Thread starter tokarlito
- Start date
Someone correct me if I am wrong... but I am pretty sure you cannot change the lights on the radio display itself... they are really really small like the ones you would see in a cell phone... they are not just simple bulbs. As for the guages, just try a search.... someone has changed their guages to a blue color... looked good.
I'm not sure about the dash, but you can change the radio fairly easily.
There are a number (10 to 12, depending on the radio) small, white light bulbs in the radio face - 2 of them light up the display, and the rest light up the various buttons. The white bulbs have "condoms" on them, of one color or another, and changing the color is as simple as changing the condoms.
I recently bought a brand new 6 disc AM/FM/Cassette changer (for $150, including shipping) nearly exactly like the one which came OEM in the P5, and I installed it in the car, after I swapped out the green condoms on the new one for the red ones I took out of my single disc player.
This thread from MiataForum is a pretty comprehensive write-up of the exact procedure:
6 CD/Radio Light Mod for 2002 Base Radio
NOTE: The following procedure changes the stock base radio/CD in the 2002 Miata to a Mazda radio with 6-CD changer and cassette deck. In addition, the radio lighting is changed from green to red to match the 02 Miata interior lighting. (The color lighting is not exact, as the stock lighting is more orange-red. However, it is close and much better than the green lighting supplied.) I did not notice any appreciable power (loudness) increase in the new radio over the base radio but I did gain the 6-CD changer and a cassette deck and light dimming functionality is preserved. Also, the FM sensitivity on the new radio seems a bit worse than the stock base radio. Overall, I am happy with the change for the price.
1. Buy the wiring adapter from Crutchfield for the 99+ Mazda radio, part number 120707903.
2. In the Crutchfield adapter, remove the BROWN wire (automute) and reinstall the wire in the connector next to the ORANGE wire. This will enable the light dimming function.
3. In the Crutchfield adapter, solder a female spade lug onto the BLACK wire (ground).
4. In the smaller wiring adapter supplied with the radio, remove the PURPLE/BLK wire and install it into the larger wiring adapter supplied with the radio position 14, next to the BLUE wire and below the ORANGE/WHT wire. This will enable the light dimming function.
5. Solder together the following wire pairs between the Crutchfield adapter and the the larger wiring adapter supplied with the radio: BLUE BLUE, RED RED, ORANGE ORANGE/WHT, YEL - YEL, WHITE WHITE, WHITE/BLK - WHITE/BLK, GRY GRY, GRY/WHT - GRY/WHT, BROWN PURPLE/BLK.
6. If you want to change the lighting color of the radio, perform steps 6 - 16. Otherwise go to step 17. On the new radio, remove the two plastic trim pieces along the sides of the radio.
7. Remove the 4 phillips head screw on each side which hold on the spring clips.
8. Remove the two knobs on the front by pulling them straight away from the faceplate.
9. Remove 2 phillips head screws each side holding the faceplate to the radio frame.
10. With a small flat blade screwdriver, pry 4 clips each side (top & bottom) holding the faceplate to the frame slowly until all are released. Pry them just enough to overcome the latch, then when all 4 on a side a free, slightly separate the side to keep it from slipping back onto the frame. When top and bottom are free, remove the faceplate from the frame by pulling straight away. Do not pull at and angle or the internal connector may be damaged.
11. Avoid static discharge from your body into the faceplate electronics. Use grounding strap or something similar.
12. Remove 6 small Phillips head screws holding the faceplate electronics to the faceplate housing. Remember the direction the metal grounding tab/finger is pointing on the 1 screw.
13. There are 11 small (3mm) incandescent bulbs solder to the printed circuit board with green colored rubber boots over the bulb. These are what give the green light. 2 of the bulbs are under the ends of the LCD display (the silver metal box with the display inside. If you look at the backside of the printed circuit board you can see the black housing for those 2 bulbs.
14. Purchase 11 pieces of part number 289-1091-1ND from DigiKey. These are another brand of board-mount incandescent bulb which have red covers (and therefore produce red light). Price for 11 is $11.55 plus shipping (plus $5 if total order is under $25). Alternatively, contact JKL Components at 800-421-7244 and try and get 11 samples of the red bulb covers used on the CTB1 bulbs.
15. For each bulb on the radio faceplate, pull off the green bulb cover by slightly pinching the cover between your fingers and pulling straight off. Remove the red covers from the lights your purchased from DigiKey and install a red cover over each bulb. Slightly spinning the red covers while pushing them on will seat them nicely. There are two bulbs under the LCD display which illuminate the display. The ears on each end of the metal display housing can be bent up carefully to expose the bulbs and their covers. Replace the bulb covers on those two bulbs and bend the ears back into shape.
16. Install the assembly in the reverse order of disassembly. The bulb portions of the DigiKey parts are not used for this mod.
17. Remove the T-shaped bracket on the rear of the radio held by a Phillips screw. Remove the stock radio from you dash and remove the bullet-shaped bracket (remove small Phipps screw, remove the rubber bullet, remove the metal post with a wrench) and install the bullet-bracket on the new radio.
18. Plug the larger supplied connector into the radio and connect the spade lug ground on the male tab on the radio.
19. You may want to create some slack in the car antenna wire in the car by loosening it from the plastic tie down. (the antenna connection on the new radio is on the opposite side as the stock radio.
20. Route the large radio connector in the car behind the bracket in the rear (to avoid it getting in the way of the rear of the radio. Plug in the Crutchfield connector to the car connector and the antenna wire to the radio.
21. Push the radio into the slot until the side spring brackets catch. Reinstall all trim. No cutting of any trim is required.
Todd
Worked just fine for me
Don
There are a number (10 to 12, depending on the radio) small, white light bulbs in the radio face - 2 of them light up the display, and the rest light up the various buttons. The white bulbs have "condoms" on them, of one color or another, and changing the color is as simple as changing the condoms.
I recently bought a brand new 6 disc AM/FM/Cassette changer (for $150, including shipping) nearly exactly like the one which came OEM in the P5, and I installed it in the car, after I swapped out the green condoms on the new one for the red ones I took out of my single disc player.
This thread from MiataForum is a pretty comprehensive write-up of the exact procedure:
6 CD/Radio Light Mod for 2002 Base Radio
NOTE: The following procedure changes the stock base radio/CD in the 2002 Miata to a Mazda radio with 6-CD changer and cassette deck. In addition, the radio lighting is changed from green to red to match the 02 Miata interior lighting. (The color lighting is not exact, as the stock lighting is more orange-red. However, it is close and much better than the green lighting supplied.) I did not notice any appreciable power (loudness) increase in the new radio over the base radio but I did gain the 6-CD changer and a cassette deck and light dimming functionality is preserved. Also, the FM sensitivity on the new radio seems a bit worse than the stock base radio. Overall, I am happy with the change for the price.
1. Buy the wiring adapter from Crutchfield for the 99+ Mazda radio, part number 120707903.
2. In the Crutchfield adapter, remove the BROWN wire (automute) and reinstall the wire in the connector next to the ORANGE wire. This will enable the light dimming function.
3. In the Crutchfield adapter, solder a female spade lug onto the BLACK wire (ground).
4. In the smaller wiring adapter supplied with the radio, remove the PURPLE/BLK wire and install it into the larger wiring adapter supplied with the radio position 14, next to the BLUE wire and below the ORANGE/WHT wire. This will enable the light dimming function.
5. Solder together the following wire pairs between the Crutchfield adapter and the the larger wiring adapter supplied with the radio: BLUE BLUE, RED RED, ORANGE ORANGE/WHT, YEL - YEL, WHITE WHITE, WHITE/BLK - WHITE/BLK, GRY GRY, GRY/WHT - GRY/WHT, BROWN PURPLE/BLK.
6. If you want to change the lighting color of the radio, perform steps 6 - 16. Otherwise go to step 17. On the new radio, remove the two plastic trim pieces along the sides of the radio.
7. Remove the 4 phillips head screw on each side which hold on the spring clips.
8. Remove the two knobs on the front by pulling them straight away from the faceplate.
9. Remove 2 phillips head screws each side holding the faceplate to the radio frame.
10. With a small flat blade screwdriver, pry 4 clips each side (top & bottom) holding the faceplate to the frame slowly until all are released. Pry them just enough to overcome the latch, then when all 4 on a side a free, slightly separate the side to keep it from slipping back onto the frame. When top and bottom are free, remove the faceplate from the frame by pulling straight away. Do not pull at and angle or the internal connector may be damaged.
11. Avoid static discharge from your body into the faceplate electronics. Use grounding strap or something similar.
12. Remove 6 small Phillips head screws holding the faceplate electronics to the faceplate housing. Remember the direction the metal grounding tab/finger is pointing on the 1 screw.
13. There are 11 small (3mm) incandescent bulbs solder to the printed circuit board with green colored rubber boots over the bulb. These are what give the green light. 2 of the bulbs are under the ends of the LCD display (the silver metal box with the display inside. If you look at the backside of the printed circuit board you can see the black housing for those 2 bulbs.
14. Purchase 11 pieces of part number 289-1091-1ND from DigiKey. These are another brand of board-mount incandescent bulb which have red covers (and therefore produce red light). Price for 11 is $11.55 plus shipping (plus $5 if total order is under $25). Alternatively, contact JKL Components at 800-421-7244 and try and get 11 samples of the red bulb covers used on the CTB1 bulbs.
15. For each bulb on the radio faceplate, pull off the green bulb cover by slightly pinching the cover between your fingers and pulling straight off. Remove the red covers from the lights your purchased from DigiKey and install a red cover over each bulb. Slightly spinning the red covers while pushing them on will seat them nicely. There are two bulbs under the LCD display which illuminate the display. The ears on each end of the metal display housing can be bent up carefully to expose the bulbs and their covers. Replace the bulb covers on those two bulbs and bend the ears back into shape.
16. Install the assembly in the reverse order of disassembly. The bulb portions of the DigiKey parts are not used for this mod.
17. Remove the T-shaped bracket on the rear of the radio held by a Phillips screw. Remove the stock radio from you dash and remove the bullet-shaped bracket (remove small Phipps screw, remove the rubber bullet, remove the metal post with a wrench) and install the bullet-bracket on the new radio.
18. Plug the larger supplied connector into the radio and connect the spade lug ground on the male tab on the radio.
19. You may want to create some slack in the car antenna wire in the car by loosening it from the plastic tie down. (the antenna connection on the new radio is on the opposite side as the stock radio.
20. Route the large radio connector in the car behind the bracket in the rear (to avoid it getting in the way of the rear of the radio. Plug in the Crutchfield connector to the car connector and the antenna wire to the radio.
21. Push the radio into the slot until the side spring brackets catch. Reinstall all trim. No cutting of any trim is required.
Todd
Worked just fine for me
Don
