Hey guys
My wife and I are driving a Mazda 3 for the weekend, trying to decide whether to buy it or not. The main thing at this point that we really don't like is the orange of the lights on the dash and on the radio area. Is there a way to change this? A kit or something, please let me know... it might be best to email me at futureloss@yahoo.com if you have the time just because I don't know how often I will check this since we don't own the car just yet.
thanks guys
jared

 

Hammm, ok, first of all, it is "red" and "blue" combination, sorry bro, but no orange there, if you do not like the color, i am sure you can change it by removing the panels and exchanging the factory bulbs to the color you want. The fist thing you need to know is that inside of the sterios itself you may have no access at all, similar if you wanted to change different light output on LED Bulb. On the other hand, i am sure you can change the bulbs on your odometer, how? remove it and replace the bulbs, but i do not know if the odometer panel is not "red" by itself, meaning when the bulb lights up it is only red, even if you change it to a different color it will creat different color combination bulb color+red panel color=creats whatever will comeout. Since i have not done so on Mazda, but did it on my Old Corolla, as a matter of fact you can buy one and try it, or if not than why do so, just buy a car you will be satisfied with. In the future i may get bored with Red lights, and will try to do something about it, or maybe by that time there will be some aftermarket parts to change it. Anyways, goodluck, if you get it done, good for you, if not, sry.

 

I think this is what you're looking for. all of the lighting on the dash of the 3 is done with LEDs, so it's certainly not as simple as changing out a bulb. It's an involved process, and I can pretty much garauntee it would void the warranty on the parts you're playing with. That being said, have fun.

Here's an after pic.



I'll agree that the dash is red, except for the LCD display on the radio which is orange. In the picture above a mod was done to the polarizer film over the display to invert the colors.

 

I don't drive a Mazda3 but doesn't the light color change depnding on if you drive a base, 3i, or 3s?I've heard that the i and s have an LED/LCD dependant light color (controlled by bulbs and the guages are in front of a blue LCD screen with clear windows over numbers) an the base has the standard mazda orange filters over white bulbs.

 

the difference between the gauges in the "i" and "s" trims is this. The "i" has conventional gauges that are lit (red) when the headlights are on. Otherwise they're just, I think, white on black. The "s" gauges are electroluminesent..... meaning that they're always lit. when the car is off then the gauge is just black. when you turn the car on the gauges are lit with red. when you turn on the headlights then the numbers are still red, and the gray/white ring around the gauges has a blue light projected onto it.

The only blue lighting in any 3 is: the blue rings on the gauge cluster on the "s" trim, and the blue light projected onto the ashtray area. In the case of the "s" cluster every single light is a LED, and there aren't any bulbs. I suppose the "i" gauges might have bulbs in them, but I don't have one, and I haven't seen a picture of a disassembled one.

this is the inside of the "s" gauges. see, no bulbs.

 

I have the S, and absolutely everything (aside from the blue rings around the speedo cluster) is red - including the ashtray area. However I did notice the ashtray area has a regular bulb that shines through a red plastic window in the ashtray itelf giving the same red lighting.

In reference to the "orange" in the original post, I'd have to take a 50/50 split on that one!!! I seemed to think of it as a orangish-red color. Doesn't seem a true red to me, but definately not a true orange either. Rather a blend of the two a little heavier on the red spectrum.

 

on the S there should be a *** that looks like the odometer *** but isn't and with the headlights off, it adjusts dimness, and with the headlights on, it changes colrs, so turn on your headlights and play with that *** and you should be able to change it to blue from what I read in a privous post on another topic about the dash of a Mazda3s. If your mileage reading changes though, stop touching the ***.

 

Take a look just above the ashtray at the bottom of the module with the A/C controls. There's a little blue accent light mounted there than comes on with the headlights. It's very dim and you probably won't notice it unless you're looking for it, or it's night. However you're correct, there is a light in the ashtray that is a normal bulb, and the ashtray insert has a red filter to make it red also.

I just explained this in my last post. Just to reiterate though, pushing the **** doesn't turn it from blue to red. Anytime the headlights are on the blue lights are shining onto the gauge faces. Look at the top of the gaugees and you'll see the little blue lights in their housings. However, like the center stack accent light noted above, they're very dim. So you probably won't notice them if: A) it's daytime, or B) it's night and you haven't toggled the **** to switch the gauges to night mode.

The **** in question is located between the speedometer and the tachometer. The odo/trip reset is between the speedometer and the rest of the gauges to the right.

 

Alright....Until you mentioned it, I would've never noticed the blue accent light above the ashtray!! It's weak, but it's there!

I also notice the blue lights around the instrument cluster lights up momentarily when the door is opened.

 

I guess i have been wrong, and most of the panel lightening are LED's. Honestly i have only one question to ICSPORTS, looking at the rear side of the cluster panel is it possible to locate LEDs which light ONLY 1. Tachometer Arrow, 2. Speedometer Arrow, 3. Fuel Gauge Arrow and 4. Coolent Temp Arrow. The reason i ask is because RED ARROWS with RED cluster lights doesn't make sense, al least MAZDA could have made them BLUE or even WHITe, cause its totally not right to have Arrows the same color as the cluster. SO please, can you mark which LEDs are ARROWS and what size are they? Thanks