Since so many people have asked...
If you can't get your gauge cluster out... DON'T DO THIS MOD. With that being said, here we go...
Materials:
A small screw driver
Soldering gun
Needle Nose pliers
5 flat tipped Leds
(in these picture i just used one i laying around. it IS NOT sanded)
5 resistors
(appropriate ohm to work with 12V)
Two colors of wire
(optional)
1) This is what your circuit board should look like. The one pictured just has all the lights removed, except one. (the shift light strip is kinda pointing to it, its on the middle right.
The back picture below, is what your going to be looking at the most. Ignore the little ones, those are hazard lights. The bigger ones are the gauge lights. They just twist, and pull out.
2) With your light removed, push the little tabs so they are facing up. This will help at a later step.
3) Push the light out from the bottom with the screwdriver. A little pressure is needed, but it'll just slide right out.
4)Now you can see the little clips that were connecting the light. Use the needle nose plyers to remove the metal clips. With the tabs folded up, you have something to pull on. Slightly more pressure then it took to remove the light, is needed. This is where i will branch off and split this How-To into two different methods...
Method A
5a) You can bend the leads on the led to put them out each side. You will need to cut one lead (either one, it doesn't matter) and solder the resistor on
BEFORE the metal leads go out of the gray twist in connector.
THIS IS NOT SHOWN IN THE PICTURE, I did not use this method, so I don't have any experience with it. It can be done, however.
6a) Get the Led into the right form, so the leads fit out the connector, but do not touch each other, inside of it. Remove the led/resistor and put some silicone or hot glue down into the connector, then reinsert the led/resistor. This will keep the connectors from shorting, and hold the unit in place. (since the led is smaller then the old bulb)
7a) Now you can simply twist the connector back in. Just make sure the glue/silicone is dry, trim the leads so they aren't sticking out really far, and make sure the leads are touching the metal strips around the rim of the connectors slot.
IF your led doesn't light, its either a bad lead to strip connection, or a polarity problem. Take it out, and twist it in the other way, from what you just had it.
Method B
(Method I used with 2 different color leds in the connector)
5b) Test your led and figure out which lead is your ground. (or negative lead) Bend the positive lead and slide it out one side of the connector, while the negative goes out the bottom hole, you just used to push the old bulb out.
6b) Follow the same steps as the last method, to secure the bulb in place. (silicone or hot glue)
7b) Solder a wire to each lead.
Do Not Touch your Circuit board with the Soldering Gun! That would be bad, and you risk destroying important connections.
8b) Run your ground wires to a small distribution block (so you only have to connect them to a single ground) And repeat with your Positive wires.
I connected those wires to a small distribution block I have connected to the wires on my center console cubby lights. That way your gauge cluster turns on at night, when your headlights do.
Threaded Mode