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How To Change Your Needle Colors (For Mitsubishi Lancer)

Green, Yellow, White, Red, or Blue

Note: Taking apart your gauge cluster isn't difficult, but the gauges are sensitive pieces of equipment. As with all How-Tos, you do this at your own risk.

Tools/Supplies Needed
Phillips screwdriver for removing the gauge cluster
Exacto knife or sharp flat object
Pencil or digicam (you'll see why in Part 3)
Small flat screwdriver or something similar to help remove needles (not needed, but may help)
Lots of Patience
Plastic tape from Walmart (less than $5) (see attachment below)

Part A – Remove your gauge cluster
Note: This How-To is based on an '03 Lancer OZ.

Remove two screws holding in black surrounding piece of gauge cluster. Pull out black surrounding piece.
Remove three screws holding in gauge cluster. Two up top, one below in center.
Pull out gauge cluster. The easiest way I've found is to pull it forward slightly then lay it's back down to face up. Then rotate to get it out.
There are two sets of cables attached to the gauge cluster. Both are on the back of the cluster on the top with one on each side. There is a tab in the center of the connecter which you depress and then you can pull out the cables.
Take your released gauge cluster inside.

Part B – Remove Needles

Remove the clear plastic lens covering your gauges. This is done by pressing in the tabs that hold it in on the top and bottom.
Remove the black surrounding plastic which separates your gauge faces. Again, there are tabs and top and bottom and one on each side. (Note: This step is optional, but makes it easier to take off the needles). Once the black piece is off, you have free access to the needles.
Remove the little black needle stops on the Tach and Speedo. These pop out, so just bending them to one side will pop them out. You will notice the needles will drop lower.

Now, by either taking a picture of the current needle position, or by lightly marking the needle position on the gauge face with a pencil, note where the needles are. This step is important to ensure that your gauges aren't off when you put your needles back on.

For Tach and Speedo - Gently, firmly pull up on the needles. Pull up where the needle is mounted – the center of the gauge face. If you pull up on the far end of the needle, you can break it or sorse, bend the small shaft that holds the needle and then you'll need to replace your gauges - $278 at dealership. I've taken off my needles many times and have found that its easiest to pull on the needle side of the main plastic part with my left hand while prying/pulling up on the other side of the main (center) plastic part with a small flat head screwdriver. Once the needles are off, set aside.

For Gas and Temp – These needles don't have little stoppers to hold the needles at the bottom gauge position. In order to accurately mark their current position, you need to pull the needles half way up. You will notice that once they are half way up, the needles will then rotate further down. This is the position you mark or take a picture of for replacement. After you mark the position, remove the needles the rest of the way.

Part C - Changing Needle Color

Using an Exacto knife, or anything other sharp flat surface, carefully scrape off all the paint from the backside of the needle. Try to get as much off as you can. Wet sanding the back with 400 or 600 grit sandpaper will help remove any remaining paint. Turn over the needle often to see where you still need to remove paint. You will know you've removed it all when you turn the needle over (right side up) and it looks completely clear. Do this for all four needles.

Now, take the color of tape you wish your gauges to be. I used the blue tape for blue needles. Using the white tape will make your needles white in the day, but will glow whatever your gauges glow at night. After you select your tape color, trim a piece of tape to cover the backside of the needle. This may take a couple of tries since you want to cut a piece basically the exact shape of the bottom side of the needle plus a little extra on both sides to wrap around. Basically you want the tape to cover enough of the back that when you turn the needle over, it looks like it was meant to be that color. You'll know when you got it right.

After fixing the tape to all four needles, you are now ready to put them back on!

Part D – Put Everything Back Together

Tach and Speedo - Now, place your needles back on and align with their original position (I lightly marked on the gauge face with a pencil the needles' position). I found that the easiest way to put them back to their original position was to push them on most of the way above the mark and then as I pushed the last bit of way left, rotate the needle to the mark. Be sure not to push the needle too far down and it will be pushing against the gauge face and won't be able to rotate freely.

Fuel and Temp – As you did when you took them off, push them down to about half way. Rotate them to the mark you made of their position, line it up and then rotate them back so that the needle is pointing to about the center of the gauge and then push down the rest of the way. Be sure not to inadvertently rotate the needle while you push as you will change the needle position and your temp and/or fuel gauges may not read properly.

After your needles are back on, gently do a mock sweep of the needles as if they were moving to make sure they aren't stuck on the gauge face. (Move the needle like you were revving your engine)

Replace the black plastic surround piece for the gauge faces.

Replace the clear plastic piece.

Take the cluster back out to the car.

Replace the two cables.

Slide your gauges back into the car dash the opposite way you took it out.

Replace the three screws which hold in the gauge cluster.

Replace the black surrounding piece around the gauge cluster and replace the two screws to hold it in place.

Turn on your lights and admire your new needles!

Let me know if you have any questions about this How-To. I'll try to help as best as I can. lightrikz@gmail.com or zlancerman@gmail.com

http://www.lightrikz.com

Attached Images

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