Well due to the popularity of this question its about time i got around to writing this...

firstly, to make sure you have the later style dash...if you have then your water temp and fuel meter is at the top and in the middle of your dash...if they're at the bottom and one either side of the dials then you have the older style...

i can personally only cover the newer ones as thats what i have but there are people on here who are workin on the earlier one...i wont put up any names as its up to them once theyve done it.

ill warn u now that it was over a yr ago wen i did mine...so if i umm and ahh alot then its cos i dont remember...here goes:



1)take out ur dials...this requires a few torx bits to get out the surround and the whole dials...need to take off the steering wheel from what i remember...and then unplug the big plug on the back of the dials...

i must warn you that the airbag light on my car came on even tho i followed Haynes manual and youll have to get this reset from garage/vw if the same happens to you...or unsolder the offendin led like i did... you need an allen key to remove airbag and big 24mm(?) socket to get off the wheel

2)begin taking apart the dials using a small torx bit...think only the rear ones need removing...they dials will split into two now and the circuit board is left free for you to play with

3)you must now remove the needles...do this carefully using a fork to lever them off evenly...the dials (black bit with numbers) will now be removable

4)there is a clear plastic layer now which also clips off beneath which lies the circuit board with all the leds (white blocks), amongst loadsa other stuff

5)the lcds now clip off...check this as this is what i cant clearly remember doin, but i know i must have... there are four plastic tabs holdin em on and they release em...itll be obvious once u see em

6)now u can get out ur solderin iron...do one led at a time as ull need to know which way they have been attached origianaly...ie where + and - is...this is easily found by doing continuity/diode test with a multimeter

7)using the SMT leds of your colour choice...which i must add u rely should have ordered prior to doin this...try ultraleds.co.uk...VERY carefully unsolder the old ones and replace with new ones

8)DONT use too much solder as itll go evrywhere and use a low wattage iron (10-15w) with a very fine tip

9)the lcds use sligtly diferent leds that are mounted at 90 degrees...u can either use a normal 3mm led and angle it over or some nifty solderin of an SMT led


ok if any1 notices any thing wrong wiv that then let me know and i will correct it...hope it helps and good luck...

i must add i have done this and i am not an electrician,mechanic,etc...i just love cars and am very hands-on with everything that involves cars and i am just pretty handy with electrical and mechanical stuff...so dont be put off doin it...trust me it is an extremely worthwhile mod

if its still in my sig wen ur readin this then I'm sure ull understand what i mean..


EDIT:

oh...and it takes 22 leds from what i remember...better order some more so u can practice, in case I'm wrong or if u fuck some up (very easily done)!

dont forget to mark out where the needles rest for all of em...as tou will need to put them back on where the stop normally...bit of electrical tape as a mark worked for me

and the total mileage stays so no clocking to be done even if u drive with the dials disconnected...it adds em on wen u reconnect it

This site can also be helpfull (Translated By Google)...
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=ht...Flanguage_tools

I found this site a while back and used it when changing the LED's in my dials.

EDIT: THIS SITE NO LONGER SEEMS TO BE WORKING!

Would anyone fancy doing this to my car if i paid them. please

me 2

yea me 2, i have a 96 polo mk,4 nad the dials suck, id really just want the 98 dials stuck in it as they are pretty cool.. anyone know where i could get hold of 98 dials?

just thought id say. if you want to change the colour of your heater/light dials etc. to red. then its a strait swop from a seat ibiza! trust me i just did it! of course that is only if you want red! just thought id add my bit..

good point i done the same saves alot of time doing that, pretty sure there in something else too.

hi peeps...
just wanted to know if there is ne1 local to woking,surrey who would like to do 96 n reg dails for me...
i will pay for ur time and effort...

peace..

Has anyone done this on there mk4 Pre 98??

On my mk4:


On older version it's easier!
You remove your tachymetre and you replace lights on the top(bulbs) by blue or red, as you want.
For the two screens, you have to put transparant colored paper.
/!\On several older tachymetre, screens are welded!

any ideas on how this is on a mk3?

Cheers for that wee tip

What if I wanted Blue... any cars I can straight swap it from??

\

not that i know off, perhaps get some blue thick acetate and use the origginal heater film as a template and get a graphics blade and score out a new one!

What model Ibiza do I use to swap with my 6n?

just found this thread because I'm wantin to do this to mine..I'm replacin my dials anyway so might as well

but just a point about original post...I've had my dials out before and you DONT need to take your steering wheel off or tamper with it in anyway

the dials qill squeeze thru the top gap fairly easily

What abouth the bit you have to swap to change the lights if you were swapping with an ibiza. I assume it would be some sort of PCB that gets swapped. would that squeeze through?

I thought to ask here rather then to start a new thread but will the mentioned later styled dials fit the older style equipped 6n polo? I have the ones where the temperature and petrol gauges are either side of the main dials and I'd like to swap them with the later styled ones with petrol and temp gauges in the middle and so was just wondering if they are the same fit and will just plug in and work.

Thanks

mig

not sure of that one czechboy...

never tried myself as i always had the newer style clocks and i cant remember seein anyone else doing it

Straight fit same plugs on the back...an excellent upgrade.

Mahbs

For the pics and my little guide

Please click HERE

Cheers
Gavin

exactly what LEDs do i need to buy for this, can someone link the right website page please??

Thanks

Sam

I took myself one of these from Ebay de. You see Vw has already done the job for us in the 6N gti limited.

During daytime


And this how it looks at night .


Price is about 100Euro it is plug and play and it works perfectly.