Want to put a new gauge and maybe an A/C thingy in the car - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

msrdude · 10-04-2009, 06:02 PM

I have a 96 corolla.
I was wondering, I want to change my dashboard gauge because it is plain and has no tachometer (RPM gauge). I found what I wanted to replace it with, but i do not know if my car can support a tachometer. Also, do i have to remove the steering wheel to removed the dashboard gauges?

Also, I removed the plastic covers that covers the radio, Air conditioner/hot cold/fan speed, and the cigarette lighter, and was wondering if I could change the Air conditioner/hot cold/fan speed thingy because i want a knob style and not the stock ones.

BTW, my car has a big square box thingy below the radio and above the ashtray, and was wondering if anyone have any ideas what I can put there because I have no use of that big square box thingy. Thanks a lot

gold94corolla · 10-04-2009, 06:40 PM

I can answer all of your questions!!! Yay!

Starting with the gauge cluster, if you found the tachometer OEM one, GET IT. It will fit perfectly... I have a DX, and when I swapped in the tach cluster, the tach automatically worked no problem. No modifications. However, if it doesn't work, check out this page to run the single wire you need to make it work:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2665752/7

To remove the cluster, you DON'T need to remove the steering wheel, just tilt it all the way down. You remove the cluster, remove the bezel around it by taking out 2 screws and pulling hard. Then unscrew the 4 screws holding in the cluster and unclip the 3 wire connections on the back. The new one installs in reverse no prob.

Onto the thing about the temperature controls. I felt the same exact way about them. I didn't like the old-school look with the sliders:

BUT, the 93-97 Geo Prizm (basically the same car) has a different dash, and that one has knobs for the temperature controls!!!! I just finished swapping out the entire dash with the Prizm one so that I could have the knobs lol. I don't think you want to do that, it is a lot of custom work and time and money. But, this was the end result:

So much cleaner in my opinion! I'm the only person to do the interior swap that I know of...

As for your last question about the box down below.... maybe you saw it in those pics, but I fit a 7" screen there..... it was soooo easy to do. It is my radio and GPS touchscreen.

This picture shows how the double-din unit installs into the factory brackets:

I feel you about it... the stock box was ugly... but this screen is perfect, nice and clean. You get to keep the cupholder, too

Hope this helps, any more qs let me know!

msrdude · 10-04-2009, 08:39 PM

Man, you car looks so kool. I like it man.
I found a AC AutoTechnic S72 Gauge, and I am sure it is an OEM one because yours is the exact same, except yours is a S7. I think they are selling it for 60 bucks which i think tats a good deal or so. And walmart i do not think they have it anymore and wow! 400 bucks for that thing, maybe some other time for me.

Also, how/where did you get the blue light or whatever it is next to the key ignition area and those other blue stuff? And any idea if I can change the light that illuminates the cigarette and the ac control areas?

kevmac · 10-04-2009, 09:51 PM

ebay, frys- check Friday deals if from so cal

edit: forgot,
http://ads.ocregister.com/rop/web/oc...gory.php?id=22

gold94corolla · 10-05-2009, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msrdude

Man, you car looks so kool. I like it man.
I found a AC AutoTechnic S72 Gauge, and I am sure it is an OEM one because yours is the exact same, except yours is a S7. I think they are selling it for 60 bucks which i think tats a good deal or so. And walmart i do not think they have it anymore and wow! 400 bucks for that thing, maybe some other time for me.

Also, how/where did you get the blue light or whatever it is next to the key ignition area and those other blue stuff? And any idea if I can change the light that illuminates the cigarette and the ac control areas?

OK, now I am super confused. Did you check out the rest of my page?

I have the AC Autotechnic S72 gauge whatever in the first pic.... it isn't OEM.... of course I can't use it now.... I think I got mine for like $40.

Walmart has it, maybe the link didn't work? I put it up like yesterday lol. Yeah, it was about $450. If you notice in my first pic, I just put a carbon fiber vinyl over the area to smooth it out nice. Maybe you could do that for super cheap.

What blue stuff? I have no blue lights around my key ignition area.

You can very very easily change the light behind the AC area. it is a 194 bulb. Take it all apart like you said you did and you should see it. The cigarette light I couldn't replace.

If you describe your q's in more detail (don't be afraid of the keyboard lol) I will help you out better!

msrdude · 10-05-2009, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gold94corolla

OK, now I am super confused. Did you check out the rest of my page?

I have the AC Autotechnic S72 gauge whatever in the first pic.... it isn't OEM.... of course I can't use it now.... I think I got mine for like $40.

Walmart has it, maybe the link didn't work? I put it up like yesterday lol. Yeah, it was about $450. If you notice in my first pic, I just put a carbon fiber vinyl over the area to smooth it out nice. Maybe you could do that for super cheap.

What blue stuff? I have no blue lights around my key ignition area.

You can very very easily change the light behind the AC area. it is a 194 bulb. Take it all apart like you said you did and you should see it. The cigarette light I couldn't replace.

If you describe your q's in more detail (don't be afraid of the keyboard lol) I will help you out better!

O sorry. lol i thought i was clear about what i said. No i checked out your site and it said S7, maybe it was a typo you made or something. Yah I found AC Autotechnic S72 gauge for 60 plus tax and shipping, but it doesnt look like the one you have on your car. Wait, what do you mean by you cant use it now?

gold94corolla · 10-05-2009, 07:09 PM

OK, yeah, I just typed random stuff when I was naming the gauges haha. It was hard to remember everything.... actually, I did call it S72 some places... so I guess that they are S72... lol

Here's my link to some for less than $60

http://www.google.com/products?q=ac+...ges+97+corolla

Yeah, they don't actually show the one in the car.... I bought it and it showed a pic of a Civic one.... but mine aren't 3D or anything, and they certainly don't light up as nice as it showed.... oh well.

And no, I can't use my Corolla gauges anymore. See? I replaced the dash with the Prizm one, so that takes a different cluster, one without mods.

Thanks for checking my page.

msrdude · 10-05-2009, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gold94corolla

OK, yeah, I just typed random stuff when I was naming the gauges haha. It was hard to remember everything.... actually, I did call it S72 some places... so I guess that they are S72... lol

Here's my link to some for less than $60

http://www.google.com/products?q=ac+...ges+97+corolla

Yeah, they don't actually show the one in the car.... I bought it and it showed a pic of a Civic one.... but mine aren't 3D or anything, and they certainly don't light up as nice as it showed.... oh well.

And no, I can't use my Corolla gauges anymore. See? I replaced the dash with the Prizm one, so that takes a different cluster, one without mods.

Thanks for checking my page.

O I got ya. I no what you mean now. lol. Yah I kind of thought that the picture they showed was not the one I was going to get if I bought it.

I know what you mean now. You changed the dash and stuff so now the Corolla gauges don't fit. Lol now its making sense.

So do you think I should buy a AC AutoTechnic S72 Gauge? Since you have one maybe you can show me a picture of how it actually looks like. Mine is a DX just like yours but mine is a 96 not a 94 so I think I will have the same luck as you with the tachometer working without an extra wire. But ill still have my fingers crossed. lol

gold94corolla · 10-05-2009, 08:54 PM

OK, glad we are on the same page now!

You could just buy my gauges lol.....

Here's a pic of them lit:

Note that the C and the H are backwards on the face..... so I fixed it by taking my temperature gauge from my previous cluster, which spins the other way, so that it worked right.

msrdude · 10-05-2009, 10:24 PM

That gauge looks cool, but im guessing you fixed it up a little by adding the stickers or whatever its called over the gauges and changed the light bulb to blue. Buy your gauge? Are you for real? How much are you selling it for?

msrdude · 10-06-2009, 12:00 PM

Should I buy a new dash kit, or should I paint them like you did?

trife96 · 10-06-2009, 08:23 PM

very nice upgrade gold94. I didn't think you could swapt the whole dash. I didn't think the harness for the guage cluster, radio, a/c controls, etc. would be the same. For some reason I though the Prizm and the Corolla used some different wiring harnesses and connectors. Very unique, and have to admit, looks pretty damn good. Nice work. I actually was never to crazy about the Prizm interior but seeing yours makes me think a bot different.

trd808 · 10-06-2009, 10:29 PM

this is what i did for my little cubby hole

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2986814/5

msrdude · 10-06-2009, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trd808

this is what i did for my little cubby hole

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2986814/5

Nice trd808 I like it. But you didnt show step by step on how to wire the gauges together.

As for the cluster gauge, where did you buy it and how much did you pay for it? Also, the tachometer (rpm) worked without any extra wires? If so, then Im in luck when I decide to change it as well.

trd808 · 10-07-2009, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msrdude

Nice trd808 I like it. But you didnt show step by step on how to wire the gauges together.

As for the cluster gauge, where did you buy it and how much did you pay for it? Also, the tachometer (rpm) worked without any extra wires? If so, then Im in luck when I decide to change it as well.

when you buy gauges it'll come with instructions, so i see no point in doing so.

the cluster, i got it at a junk yard for $30 and it was all plug n play