Indiglo Installation - Do it yourself (DIY)
Required Tools: Philips Head screw driver, flashlight, tape, and patience.
1. First off, DO NOT REMOVE ANY NEEDLES AND BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO BREAK THEM!!
2. Remove the plastic under dash cover. There are 3 screws that you need to unscrew.
--> The first one is on the far corner just above the gas pedal.
-->To access the second screw you must pry out the courtesy light control switch. Once you've done that, carefully unscrew the screw behind it. Now unplug the green plug.
-->Find the hood release lever. The third screw is under it. Unscrew it.
3. Now carefully remove the plastic under dash cover and set it aside.
4. Unplug the plug (green) from the underside of the instrument cluster.
5. Now unscrew the instrument cluster frame from underneath. There are 2 screws, one on each outer side of it.
6. Begin to remove the black cluster frame by pulling it towards you. You will notice that there are wiring harnesses connected to it. Unplug the sockets of these wiring harnesses and then completely remove the cluster frame and set it aside.
7. Unscrew the 4 screws holding in the instrument cluster. (These are kind of further back. Don't mistake them for the screws that are holding on the clear plastic in front of the gauges.) There are 2 on each side aligned vertically.
8. Start to remove the instrument cluster. Now like the cluster frame, you will notice that there are wiring harnesses connected to it. Unplug the 3 harnesses from the back of it and now completely take the instrument cluster out.
9. Now take apart the front of the cluster. By "take apart the front of the cluster", that does not mean try to remove just the clear plastic. Do some searching and you'll find some parts that snap in and out. Snap them out and then raise the cluster upward.
10. Carefully remove the instrument frame.
11. Place the new gauges over the old face. It helps to kind of bend them so they bow. It will be much easier to slide the needles through once you do this.
12. The fuel and temperature gauges are a little harder to since they are smaller. For these you must really fold the gauges into taco-like shape and place them over the needles. BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO BREAK OR POP OFF THE NEEDLES!!
13. You must drill holes through your instrument cluster (2 holes)
preferably from the bottom, and run the 4 indiglo wires through the holes. Of course run the left two wires through the left hole and vice versa.
~While installing everything back in, keep in mind to connect all of the harnesses back. Its a pain to get everything put back in and then having to take it all back out, and then back in again.~
14. Now reinstall instrument cluster and put back into car. Run the indiglo wires down through openings behind the cluster/dash. If you cannot find the openings, get a flashlight and shine it through the back of the dash and find where the light shines through. You now have a place to run the indiglo wires.
15. Once the indiglo wires are run through the back of the dash connect them to the wires coming from the transformer. They will snap together. Now mount the transformer somewhere.
16. Now install everything back on except the plastic under dash cover.
17. Now, If you have an LS model, just insert the stripped wire end(red) into the back of the plug of the courtesy light switch (pic). Just test each one (there are 8 or so) to see if the gauges light up. (be sure to ground the black wire first before doing this test. The ground I used was the bolt connected to my OEM Keyless Entry Brain. Now tape (or T-Tap) the red wire to the factory wire that worked on courtesy lights.
Now if you don't have an LS, then just do the same to the instrument control dimmer plug. It should work the same.
18. Once you get it to work install back the plastic under dash, the courtesy light switch, and the 3 screws. Also, make sure you have the dimmer switch coming from the transformer where you want it to be.
I hope everything goes successfully. Install/uninstall at your own risk. Acura-legend.com is not responsible for any accidental damages caused during this modification. If you have any problems feel free to post on the forums. Thank you.
Matt Whelan
Owner/Administrator Acura-legend.com
This will soon be a part of the DIY section of my site(not forum), so that is the reason for the info. right above this...Thanks guys.