The dashboard is an important component in any car. However, car manufacturers don’t really bother with the design of this part. Most often, they use standard, black and white colors, in which it is impossible to see the main indicators of gasoline and speed in the dark. Therefore, it is worth thinking about brighter and clearer illumination by making tuning dashboard.

Types of dashboard tuning

In order to do dashboard tuning with your own hands, you need to know about some subtleties.

It comes in two varieties:

• functional;
• aesthetic.

Functional tuning is designed to replace some devices with more accurate ones. Or adding new ones to existing ones. This type of finishing provides for the addition of data on technical characteristics ah, as well as the general condition of the car and all instruments. In addition, the current tuning fully provides for the presence of a meteorometer or an original clock.

Aesthetic, in turn, involves only changing the lighting and decoration appearance set of instruments. You can see what it will look like at this link:

Requirements for tuning

Attention! When adding new devices, it is necessary to take into account such a nuance as calibration. It implies a failure of all systems. To avoid it, it is better to install all new devices on the top of the dashboard.

Thus, having fulfilled all the requirements, all that remains is to prepare necessary materials and make tuning of instrumentation.

Tuning stages

Tuning the dashboard for each car model is organized in the same way, with the exception of small subtleties and nuances.

Before starting work, you need to prepare the entire set of tools:

• pliers, screwdrivers, self-tapping screws;
• sharp knife;
• all wiring used in tuning4
• soldering iron

This is the main arsenal that is required for any type of tuning. To this list are added those tools that you need when choosing one of the types of finishes.

Important! If you are going to add unusual devices or lighting, you should take care in advance of purchasing those materials that can help you with placement on the dashboard.

After preparing everything you need, you can move on to the work itself.

Disassembling the dashboard

During this procedure, you must act with extreme caution. Disassembling the dashboard is the same everywhere.

Functional and aesthetic tuning

After completing these steps, you can move on to the next part of the disassembly. The dashboard needs to be disassembled. For this:

• the screws holding the shield are unscrewed;
• all wires are disconnected;
• remove the screws holding the nozzles;
• the recirculation and automatic alarm buttons are disabled;
• at the very end the immobilizer is removed.

Everything is assembled in reverse order.

There are quite a lot of tuning options, so you can use one of the options, such as in this video:

or all at once.

Functional tuning

With this type of tuning, some aesthetic elements are used. First you need to understand the dashboard scale.

There is no need to disassemble or remove anything to do this. It is enough to draw a small stencil on the film, which is pasted onto the old indicators.

Attention! To make the indicators glow, you can use special fluorescent paint. Or you can use regular paint.

Once you have figured out the scale, you can proceed to installing the instruments on the panel. To do this, disassemble the panel until the wires appear. Then the devices you need are installed.

Aesthetic tuning

After all the devices have been installed, you can move on to finishing the lighting. There are a lot of options for this action. Everyone includes their imagination in this matter and does it as they want. Here are two sample lighting finishes.

Option 1.

Option 2. You can replace the light bulbs with LEDs. This is done like this:

1. The old film is cleaned or a new one is purchased. Which type to choose is up to you.
2. It is glued onto the dashboard directly onto the light bulb.
3. Painted in green color. This is the case if you purchase a transparent film or use an old one. However, it is best to purchase ready-made, green film.
4. The red tint is removed from the hands, and the numbers themselves are painted with white varnish or paint.

There are also other options. It all depends on your imagination and ingenuity.

Installation of the dashboard

After the tuning has been completely carried out, it is necessary to install the dashboard in place. This should be done not only carefully, but also correctly. When performing this work, it is important to ensure that all wires are connected correctly and that the devices are functioning correctly.

If all actions are performed correctly, the dashboard of your car will sparkle with new colors. At the same time, the tuning done by you will be no different from that done in a car service center. The main difference between the two methods is that it will cost you much less money and time than with specialists. And, in addition, when finishing it yourself, you can organize a free flight of imagination.

The dashboard is one of the most important parts of the car interior; the driver constantly pays attention to it while driving. Appearance of this part interior decoration cars always catches the eye. But as it turns out, many car enthusiasts don’t know how to make a car with their own hands.

When modernizing the design of this part of the cabin, it is important that it ultimately harmonizes with the overall design and meets all safety requirements.

If you are disgusted by your dashboard and you can no longer look at it, then tuning will come to your aid, which you can do with your own hands quickly and inexpensively

Decorative tuning of the dashboard

This method involves adding to an existing external elements decor. For example, covering the panel with leather or leatherette, stickers for decorative overlays, using bright colors for the instrument scale.

To change the appearance and style of the instrument console, you will have to disassemble it.

Instrument scale

To replace the instrument scale, you need to measure the old one and make a blank for the new one. To ensure everything works out at the highest level, you can use a special computer program to apply numbers and divisions. You can play with the fonts and experiment with the size, then print it out and attach it to the workpiece, which, in turn, can be made of plastic or self-adhesive film, photo paper, or, in extreme cases, colored tape.

If you decided to DIY the speedometer, before installing the new scale, do not forget to remove the needle and put it back after completion.

Upholstery of the interior with material

Usually people think about reupholstering the plastic of the dashboard if its coating has lost its original appearance and obvious defects have appeared.

High-quality fitting can only be done by removing the panel. Try not to get confused with the sizes to avoid mistakes during cutting. Otherwise, the leatherette will wrinkle or stretch.

It is advisable to make a pattern and cut the material from it to see how accurately the components fit together into one whole. When the preparatory procedures are completed, we sew together all the components and secure them to the dashboard using hot-melt adhesive and self-tapping screws.

Important!, take into account its functional parameters. The material you like doesn’t always look harmonious with the interior. It can glare when the sun hits it, highlight unpleasant odors or, in general, lose its original appearance under the influence of high temperature.

Console enhancements

Such changes mean improving the functionality of the console. Tuning the device can consist of increasing standard shapes and sizes, increasing brightness by replacing incandescent lamps with LEDs and installing additional buttons.

Badges

Replacing icons can also be part of an overall modernization, but you need to clearly know the panel layout and imagine what you want to get as a result.

To replace the buttons on the instrument panel, you need to remove the panel and remove the factory sockets and incandescent bulbs. Then decide on the location of the LEDs that will be installed. Try to be careful when choosing a shade LED lamps With special attention, since some people get tired of their eyes at night, and the clarity of instrument readings may decrease. The shade should not be very bright, but at the same time noticeable.

We glue stickers

Tuning the instrument panel can be done using special stickers. To do this, you need to disassemble the instrument panel and remove the backing with numbers. Do not forget that each car model has its own replacement sticker options. Before gluing, try it on the original panel to see if it is the right size and location of the fasteners, and if there is anything in the way of gluing it.

When all the preparatory steps are completed, degrease the surface and stick on a new background for the console.

Complete replacement

If all of the listed types of tuning are not to your taste, you want something more substantial, then you can replace the dashboard with a new one, there are a huge number of options for each model, but do not forget to be careful when choosing, since they are all very different and it is not a fact that will suit your car specifically. Nowadays, consoles with large displays are especially popular; of course, this pleasure is not cheap, but it looks serious.

Of course, we have presented in the article only the instrument panel itself; you can do anything with your car, as long as you have enough imagination.

Whatever you come up with specifically will be your specialty.

Let's look at the main options for tuning dashboard elements. Since each car brand has its own special layout, you may not be able to exactly copy the ideas below to your car, but in any case the sequence of actions will be the same.

1. Upholstery of the instrument mask
Covering the dashboard visor is not the easiest task; the complex shape of the part does not allow you to tighten the mask without a seam.
The dashboard visor can be covered with Alcantara, artificial or genuine leather. The material and neat seams beautifully complement the panel.
// do not try to drag the panel with carpet. It turns out ugly
In the case where the part is strongly curved, then a pattern and seams are indispensable.
First, you need to dismantle the dashboard mask by unscrewing 2 bolts at the top and 2 at the bottom. Now you can remove the pattern, marking the places where the seams will go. It is better to add 1 cm to each seam. Thick Whatman paper or paper tape are perfect for making a pattern.

We transfer the template we received to the material and sew the pieces together using sewing machine. It is recommended to use an American seam with a turn. After this, all that remains is to glue the resulting cover onto the visor.

2. Starting the engine with a button
The engine start button is an ignition method that smoothly moves from luxury cars to the middle segment. More and more modern cars get rid of the old engine starting system.

There are several options (schemes) for installing a button to start the engine. They differ in several nuances:

1. The key is used to start the engine through a button (the key turns on the ignition, the button starts the engine)
2. The key to start the engine through the button is not used (pressing the button completely replaces the key)
3. Using the button, you can separately turn on the ignition (press the button - the ignition is turned on, press the button and the brake pedal - start the engine)

Let's try to show the main points of connecting the engine start button.
1. Start the engine with a button (with the ignition key)
This method, in our opinion, is the simplest.

The button does not work when the engine is running, that is, the starter does not spin, but starts working after the engine is turned off and the ignition is turned on with the key.
We take the ignition relay with the wire block. (4 wires in total, 2 high-current circuits (yellow contacts on the relay itself) and 2 low-current circuits (white contacts).
We throw the wire of the high-current circuit onto contact 15 of the ignition switch, and the second into contact 30 of the same lock (one is pink, the other is red).

We throw one wire of the low-current circuit to - ground, and the second to the green wire on it + appears during ignition and interrupt the wire from the relay to the green wire with our button.

2. Start the engine with a button (without ignition key)
The circuit uses a rear relay fog lights. You can buy it or assemble it yourself.

You need a large wire with a terminal connected to the pink one.
There are also thin wires: we isolate the red and blue ones with a stripe, and we throw the gray one on the ignition or connect it to the red one, otherwise the BSK will not work. Any diode will do.
It is convenient to connect the button illumination and relay power to the alarm system. If the engine stalls, press the button - the ignition will turn off, press the button again - the engine will start.

3. Engine start button with the pedal pressed.
We took the diagram with the rear fog lamp relay as a basis and modified it.
We use a latching button, which we connect to contacts 87 and 86 of the ignition relay. She can turn on the ignition. It would be more correct to turn on the ignition separately via the pedal.
Typically, to start the engine, use the brake pedal to turn on the ignition via a button.
As an option, you can also use the handbrake rather than the pedal, because it also has a limit switch.
To start the engine from a button through the brake pedal you need to:
Connect 86 starter relays to the brake lights, or use a relay (whichever is more convenient for you)




You can use the following as a motor start button:
Buttons domestic cars(for example, a button for opening the trunk of a VAZ 2110 (without fixation)
Universal buttons (with and without fixation)
Buttons from foreign cars (for example, BMW)
Modify the button (apply the design yourself)

3. Frame for navigator
One of the good places where you can embed a navigator in many cars is the central air duct, but for this it needs to be modified.

You can install a monitor in a deflector up to 7 inches, but here we will consider placing the XPX-PM977 navigator at 5 inches.
First, remove the deflector. After this, we cut out the central partition and the sides of the back side so that the monitor is recessed and parallel to the front surface of the deflector. We use the navigator cover as the basis of the frame. To eliminate voids we use column meshes.

We use masking tape to seal it and sculpt the frame using epoxy. After drying, remove and glue the frame using glue

Apply putty and wait for it to harden. Then we remove the excess with fine-grained sandpaper, after which we repeat this until we get an even shape.




All that remains is to paint the frame. We use aerosol paint and apply it in several layers.




We block off the air flow from the navigator using a sheet of celluloid and tape. Snap the deflector.




By analogy, you can build a tablet into the panel, and, if desired, also make it removable.

Behind the grids (which go along the edges of the navigator) you can put LED backlighting LED strip. It would look very nice.
.

4. Instrument panel lighting
We decided to use 3 colors for illumination at once.
Instrument scales are illuminated in blue.
Numbers are in white
Red zones are colored red accordingly.
First, we remove the instrument cluster. Then you need to carefully remove the arrows. Next, carefully remove the backing of the numbers. It is made from thick polyethylene tape. The backing is glued. With careful, competent effort, it comes off well.
You should get something like this:


Next you need to lay the backing on the paper, front side down. There is a light filter on its back side. Which we wash with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. Afterwards we clean off the spray used to fix the filter.
It should look like this


Now you can start cutting out the base where the LEDs will be soldered. You can use textolite; if you don’t have it, you can use thick cardboard. We cut out the base for the diodes in it.


We use different colors of LEDs, so it is necessary to make a light fence (otherwise the colors will mix). We make a slot in the center of the base to create a light fence between the two diode scales. We cut a line from the same cardboard to size and height and insert it into the slot made between the two rows of diodes.




Now you need to solder the LEDs in parallel:


For the arrows, we solder two red LEDs at the base and point their lenses upward.
Similarly, we highlight all other scales and numbers.


We solder + and - to the tracks from the standard light bulbs and, observing the polarity, solder the wiring.
Now you need to install the arrows. We carefully attach them to the motor drives, but do not plant them deep, otherwise the arrows will cling to the scales. Then we put everything back together in reverse order and connect it.

An interesting modification of such lighting is possible. You can take three-crystal RGB diodes (they are brighter and more reliable than conventional ones + their glow can be controlled) and install them by connecting
Let's explain the difference! In this case, when dimmed, the backlight will shine exactly the same (only much brighter), but if desired, by pressing a button on the remote control remote control you can change the color of the instrument lighting and even more - turn it on in light and music mode!
You can also add footwell lighting for the front passengers by connecting it to the same controller. To do this, we recommend using It turns out that the backlight of the panel and legs glows in the same color or simultaneously in light and music mode.

5. Making a rack for additional devices

A radical and very interesting solution is podiums for additional devices in the window stand.
First, we measure a convenient distance between the sensors inside the cabin. We remove the plastic stand and sand it down so that the glue sticks better.


Cups may not be included with the devices, but they can be made from a plastic pipe of the required diameter. Now you need to temporarily secure the resulting podiums at the desired angle. After this, we try on the devices again and cut holes in the rack to deepen them sufficiently. At this stage, the most important thing is to see whether they are conveniently located.

Now, for everything to be beautiful, you need to make a smooth descent from the device to the rack. This can be done in different ways.
One option is to use pieces of plastic pipe or cardboard. Let's cut out small shapes and glue them so that we get a smooth descent from the sensor to the stand.
In another option, any fabric that needs to be wrapped around our blanks is suitable. We secure the fabric with clamps so that it does not slip.
We lay fiberglass on top of the cardboard, pipe or fabric and then apply epoxy glue. It is also important to apply fiberglass to the stand itself in order to securely fix the device sockets. After this, we wait until our structure dries.
Next, we cut off the excess fiberglass and clean the structure. During the cleaning process, you cannot work without a respirator - it’s harmful! Then, using fiberglass putty, we create the smooth shapes we need. We do this until we get a flat surface. The next layer will be putty for plastic. We apply it, wait until it dries, and clean it up. We repeat this until the surface is as smooth as possible.











All that remains is to create an attractive look for our podiums. To do this, we use either a primer followed by painting, or upholstery with material (a more complex option). Finally, we insert the devices and connect them.

A very interesting addition would be to install a neon ring in the gap between the edges of the device and the end of the cup, or, alternatively, from the inside along the visor of the device, if there is one. It would be very futuristic! This would require about

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What car enthusiasts don’t do to make them unusual. Some car owners spend a lot of money on professional dashboard tuning. And some craftsmen prefer to do it themselves. This kind of tuning is quite easy to do. In order to replace conventional light bulbs with light-emitting diodes (LEDs), you do not need to have special knowledge or skills. do-it-yourself instrument panels in a car - we’ll tell you now.

A well-lit dashboard is not only more informative at night, but also has a better view

Disassembling the console

Initially, you need to disassemble the dashboard: remove the protective glass, then the arrows, but keep in mind that they are very fragile, and in order not to damage them, it is better to slip thick paper under the screwdriver; it does not require much effort.

For the dashboard substrate, you will need a knife, with its help you need to cut through the layer of sealant around the entire perimeter.

After removing the “cover”, use a knife to carefully scratch the filter; it is a special paint. Then degrease this area with acetone or alcohol.

Changing the backlight

The first thing to change is the odometer backlight (shows the distance traveled). and remove the film protecting it, remove the light bulb, and put an LED in its place. You can experiment and install multi-color LEDs; in the future, you can choose the color according to your mood. After replacing, we put the odometer screen back in place.

Changing the console light completely

We replace all the remaining light bulbs on the dashboard with new LEDs. You can, just as in the case of the odometer, choose multi-color ones.

If you chose multi-color LEDs to illuminate the instrument panel, you will additionally need to install a color switch. It is more convenient to place it on the right side of the steering wheel, but you can implement your own option.

How to make dashboard arrows backlit

The color of the speedometer and tachometer needles is important. If they are white, then you can leave them as they are. But if not, then you need to remove the old paint with a knife and treat them with alcohol, then paint them with white varnish or regular paint.

The color of the arrow should be white, because only it conveys the entire gamut of LEDs.

You can try the shooter separately. This requires LEDs with a diameter of 3 mm at 12 V.

Important! In the car network, the voltage is 12 V; if the LEDs are designed for a lower value, then they cannot be connected directly. They should be connected through a stabilizer.

If the diameter of the LEDs is larger, you will have to make additional holes for them.

Schemes for smooth switching on of the backlight

To smoothly turn on the backlight of the scale and arrows, you need to spend a little effort, and more specifically, re-solder the circuit.

Below are two diagrams, in the first case - the dashboard, and then - the arrows. The circuits can be implemented on small pieces of a circuit board, which are sold in radio parts stores.

Consider one important factor, if the LEDs differ in power, they will not light up at the same time, some ahead of time, others late, but in general the backlight will turn on smoothly. This also applies to the LEDs on the scale.

We collect

When everything is ready, we begin to slowly assemble the console. First of all, we install the substrate. Apply sealant to the back side and glue it to the panel.

Then we put the arrows and protective glass in place. After modernization, the instrument panel looks bright and unusual.

LED lighting not only looks unusual and bright, but is also a good addition to the car in terms of economy, which helps save battery power, since LEDs consume 80% less energy than a regular light bulb.