Step by step on how to change Cluster light bulbs on 1998-2001 Honda Accords
 

The following are very simple steps by steps for changing Cluster light bulbs on 1998-2001 Honda Accords. Tools you will need to do the job is a short and a long Philips screw drivers. I did it with just a short screw driver.
1. Remove Screw #1 and Screw #2 as shown on image below:

Attachment 20886

Once these two screws are removed, pull out the plastic insert piece.

2. After removed the plastic insert piece, now remove Screw #3, Screw #4, Screw #5 and Screw #6 as shown below. Keep in mind the the short screws are on top.
Attachment 20887

3. After the above screws are removed, move the Cluster toward you until it is out of the two plastic locator near the bottom. Now tilt the top part of the Cluster down until you see three green connectors as shown below. Disconnect all three connectors.
Attachment 20888

4. A picture of the Cluster completely removed from the Instrument panel.
Attachment 20889

5. Below is the back view of the Cluster. Notice that there are two different sizes of bulbs used.

Attachment 20890

I forgot to count the total number of bulbs on the Cluster. My guess is the are at least two of the big bulbs and 12-15 of the small bulbs. My task was just to find out how easy it is to take the cluster out. Now I can shop on eBay for LED bulbs.
I hope my finding will help someone who is thinking of repacing his/her Cluster light bulbs.

Best place to get replacement bulbs is at the Dealer , they are not that expensive and you will get the correct ones

Cheers

Super Great DIY - Thank You !
 

We shall make this a sticky here in the DIY..very good post, very good pictures and Thank You Very Much...

All The Members...and Moderators

Thank you so much for this informative post. You saved me lots of money. This forum and you guys are freakin awesome. Thanks again!

Be sure to post what type of bulbs go in there, im planning on changing all of mine to leds also =]

Hi Muffinman,

The bulbs are #74 and the base is called V-2 but I had trouble taking the bulb out of the base and took the dive and went to the dealer to buy the bulb and base together ( they dont sell them sepeartely) Since I only needed one I payed the 7 bucks....ouch!! I tinkered with the old base that I had replaced and finally got the bulb out by lifting up the little tabs so the bulb can come out with a little patience.

what do you mean by the base? the base of the bulb itself? and aren't there 194 wedge bulbs in the cluster, also?

I was thinking of doing that as well :)

Thanks for the post, now I can get this fixed! This thread made me make an account.

Great gouge--only thing different on my 2000 Accord EX was the low fuel light in the lower left of the panel was a more bulbous bulb with a blue base. I am assuming the larger bulb is to accommodate the possibility of illuminating more often and more a continuous operating light. When I installed the one the dealer provided (pt #35505-SA5-003 w/ black base and more like the bulb for the backlighting of the odometer) it did not test when I turn the key to run like all the other instrument cluster lights.
Any ideas/experience on this?

Just a quick note for those doing this. Be very careful with the pulling of the unit forward. When replacing the bulbs, LEDs work one way, so if you dont get it right the first time (almost impossible) you are plugging and unplugging the unit a bunch. On mine the green connector on the left broke free from the motherboard, so I have to buy a new cluster, because all the movement, plugging/unplugging caused a short in the board/plug.

Thanks a ton!! My bulbs go out every so often, I appreciate the post. FYI: the larger bulbs are 194's and the tiny bulbs are 74's. If you order online from an LED company from Missouri, they have LED 74s... and any other bulb you might want.

great post! thanks for the DIY info

That's what we like to see and hear..Thank You ! :)

Another link on the subject you might find helpful members..

Can anyone post up a picture or diagram of the back of the cluster that has the bulbs/bulb locations identified as to what they are? If so, that would be great.

Hi just bought a new 6th gen 1998 coupe v6 and I have some backlight bulbs needing changed, mainly the clock and odometer backlights, also wonder if the heated seat switches are supposed to be backlit, any other bulbs that you guys notice are missing or know of any that commonly go on these?

I plan on documenting a little when i go about changing the bulbs...(see the follwing gallery for pictures, my main concern is getting the exact same colour ulb for the clock as for the A/C display, anyone know what colour these are?

imgur: the simple image sharer

Hi Sandy,

Yes the odometer has a bulb as well as the clock. You can buy the bulbs at the dealer of just buy LED bulbs in your choice of colors online. The clock light is easy to change and the odometer is not difficult but you do have to be careful and just go slowly. There are good instructions on this sight.
The heated seat I am not sure about as I think this model was only for Canada.

Here is a link that can be useful to you. It list almost all the bulbs for any car.

Lamp Replacement Guide Home

Sorry to bring this thread back from the dead, but I thought this might be helpful to some of you.
When swapping to LEDs, don't change the check engine light bulb. The reason I say that, is that it'll come on and stay on with no codes present. My son ran into this with his 98 Civic, and it baffled us for a year, as the car ran good (but rich), but the CEL light would come on with no codes present. Just a heads up, and something to keep in mind if you run into this issue.

And for those here that just want to replace a couple of their existing bulbs (most common ones), here's the Honda part numbers; Odometer light: 35505-SA5-003, and the clock light: 35861-S84-T01. Note, the clock light bulb also is used in a few other places like the "Cruise control" white light among other places. I can get the "green colored" bulb number at a later date if needed.

For a swap to LED's...So the smaller bulbs are T3's, what are the bigger bulbs?