NEW LED'S DON'T WANT TO LIGHT!

RICKERMAN · Aug 31, 2023

In the past 2 days I have installed 2 different sets of brand new LED bulbs in my 1996 GT gauge cluster. None have worked. I reversed the polarity 180 degrees on a couple of bulbs each time but still, none will light. Everything else, warning lights, headlights, taillights, emergency flashers, etc.works fine. When I pull on the headlights, which work fine too, the radio and clock lights dim as usual when that energy is drawn to the headlights. Everything seems fine except the most important thing; none of my 2 different sets of LED lights will light up. WTF am I missing or doing wrong here?? Any thoughts or ideas???
Please HELP!!

white95 · Aug 31, 2023

Have you tried to pull the metal contacts away from the bulbs slightly to make better connection in the socket?

ttocs · Sep 1, 2023

take the cluster out and look at the connection where the harness plugs into it. The way they made them there are copper traces that can come loose and then when you plug it in it pushes the trace out of the way or shorts it out.

RICKERMAN · Sep 1, 2023

white95 said:
Have you tried to pull the metal contacts away from the bulbs slightly to make better connection in the socket?

I have not but will check that out. Thanks!

RICKERMAN · Sep 1, 2023

ttocs said:
take the cluster out and look at the connection where the harness plugs into it. The way they made them there are copper traces that can come loose and then when you plug it in it pushes the trace out of the way or shorts it out.

Could be. Removal of the harnesses AND the cluster are pretty difficult, let alone the reinstallation. If one of the copper traces is out of place can I fix it?? How can I tell if something might be "shorted out" and if so, how screwed am I?? I appreciate your response and suggestions very much. EVERYTHING else works fine. ALL lights inside and out. I rarely drive this car when I actually NEED the gauges to be lit, and as you probably know, the original gauge lighting is barely visible unless it IS dark out. I bought this SHELBY COBRA convertible NEW in 1996 from Carroll Shelby himself who was a friend of my Dad's who made the connection for me.
I have kept it in prime condition and thought that these blue LED's would spiff it up a little. The car's moonlight blue with white top and white leather. Thanks again, hope I can git'r dun!

ttocs · Sep 2, 2023

pulling it apart and inspecting it, if there is a loose trace you will probably be able to see it and yes a little rtv on the back once dry will help to hold it in place.

Also just to be stupid take a trip through the fuse boxes and check all the fuses.

Daryl · Sep 2, 2023

Sidebar: a pristine’96 Shelby convertible?? Carroll Shelby’s??

Oh, you GOTTA post pics of that! Giterdun!

badass98svt · Sep 2, 2023

RICKERMAN said:
. I bought this SHELBY COBRA convertible NEW in 1996 from Carroll Shelby himself who was a friend of my Dad's who made the connection for me.
I have kept it in prime condition and thought that these blue LED's would spiff it up a little. The car's moonlight blue with white top and white leather. Thanks again, hope I can git'r dun!

Never heard of any moonlight blue Cobras. Post some pics

RICKERMAN · Sep 5, 2023

ttocs said:
pulling it apart and inspecting it, if there is a loose trace you will probably be able to see it and yes a little rtv on the back once dry will help to hold it in place.

Also just to be stupid take a trip through the fuse boxes and check all the fuses.

As you say, if there's a "loose trace" try a little "rtv" .
What is "rtv"?

Daryl · Sep 5, 2023

Room Temperature Vulcanizing

It’s a silicone adhesive.

RICKERMAN · Sep 5, 2023

Daryl said:
Room Temperature Vulcanizing

It’s a silicone adhesive.

Ok, I looked into it. Would you recommend rtv-1 "liquid"?
The description I read sounds like that the liquid form might be my better choice. Please let me know what you think. Thank you kind Sir!

ttocs · Sep 5, 2023

I was just talking about the silicon I get at autozone. Just be careful to keep it off of the top and it should help to hold the trace line down and in place.

RICKERMAN · Oct 16, 2023

RICKERMAN said:
As you say, if there's a "loose trace" try a little "rtv" .
What is "rtv"?

I did get the RTV but haven't tried it yet. If, as you suggest, it could have "shorted out", will it work after re-aligning and applying a little RTV?