Replacing the interior lights of your Jeep Wrangler TJ with LEDs

[Chris]

Thanks to @nk24 for all this information!

Below you'll find a guide to replacing all the interior lights on your Jeep Wrangler TJ with LED bulbs. There's links to the bulbs you'll need, and you should find it's a pretty straight forward job.

Depending on what model of Jeep you have (i.e. Rubicon, Sport, etc.), you may need more or less bulbs for your rocker switches. I say that because an automatic Rubicon with a hardtop has 4 rocker switches, whereas a Sport model with a manual transmission and no hardtop may only have 1 rocker switch. It just depends on your model and factory options.


Parts Required (1997-2002)

• Cluster (5 required)
• Footwells, Sound Bar and Shifter Lights (4 required)
• Hard Top Light (1 required)
• Rocker Switch Lights (The amount required depends on how many rocker switches your TJ has. Make sure to get the 4mm bulbs.)
• HVAC Lights (3 bulbs required. Make sure to get the 4mm bulbs.)

Parts Required (2003-2006)

• Cluster (5 required)
• Footwells and Shifter Lights (3 required)
• Sound Bar Lights (2 required)
• Rocker Switch Lights (The amount required depends on how many rocker switches your TJ has. Make sure to get the 4mm bulbs.)
• HVAC Lights (3 bulbs required. Make sure to get the 4mm bulbs.)

Tips

• Rocker switch lights: You'll need 4mm LEDs for the switch light illumination bulbs, and 3mm LEDs for the switch indicators (the lights that come on when you turn the with to the on position). The number you need of each depends on how many your particular model has.
• If you have a Rubicon model, don't bother trying to replace the axle locker switch unless you're experienced with soldering, as those bulbs require soldering.
  
• Remember that the cluster and the rocker switch lights are polar, meaning that they have to be oriented in the correct direction. Make sure you test them before you button everything back up.
• LED replacements are much brighter than the stock bulbs. If you're going to do one switch with LED, I would recommend doing them all.
• There are a few differences for the '97-'02 models. Cluster and rocker switches are the same as above. There is only one light in the soundbar, and that is the same as the footwells/shifter as shown above. There is a separate light in the rear of the hard top, and that is the same as the lights in the sound pods as shown above.

 

[nk24]

Since I just bought a new to me 2004 Rubicon, I decided to do this mod again. I also wanted to verify that everything I said above was correct.

Here are some photos for the lights in the rocker switches. Once you pull out the frame for the switches (and power outlets), you'll see this:

To get to the main switch light, you need to pull each switch from the frame. It is much easier to do if you unplug each of the switches and outlets. There are clips on both top and bottom. Pry the clips carefully with a very small flat screwdriver or a thin trim removal tool. Be very careful as these clips are easy to break. Once you get a switch out, you'll see this:

On the bottom is the main switch light bulb. This bulb is illuminated any time the parking lights or headlights are on. Turn the bulb a 1/4 turn with pliers or a very small screwdriver to remove. The replacement light on the bottom is the 4mm (from post #2).

I made a mistake in my earlier post that the bottom and top bulbs are the same. Unfortunately, the top light (for the indicator) is a different bulb and I'm not sure what size it is. My best guess would be a 3mm size in the same style as the 4mm bulbs.

As you can see from the first photo, the indicator bulbs are accessible without removing the switches from the frame.

If you have a Rubicon model, the Axle Lock switch is a tougher one to swap to LED. The inside of the switch looks like this:

I didn't attempt to swap these bulbs, as it appears there would need to be some soldering. I'm sure someone with the right expertise would have no problem.

The finished product:

You can see that the Axle Lock switch is a touch dim compared to the other switches (since I didn't swap it), but it isn't drastically different. I can definitely live with it. Also, I wanted to show the indicator light on the rear defrost switch because I didn't change that one either and it still looks pretty good. I'd be curious to see how bright it is with an LED if someone were to determine the bulb.

 

[Fastcaddy]

Since I just bought a new to me 2004 Rubicon, I decided to do this mod again. I also wanted to verify that everything I said above was correct.

Here are some photos for the lights in the rocker switches. Once you pull out the frame for the switches (and power outlets), you'll see this:

View attachment 32888

To get to the main switch light, you need to pull each switch from the frame. It is much easier to do if you unplug each of the switches and outlets. There are clips on both top and bottom. Pry the clips carefully with a very small flat screwdriver or a thin trim removal tool. Be very careful as these clips are easy to break. Once you get a switch out, you'll see this:

View attachment 32889

On the bottom is the main switch light bulb. This bulb is illuminated any time the parking lights or headlights are on. Turn the bulb a 1/4 turn with pliers or a very small screwdriver to remove. The replacement light on the bottom is the 4mm (from post #2).

I made a mistake in my earlier post that the bottom and top bulbs are the same. Unfortunately, the top light (for the indicator) is a different bulb and I'm not sure what size it is. My best guess would be a 3mm size in the same style as the 4mm bulbs.

View attachment 32890

As you can see from the first photo, the indicator bulbs are accessible without removing the switches from the frame.

If you have a Rubicon model, the Axle Lock switch is a tougher one to swap to LED. The inside of the switch looks like this:

View attachment 32891

I didn't attempt to swap these bulbs, as it appears there would need to be some soldering. I'm sure someone with the right expertise would have no problem.

The finished product:

View attachment 32892

View attachment 32893

View attachment 32894

You can see that the Axle Lock switch is a touch dim compared to the other switches (since I didn't swap it), but it isn't drastically different. I can definitely live with it. Also, I wanted to show the indicator light on the rear defrost switch because I didn't change that one either and it still looks pretty good. I'd be curious to see how bright it is with an LED if someone were to determine the bulb.

Awesome write-up! I'm in the process of doing this in my '06 Rubi. I have a few questions...of the 5 bulbs for the cluster, 4 are the same, and the one in the middle (High beam/turn signals) appears to be a different bulb..larger, with a bigger housing. Are the 4 others the same as the one in the middle? Also, do the bulbs you reference come with the housings, as well? Thanks in advance!

 

[nk24]

Awesome write-up! I'm in the process of doing this in my '06 Rubi. I have a few questions...of the 5 bulbs for the cluster, 4 are the same, and the one in the middle (High beam/turn signals) appears to be a different bulb..larger, with a bigger housing. Are the 4 others the same as the one in the middle? Also, do the bulbs you reference come with the housings, as well? Thanks in advance!

All five bulbs in the cluster are the same. You don't need to change the high beam or turn signal lights. See below:

Your cluster version may vary from this slightly, but the positions of the bulbs are the same.

The bulbs referenced above do not come with housings as you will reuse the existing 1/4 turn housing. Superbrightleds.com does now carry bulbs that include the housing as well (https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...led-bulb-high-power-instrument-panel-led/709/). I haven't used them, but they only have one SMD (emitter) whereas the bulbs referenced above have three SMD. I would assume the bulbs with three emitters produce a bit more light.

 

[Chris]

FYI, I ended up changing out the halogen bulb in the Rubicon locker switch. It's soldered onto the circuit board, but I unsoldered it and got a LED bulb which I soldered in place of it. Works great!

 

[Chason]

Thanks to @nk24 for all this information!

Below you'll find a guide to replacing all the interior lights on your Jeep Wrangler TJ with LED bulbs. There's links to the bulbs you'll need, and you should find it's a pretty straight forward job.

Depending on what model of Jeep you have (i.e. Rubicon, Sport, etc.), you may need more or less bulbs for your rocker switches. I say that because an automatic Rubicon with a hardtop has 4 rocker switches, whereas a Sport model with a manual transmission and no hardtop may only have 1 rocker switch. It just depends on your model and factory options.


Parts Required (1997-2002)

• Cluster (5 required)
• Footwells, Sound Bar and Shifter Lights (4 required)
• Hard Top Light (1 required)
• Rocker Switch Lights (The amount required depends on how many rocker switches your TJ has. Make sure to get the 4mm bulbs.)
• HVAC Lights (3 bulbs required. Make sure to get the 4mm bulbs.)

Parts Required (2003-2006)

• Cluster (5 required)
• Footwells and Shifter Lights (3 required)
• Sound Bar Lights (2 required)
• Rocker Switch Lights (The amount required depends on how many rocker switches your TJ has. Make sure to get the 4mm bulbs.)
• HVAC Lights (3 bulbs required. Make sure to get the 4mm bulbs.)

Tips

• Rocker switch lights: You'll need 4mm LEDs for the switch light illumination bulbs, and 3mm LEDs for the switch indicators (the lights that come on when you turn the with to the on position). The number you need of each depends on how many your particular model has.
• If you have a Rubicon model, don't bother trying to replace the axle locker switch unless you're experienced with soldering, as those bulbs require soldering.
  
• Remember that the cluster and the rocker switch lights are polar, meaning that they have to be oriented in the correct direction. Make sure you test them before you button everything back up.
• LED replacements are much brighter than the stock bulbs. If you're going to do one switch with LED, I would recommend doing them all.
• There are a few differences for the '97-'02 models. Cluster and rocker switches are the same as above. There is only one light in the soundbar, and that is the same as the footwells/shifter as shown above. There is a separate light in the rear of the hard top, and that is the same as the lights in the sound pods as shown above.

For some reason in mine 06 LJR the 194 doesn' fit in the housing for the shifter light

 

[nk24]

For some reason in mine 06 LJR the 194 doesn' fit in the housing for the shifter light

You might have to trim a bit of the plastic around the widest part of the bulb to get it to fit. You may be able to use a file to shave it down a bit.

I had to trim my bulbs as well.

 

[TJ Hunnicutt]

Sweet write up! In my case, the PO had already converted to LEDs but used blue LEDs in the dash and it was just this side of impossible for me to focus on. Traded them out for plain white LEDs and now I can see everything clear as day. The only issues I have are, 1) due to the lower current draw of the LEDs over the original incandescent bulbs, the dimmer does not have as much of an effect as it originally would (can't dim the lights as much) and 2) the high beam indicator light is waaaaaaay too bright...but that should be an easy fix with some paint on the "bulb" (when I get around to it ).

 

[JGil]

I did this upgrade on Sunday and non of the instrument cluster or the Hvac control led lamps work.??
I tried inverting the led but nothing....
Re-installed original lamps and they work fine..

 

[Chris]

I did this upgrade on Sunday and non of the instrument cluster or the Hvac control led lamps work.??
I tried inverting the led but nothing....
Re-installed original lamps and they work fine..

Usually it’s an issue with having to switch the bulbs the other way. Either the bulbs aren’t sssted correctly, or somehow you got some bad bulbs. Mine work flawlessly.

 

[JGil]

I will try again when I get home from work...
I doubt all 8 leds are bad...
But just strange that not one lit up...

 

[JGil]

The roll bar and under dash LEDs work great and are very bright....
Really happy with the vast improvement...

 

[Mike_H]

FYI, I ended up changing out the halogen bulb in the Rubicon locker switch. It's soldered onto the circuit board, but I unsoldered it and got a LED bulb which I soldered in place of it. Works great!

Got a pic?

 

[Chris]

Got a pic?

As hard as I tried, the camera just couldn't get a good photo. It looks so much better than factory though. The lights are much more green, and the Rubicon locker switch I put a red LED bulb in (so it looks red like factory) and it turned out great too!

It's not as blindingly bright in person as the photo make it seem. I also have the dimmer set to max in this photo, so that might be part of it too.

 

[Cole]

View attachment 38217

As hard as I tried, the camera just couldn't get a good photo. It looks so much better than factory though. The lights are much more green, and the Rubicon locker switch I put a red LED bulb in (so it looks red like factory) and it turned out great too!

It's not as blindingly bright in person as the photo make it seem. I also have the dimmer set to max in this photo, so that might be part of it too.

Looks nice!!
I did the dash lights, need to still do the HVAC and the console is a nice little touch. Were those hard to do?

Of note, mine don't dim at all.. Not a huge deal, but weird.

 

[JGil]

Just switched the dash lights and made certain that the ones on the Hvac control were seated properly.... two of the bulbs just spun around and did not really catch, I installed two other LEDs and all is good now.
Happy to say that all are on and looks Awesome.!!!!
Thanks again for your insight.

 

[Chris]

Looks nice!!
I did the dash lights, need to still do the HVAC and the console is a nice little touch. Were those hard to do?

Of note, mine don't dim at all.. Not a huge deal, but weird.

Nope, they were all easy to do in all honesty!

 

[Mike_H]

View attachment 38217

As hard as I tried, the camera just couldn't get a good photo. It looks so much better than factory though. The lights are much more green, and the Rubicon locker switch I put a red LED bulb in (so it looks red like factory) and it turned out great too!

It's not as blindingly bright in person as the photo make it seem. I also have the dimmer set to max in this photo, so that might be part of it too.

Looks great! I like the green.

 

[Chris]

Looks great! I like the green.

Me too! It looks factory, just better!

 

[meangreen98]

I'm so glad i found this thread!