How to Replace the Dashboard Lights in a Jeep Grand Cherokee with LED Bulbs

The lights in the dashboard gages display in older Jeep models are normal incandescent bulbs, and are colored a pale greenish color. These bulbs use more electricity than LED bulbs, and often become dim overtime. Many Jeep owners choose to swap the old bulbs out with newer, power-sipping LEDs that require little electricity, come in many colors, and shine with bright contrast and deep saturation. The process to swap the bulbs is fairly simple, and is a good project for beginners who want to mod their Cherokees but don't want to risk it on a big project.

Step 1

Buy appropriate LED bulbs. You will need to make sure that the bulbs you get are meant specifically for your year and model of Cherokee-a '92 XJ may take different bulbs than a '99 WJ, for example. While some autoshops will offer these, you will find a bigger selection, and possibly cheaper prices, by looking online. The color bulbs you choose will ultimately depend on your tastes and your interior, but remember that red supposedly doesn't ruin the adjustment to darkness when you're driving at night; this could be a perk when in the wilderness.

Step 2

So by now your bulbs should have arrived in the mail. Pull out your Jeep manual and take a good look at the dashboard-removing it should be as easy as taking out a few bolts, snapping off some clips, and giving it a good tug.

Once you have the main dash piece off, you need to use a Philips screwdriver to unscrew the gages panel from the console. The unit is one solid piece of plastic, and should slide out easily. When it is free, flip it upside down and note the series of holes in the back, generally with brown clips. These are the bulbs.

Using your fingers (or tweezers if your fingers are too big), twist these brown clips out-the bulbs should slip free just fine. Put the clip on the new LED bulbs if they didn't come with any, and twist it into place. Repeat this process for all of the bulbs.

Step 3

After you've double-checked to make sure you didn't miss any bulbs, and you've pressed on them a final time to ensure they are tight, put the gage panel back into the console, screw it in, then snap the dashboard into place and tighten the bolts. Put the key in the ignition and turn it one or two clicks. The dash lights should light as normal, but be a bright new color.