It's not about the automakers wanting to take old cars off the road. Chevyboy said none of the auto parts stores (which sell AFTERMARKET parts) has the bulbs either. The aftermarket has no vested interest in taking old cars off the road. In fact, just the opposite is true. The aftermarket WANTS old, out of warranty cars ON the road to sell more replacement parts for them. If the aftermarket doesn't offer a replacement bulb, then it must truly be not economically feasible to produce them.
dang you GM
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i did end up finding the bulb at oreillys but its special order. but today i have to fix the wifes alternator darn thing went out last night . kind of impressed that it made it home
FYI-there is no min time limit on how long a manufacturer has to offer parts for a vehicle. It is an "old wives tail" that a car company must offer parts for a period of time i.e. 10 years.
I know this from working in the automotive aftermarket(Napa & GM) for the past 30 years and my father previously owning a GM dealership.
Dave
I know this from working in the automotive aftermarket(Napa & GM) for the past 30 years and my father previously owning a GM dealership.
Dave
Kestas
Staff member
There are many specialty bulb places that can sell you bulbs. A google search will reveal many such web sites. I've used them for my instruments at work.
i bought a whole new cluster for all of its bulbs paid ten bucks and all the bulbs are good (i think) i replaced the ones i needed and so far so good
Originally Posted By: chevyboy14
if i was to replace the whole cluster would the mileage be the same? it is a digital. i think it doesn't matter about the cluster but i want to ask to make sure
I had to replace it in my ION.
You can't swap in a junkyard cluster, you will get error messages and the odometer will not count the new miles properly.
You are stuck buying a new one and getting it reprogrammed if the old cluster will not function properly.
if i was to replace the whole cluster would the mileage be the same? it is a digital. i think it doesn't matter about the cluster but i want to ask to make sure
I had to replace it in my ION.
You can't swap in a junkyard cluster, you will get error messages and the odometer will not count the new miles properly.
You are stuck buying a new one and getting it reprogrammed if the old cluster will not function properly.
Originally Posted By: chevyboy14
so my orchestra bulbs in the gauge cluster of my saturn died..... no biggie right.........wrong. called the parts stores and dealer no one has them. GM says they have been discontinued. ok fine ill go to the junk yard. i take the bone yard saturn apart get the bulbs they looked good. put them in one works . come to find out the other bulb is bad. this is very frustrating!! why in gods earth discontinue a bulb????its like discontinuing brake pads! you know eventually your going to need them but hey what the heck buy a new car instead!!! stupid GM
Don't look now but I think your whole car brand has been discontinued.
so my orchestra bulbs in the gauge cluster of my saturn died..... no biggie right.........wrong. called the parts stores and dealer no one has them. GM says they have been discontinued. ok fine ill go to the junk yard. i take the bone yard saturn apart get the bulbs they looked good. put them in one works . come to find out the other bulb is bad. this is very frustrating!! why in gods earth discontinue a bulb????its like discontinuing brake pads! you know eventually your going to need them but hey what the heck buy a new car instead!!! stupid GM
Don't look now but I think your whole car brand has been discontinued.
My old 90s dodge's had a twist base like that that a regular pinch style indicator bulb would go in to. Is the base a non standard size?
yea its enough different that nothing else works. after searching i did find a way to get them at the store so i can get them. i am glad its all working good. the whole brand is dead but most parts are cheap and easy to find. they just used odd bulbs for some goofy reason.
Originally Posted By: 2Fast4U
Are people here making it out like other manufacturers are much better?
At what ratio of cars sold and years old is it okay for manufacturer to stop making parts?
I can still get just about any part for my '02 from my dealer; it may take a week every now and then, but at least they are available.
Are people here making it out like other manufacturers are much better?
At what ratio of cars sold and years old is it okay for manufacturer to stop making parts?
I can still get just about any part for my '02 from my dealer; it may take a week every now and then, but at least they are available.
Originally Posted By: Newreet
Replace all the instrument panel bulbs with aftermarket LED equivalents. Get the kind with a resistor built into the base. Install them, verify the polarity is correct, and never worry about replacing them again.
By polarity I mean diodes only allow electrical current to easily flow in one direction, so if any of the LEDs appear to be dead after they get installed just take them out and turn them 180 degrees and install them again.
Superbright has the sockets as well.
Oh, and to avoid a repeat of the junkyard experience(s), order a extra one or two LEDs. Then if you are "short" by one or two there won't be any frustrations with paying shipping charges again plus waiting for delivery again.
I'm guessing this is what you'd need. "Cool white" should do the trick. Call them, describe the year/make/model/application, and see what they say...
http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/...-panel-led/219/
Replace all the instrument panel bulbs with aftermarket LED equivalents. Get the kind with a resistor built into the base. Install them, verify the polarity is correct, and never worry about replacing them again.
By polarity I mean diodes only allow electrical current to easily flow in one direction, so if any of the LEDs appear to be dead after they get installed just take them out and turn them 180 degrees and install them again.
Superbright has the sockets as well.
Oh, and to avoid a repeat of the junkyard experience(s), order a extra one or two LEDs. Then if you are "short" by one or two there won't be any frustrations with paying shipping charges again plus waiting for delivery again.
I'm guessing this is what you'd need. "Cool white" should do the trick. Call them, describe the year/make/model/application, and see what they say...
http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/...-panel-led/219/
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