instrument panel back light illumination help Has anyone had to change the bulbs for the instrument panel back lights? my odometer backlights are out and the local dealer wants 125.00 to change the bulbs. I don't doubt that's the cost if the air bag/steering wheel have to come off to get at the bulbs. Is the dealer tiring to pull a fast one? does the wheel have to come out and access the bulbs from the front side of the dash ? thanks in advace for the help. |
It is possible to remove the cluster without removing the steering wheel, but it is hard. You need to pull out the cluster while turning the wheel. I haven't removed my steering wheel but it seems easy enough. Next time I'll remove the wheel. Be sure to disconnect you battery! Here is one writeup. http://www.frankies-bmw.com/3series/...ring_wheel.php I'm sure there are better ones. |
excellent links, thanks 96 328ti the second link makes perfect sense, I bet it will be tricky but worth not having to remove the air bag and wheel. I will take a stab at it tomorrow. thanks again and for the warning on the batt cable. I am in the fire service and we have Kevlar bags that go over the wheel and strap to the column to protect us and the driver from post accident air bad deployment while doing extraction.with new cars and air bags coming from all different parts of the car we are trained to be well aware of the danger to us and the person we are trying to get out of the car. serious stuff. that would be a bummer to get smacked in the head with the bag trying to change a light bulb. |
Unless you are removing the steering wheel you don't have to worry about the battery, although it is probably a good idea. Be sure to have your battery code. |
where would one find batt code? thanks again steven, would it be under the hood or perhaps in the owners book in the glove box? car is a 95 stock 318ti not m series or sport package |
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All you need is the right tools... |
I remove my instrument cluster w/o removing the sterring wheel. Easy enough. As someone in this forum said (don't remember who the guy was), I used painting tape to cover the face of the instrument cluster, protecting it from scratching. first, remove the two screws that hold the Ins. cluster to the dash. then pull it out, disconnect all the connectors, place the ins. cluster face down on the steering wheel. Turn on left signal light, then turn the steering wheel to the left slowly (it's easier if your engine is on). To make the job even easier, full out the head light switch before turning the steering wheel. With the Ins. cluster out, the switch can be poped out in no time. Hope this help. I did all of this in 10 minutes. And I did it 3 times LOL. Crazy me. |
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Perhaps the most important precaution a DIYer should respect is to disconnect the battery before starting work so as to not set the SRS light. That is something none of the mechanics at my dealership bother to do in order to save a little time. Instead, they hook the car to the DIS tester after they are done and clear all the SRS faults they introduced by working on the system while it was under power. That still makes me a little nervous. |
Lots of folks do things and don't have a problem ,,,, until they do.... ;) Dave |
Instrument Cluster Removal Quote:
I was trying to remove my instrument cluster to replace odometer light bulb last weekend; spent about 3 hours, then gave up. Instrumet cluster did not come out even turning steering wheel left and right because space between the steering wheel and dash board was too narrow, and right side there is a wiper switch arm, and left side there are turn signal arm and head light switch. Is it possible for you or someone to explain little more in detail for its removal instruction? Thank you for your help!! |
Hmmm...It took me a little while to figure it out the first time myself, im assuming you got past the screws and getting the cluster out of place. Make sure you got all three wire clusters dissconected, then i just rotated the cluster towards me, and slid it out the right side of the steering wheel. |
It takes time Quote:
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Has anyone changed the color of the bulbs in the instrument cluster? If so, what colors? |
head light switch removal Quote:
Thank you for the instruction. Is it easy to remove the head light switch? (without removing the black instrument cluster housing from the dash board) |
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