Accessing instrument panel

[bikern8]

How do I remove the light knobs to get access to a burnt out light behind the dash instrument panel. thanks

[roadrash]

You can probably find more detailed info than this, but basically the whole unit tips out after you remove 2-3 Torx screws. It requires the steering wheel (and probably the planets, too) to be lined up just right to get the panel far enough out to reach the bulbs, etc.

Once you get it out, let me know if your panel had a bulb behind the temp gauge. Mine didn't even have a socket to put a bulb into, which I thought was a bit odd.

[kelso]

some of my dash lights are burned out... at night i cant see my temp gauge or like half of my tach because of one of the lights. is this a PITA to fix? appx how many hours from start to finish?

[Anthony Bock]

it's pretty easy to take out, but the wheel definitely gets in the way. first take out the screws holding it in should just be like two on the top, i'm pretty sure it was with an allen key, not sure though it's been like 11 months since i've seen my car. then you wanna take a flat head screw driver and very very gently pry it out from the dash where the gauge housing meets the dash vinyl. next you gotta disconnect the wiring. *note this caused the airbag light to come on in my car. if you can figure out how to do it with out disconnecting the wiring then good on ya, but i couldn't. now you've got the unit completely disconnected from the car you wanna slide it forward as far as you can get it and then you gotta turn the wheel to the left and pull it out over the turn signal bar or wipers bar, not sure what is on the left anymore. its a real bitch but a little working it will get it out. just be sure you don't F up your dash or anything in the process. once you've got it out you wanna unscrew the screws on the outside that are hold the plastic together. make sure you don't go unscrewing everything because some of those screws hold important stuff on there. once you've got them all unscrewed the front face part should pull off from the light blue plastic back part of the case. then you can replace whatever bulbs you need to. *note i would replace all the bulbs at the same time. it would be pretty ****ty to go through all this work and then have to do it again in a week. also now is a good time to put in aftermarket gauge faces. you can get them for like 50 bucks and they are a sinch to install. anyway, after you get the lights replaced you do everything in reverse order and you should be good to go. if the airbag light pisses you off you can have it reset at a dealership or buy one of those reset gadgets, both aren't cheap so i would suggest just getting over it. hope this helps.

[Mad-Machine]

Why would you need to unscrew the gage cluster to replace the lightbulbs? They are all easily accessed from behind it. Just flip the entire cluster over and look for little green "knobs" Those are the lamp holders. They work on the quarter turn method.. a quarter turn and they should pop right out and they lamp still attached

[aceyx]

Originally Posted by roadrash

Once you get it out, let me know if your panel had a bulb behind the temp gauge. Mine didn't even have a socket to put a bulb into, which I thought was a bit odd.

There are three bulbs (W3W) total which illuminate the gauge cluster. Individual lights are only for indicators (turn signals, high beam, etc).


Kelso; it should take under an hour if you have the right tools. Check my gallery, I posted some pics of when I did this.

[J!m]

I added a few details/clarifications to this post in BOLD type...

Originally Posted by Anthony Bock

it's pretty easy to take out, but the wheel definitely gets in the way. first take out the screws holding it in should just be like two on the top, i'm pretty sure it was with an allen key (use a torx driver), not sure though it's been like 11 months since i've seen my car. then you wanna take a flat head screw driver and very very gently pry it out from the dash where the gauge housing meets the dash vinyl.(DONT'T do this! Just press the bottom of the cluster gently, and the top pops out) next you gotta disconnect the wiring. *note this caused the airbag light to come on in my car. if you can figure out how to do it with out disconnecting the wiring then good on ya, but i couldn't. (Dissconnect the negative terminal of the battery before you do anything else. Let it sit for several minutes before proceeding. Then disconnecting the wires from the cluster is not a problem, and no, you can't do this with the wires connected as they are not that long) now you've got the unit completely disconnected from the car you wanna slide it forward as far as you can get it and then you gotta turn the wheel to the left and pull it out over the turn signal bar or wipers bar (Turn signal stalk), not sure what is on the left anymore. its a real bitch but a little working it will get it out. just be sure you don't F up your dash or anything in the process. (Cover all the surfaces with masking tape to reduce the damage, and take your time!) once you've got it out you wanna unscrew the screws on the outside that are hold the plastic together. (Not necessary! the bulbs come right out from the back of the cluster) make sure you don't go unscrewing everything because some of those screws hold important stuff on there. (Don't un-screw anything!) once you've got them all unscrewed the front face part should pull off from the light blue plastic back part of the case. then you can replace whatever bulbs you need to. *note i would replace all the bulbs at the same time. it would be pretty ****ty to go through all this work and then have to do it again in a week. (I agree. If the car is older, just get all new bulbs for the cluster and save the good ones as spares. It should last 10+ years this way. Don't forget the small ones in the center for the odometer illumination!) also now is a good time to put in aftermarket gauge faces. you can get them for like 50 bucks and they are a sinch to install. (This is the only reason to dissassemble the cluster) anyway, after you get the lights replaced you do everything in reverse order and you should be good to go. if the airbag light pisses you off you can have it reset at a dealership or buy one of those reset gadgets, both aren't cheap so i would suggest just getting over it. hope this helps.

If the air bag light comes on and you had the battery disconnected, you may actually have an air bag problem. Do yourself a favor and have it checked!

Also, the headlight and fog light switch illumination bulbs are behind the switch, and are not easily accessed. I ended up poping the lenses (the plastic bit with the white indicator diagram on it) and the knob (which un-screws) and the cluster to get the access I needed. Needless to mention that both sides should be done since it is such a bad job...