» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | | | | | | | 08-02-2005, 03:03 AM | #1 | Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: greenwich ct 06830 Posts: 24 | 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. | | | 08-02-2005, 03:17 AM | #2 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 | 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 http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/...usterbulbs.htm I'm sure there are better ones. __________________ ...steven BMW CCA #146825 1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i www.bmwcca.org Last edited by 1996 328ti; 04-03-2011 at 05:01 PM. | | | 08-02-2005, 03:35 AM | #3 | Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: greenwich ct 06830 Posts: 24 | 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. | | | 08-02-2005, 03:38 AM | #4 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 | 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. __________________ ...steven BMW CCA #146825 1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i www.bmwcca.org | | | 08-02-2005, 03:42 AM | #5 | Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: greenwich ct 06830 Posts: 24 | 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 | | | 08-02-2005, 03:46 AM | #6 | Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: MD Posts: 5 | Quote: Originally Posted by toast27 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. | Absofreakinlutely, that dealer is def. trying to pull a fast one. The steering wheel does have to come out(mine had a airbag) but only to make it easier on you. We had to replace 4 bulbs and I removed the hardware and my husband got steering wheel off and then removed the dash. All you need is the right tools... | | | 08-04-2005, 12:07 AM | #7 | Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Southern California Posts: 225 | 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. __________________ Love my ti | | | 08-04-2005, 01:44 AM | #8 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 | Quote: Originally Posted by toast27 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 | Ooops! I meant the radio code. It should be with your owner's manual. If you don't have one the dealer can look it up for you based on the radio's serial number. But you probably need to prove that it is your car. __________________ ...steven BMW CCA #146825 1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i www.bmwcca.org | | | 08-04-2005, 10:17 AM | #9 | Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bremerhaven, Germany Posts: 977 | Quote: Originally Posted by toast27 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. | I have read all the safety precautions you are supposed to observe when working in and around BMW airbags and was shocked to see how few of them the mechanics at my dealership actually follow. I am sure they have dealt with thousands of airbags over the years and have never had a problem. 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. | | | 08-04-2005, 11:09 PM | #10 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland Or Posts: 2,666 | Lots of folks do things and don't have a problem ,,,, until they do.... Dave __________________ Dave - PDX 1995 318ti - Active Black and Tan. 2005 330xi - Mtech 1 - 6spd - Orient Blue/Black | | | 05-09-2006, 06:16 PM | #11 | Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Dublin, CA Posts: 5 | Instrument Cluster Removal Quote: Originally Posted by 96ti 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. | Hi, I found your message from old thread. 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!! | | | 05-09-2006, 07:05 PM | #12 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Norfolk, Virginia Posts: 289 | 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. __________________ _____________________________________________ Cold air, Dual Exhaust, Ellipsoid headlights, CCFL Angel Eyes, custom ICE, M3 wheels, Cobra Radar Detector, CF eyebrows, ACS CF gauge bezel, clear corners, Euro tail lights. Stickers add HP!!! | | | 05-09-2006, 07:21 PM | #13 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Tracy, California Posts: 473 | It takes time Quote: Originally Posted by Gen Hi, I found your message from old thread. 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!! | I used a thin towel and cover the steering wheel to protect the cluster from scratches. If you are sitting on the driver's seat and start pulling the cluster, you need to move it towards your left and at the same time try to turn your steering wheel to the left. Make sure your turn signal is all the way to the left and also you need to remove the head light switch. I did mine with the driver's door open and took me less than 15 minutes. I suggest you replace all the light bulbs since you are already there. I hope this helps. __________________ 1989 E30 325is 5s Coupe Zinnoberrot 1991 E30 325i Auto Coupe Schwartz 1991 E30 325is 5s Coupe Hellrot 1995 318ti E36 Alpine White III DASC (RIP) 1996 328i 4Dr Artic Silver (RIP) 1999 M3 Estoril Blue Metallic RMS Vortech SC 2001 325i E46 Alpine White - Sports Package (SOLD) 2005 E46 M3 Coupe SMG | | | 05-09-2006, 07:40 PM | #14 | Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: No Where Posts: 297 | Has anyone changed the color of the bulbs in the instrument cluster? If so, what colors? | | | 05-09-2006, 08:23 PM | #15 | Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Dublin, CA Posts: 5 | head light switch removal Quote: Originally Posted by Mendi3 I used a thin towel and cover the steering wheel to protect the cluster from scratches. If you are sitting on the driver's seat and start pulling the cluster, you need to move it towards your left and at the same time try to turn your steering wheel to the left. Make sure your turn signal is all the way to the left and also you need to remove the head light switch. I did mine with the driver's door open and took me less than 15 minutes. I suggest you replace all the light bulbs since you are already there. I hope this helps. | Hi, 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) | | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | |