Dash lights are dim. Easy replacement?
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Northeast Wisconsin
Dash lights are dim. Easy replacement?
Can anyone tell me how to replace the illumination lights for the instrument cluster on a '87 I6 4.9L EFI w/4 speed manual?
It appears there may be two (perhaps three) lamps that backlight the instrument gauges. The left side of mine is so dark I can barely see the temperature guage at night. The right side is also very dim, but I can at least read gauge faces. Yes, I do that the rheostat on the headlight switch rotated to the maximum intensity position ... if I go any farther with it the interrior cab lights come on.
Looking up under the dash, there's no way I can get my hand up in there to even feel where the instrument lights are, let along change them if I could find them. Are they perhaps changed from the front side by removing one of the instruments first, like the speedometer, then reaching in behind the instrument through the opening? If so, how do you get in there?
Thanks in advance for any help.
It appears there may be two (perhaps three) lamps that backlight the instrument gauges. The left side of mine is so dark I can barely see the temperature guage at night. The right side is also very dim, but I can at least read gauge faces. Yes, I do that the rheostat on the headlight switch rotated to the maximum intensity position ... if I go any farther with it the interrior cab lights come on.
Looking up under the dash, there's no way I can get my hand up in there to even feel where the instrument lights are, let along change them if I could find them. Are they perhaps changed from the front side by removing one of the instruments first, like the speedometer, then reaching in behind the instrument through the opening? If so, how do you get in there?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Northeast Wisconsin
Dash lights are dim. Easy replacement?
ewellman:
Are the screws accessable from the driver's seat, or up under the dash?
Also, is it just the dash face (instrument cluster) that comes off, or the entire dash board clear over to and including the passenger side?
I've looked before, but I don't see any evident way to come in from the driver's side. Maybe I've just overlooked the obvious.
Thanks for your help.
Are the screws accessable from the driver's seat, or up under the dash?
Also, is it just the dash face (instrument cluster) that comes off, or the entire dash board clear over to and including the passenger side?
I've looked before, but I don't see any evident way to come in from the driver's side. Maybe I've just overlooked the obvious.
Thanks for your help.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 772
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From: Glen Burnie Maryland
Dash lights are dim. Easy replacement?
Should be 5-6 screws on the BEZEL for the Dash. Remove the bezel and then 4-6 screws holding the actual instrument cluster to the dash. Pull GENTLY toward you and slide your hand back behind cluster and disconnect SPEEDO CABLE, then the two wire bundles.
You can then take all the bulbs out and check individually. replace any that are bad.
Re-installation is reverse of removal.
Larry
You can then take all the bulbs out and check individually. replace any that are bad.
Re-installation is reverse of removal.
Larry
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Northeast Wisconsin
Dash lights are dim. Easy replacement?
ewellman:
No need to take pictures. I managed to get the instrument panel out. Found three of four bulbs burned out. No wonder it was dim!
Also found the previous owner had removed the bulb for the "Check Engine" light. I can't imagine, now, why it never came on!
Larry:
Thanks for the help. That's exactly how it came apart.
No need to take pictures. I managed to get the instrument panel out. Found three of four bulbs burned out. No wonder it was dim!
Also found the previous owner had removed the bulb for the "Check Engine" light. I can't imagine, now, why it never came on!
Larry:
Thanks for the help. That's exactly how it came apart.
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