Instrument Cluster Light

[NickB]

Hey I have a 96' 318ti msport and I have one or more lights that have went out behind my instrument cluster. Does anyone know how to get to these to replace them??

[clex2]

Well, there are two ways. One requires you to remove the steering wheel. Not a hard thing, but a little extra work that may not be necesary. The cluster wont come out of the dash fully with the steering wheel in the way, so if you do do this, be sure to disconnect the battery and wait 5-10 minutes so that the airbag doesnt go off in your face. Remember to mark the alignment of the steering wheel to the splines so you can recenter it when you are done.

The other option is to remove the lower dash panel and reach up and remove the offending bulb,........if you can reach it. The lower indicator bulbs like the fog light are doable this way, but the dials probably not.

[Mallard]

? ^

turn off ignition

inside the cowling of the intrument trim u will feel 2 phillips screws.... remove

wiggle the cluster about untill the unit slips forward.

now for the fun part, and the only real way of doing this..

spin your ass round in your seat so your legs are over the back of the chair and your head is in the footwell.

feel behint the cluster and there will be three plugs, each with a clasp type lock. you will need to "peel" this open, the plugs should fall away from the cluster after

slide gently, with the plugs pushed aside for good mesure, the cluster between the steering wheel and the dash. it will need a bit of angling but its easily possible.

the 3 bulbs are behind the green plug type holders, 45 degree turn and your clear ;)

[cooljess76]

? ^

turn off ignition

inside the cowling of the intrument trim u will feel 2 phillips screws.... remove

wiggle the cluster about untill the unit slips forward.

now for the fun part, and the only real way of doing this..

spin your ass round in your seat so your legs are over the back of the chair and your head is in the footwell.

feel behint the cluster and there will be three plugs, each with a clasp type lock. you will need to "peel" this open, the plugs should fall away from the cluster after

slide gently, with the plugs pushed aside for good mesure, the cluster between the steering wheel and the dash. it will need a bit of angling but its easily possible.

the 3 bulbs are behind the green plug type holders, 45 degree turn and your clear ;) I'm willing to bet that he fixed it by now since the original post was over 2 years ago! lol, And I'm also willing to bet that it was a blown fuse. Probably one of these fuse #'s 21-31.

[Mallard]

lol, well it might help someone so i guess its valid anyway :)

[watdawg]

Helped me...

[CirrusSR22]

I've pulled the cluster without taking off the wheel. It's possible.

[studyolic]

I only have one bulb out, the one behind the headlamp pull-switch. Can I get to this easily, or do I still have to pull the dash? Incidently, my steering wheel is off-centre; I've had a steering alignment done, so the wheels are pointing in the right direction, but I forgot to mention the steering wheel. Is that easy to line up myself?

[branden]

I'm not sure about the steering wheel.

But the bulbs that go behind the knobs are easy to replace, as are the dash lights. For the knob lights just unscrew the knobs by turning left. Behind each knob is a little plate that can easily by pried off with a thin screw-driver or even your finger-nails. The bulbs sit in a little seat right there, you should be able to pull 'em and replace 'em no problem.

[zboot]

spin your ass round in your seat so your legs are over the back of the chair and your head is in the footwell.

Put myself in that position a couple days ago to look at stuff under the dash. I'm sure my neighbors that were driving in were like WTF??

[branden]

I didn't find it necessary to turn around or whatever. :confused:

You can pull the cluster out and turn it so the back faces up, but the wheel restricts you from completely pulling it out. I found it most comfortable to just stand outside the car and look at the back of the cluster through the window once I turned the cluster backside-up.

Maybe you guys have a different wheel/cluster setup than I do. *shrug*

[zboot]

I wasn't looking at the cluster - I was looking at the wiring under the dash - the stuff that you need to remove the panels below the steering wheel to access.

[tastade]

This is helpful for me too, I have a dead spot in the middle of my speedometer, I think around 70 mph where there is no light. Is this likely a burned out bulb? The area only measures about 1" circle.

[tastade]

I found the cause of the dead light in my dashboard. When I had removed the lower dash board (below the instrument cluster) a cable had come undone from a speaker/buzzer or something down there and it didn't get reconnected. Plugging in the speaker/buzzer fixed the light. They must have been on the same circuit. Maybe what I am thinking is a buzzer is really a light? I didn't look at it closely, it is centered right below the steering wheel in the lowermost interior panel. If this is a buzzer, what is it for?

[L84THSKY]

I have a dead spot on the "100" mph of the speedo. What could cause that?

This is helpful for me too, I have a dead spot in the middle of my speedometer, I think around 70 mph where there is no light. Is this likely a burned out bulb? The area only measures about 1" circle.

[DocDuvi]

is there any brighter bulb you can get for our dash I know they were some for the Audi's made them extremely better

[L84THSKY]

Remove the airbag, remove the center bolt of the steering wheel, remove and reinstall steering wheel. Put a mark on the teeth, where the spline of the wheel, meets the shaft spline. That way if/when you remove the wheel again, you have a marker to set the wheel back on to.

Incidently, my steering wheel is off-centre; I've had a steering alignment done, so the wheels are pointing in the right direction, but I forgot to mention the steering wheel. Is that easy to line up myself?

[React]

Anyone have a diagram of what all is behind the cluster? I'm looking for a fuse for my fan. Also that parts site that shows diagrams would help to, I forgot the web address. :(

[React]

Nevermind I found it, using a flashlight helps. While the cluster is out, anyone know what bulb #'s fit in the cluster?

[sfj642]

re the little bulbs behind the lights and fogs switches
===========================

On mine (2000 316i) in the UK you can't just pull these little bulbs though it LOOKS like you can !

See my separate thread "Help please, lamp behind lighting switch" - the bulbs are very special ones that plug in from the back.

sfj642

[marko]

tap the dash right on top of the cluster... it may be just a loose conection.

half of my cluster is dark when I turn my lights on.. I tap it a few times & it comes back on.

halfass way, I know, but it works for me... :wink:

Hey I have a 96' 318ti msport and I have one or more lights that have went out behind my instrument cluster. Does anyone know how to get to these to replace them??