dimmer switch diagram

[maherbaz]

OK, finally got my instrument panel out and removed the headlight switch. I was planning on just bypassing the dimmer, but when I pulled it out there were 10 damn wires. Does anyone have a diagram for this, or know which wires are which?
Also, perhaps I will just buy another switch, does anyone know how much they cost?
Thanks

[weezer]

u might be able to get it for free at your nearest junkyard. That's what I did.
My instrument cluster lights went out a couple of months ago, it turned out to be the switch.

[John Firestone]

Does this help?

[maherbaz]

Well I took apart the switch and found a resistive coil that had been melted down, so I assume this is my problem. I was going to just add some wire to bridge the gap in the coil, but an engineer that lives in the apt above me told me the loss of resistance could fry my lightbulbs. A scrap yard near here offered me a used one for 75 bucks, but an independent bimmer dealer here has a new one for 40. I think im just gonna buy it. Thanks for the diagram though,
Maher

[John Firestone]

It most likely won't fry anything: you'll just have to replace some of the backlighting bulbs more often.

If I really needed to save money, I might measure the current between pins 6 and 8 with the light switch (and interior illumination) on to determine the load, and then replace the burned out rheostat with an external, fixed-value, dimming resistor or resistors connecting pins 6 and 8. They should be fairly cheap -- I can mail order 17W ceramic power resistors for less than a dollar each. I bet you would not need too many of those to find the value you like. Just an idea!