Instrument Panel illumination light gone - can it be fixed?

Steveo · Post by **Steveo** » Sun May 13, 2012 6:39 pm

Hi Gents

Drove my new 2.0 HDI (110) Exec in the dark for the first time last night.

Noticed that one of the instrument panel illumination lights has gone (on the speedo side, so hard to see what speed you're doing!).

Looked in the Haynes manual, and it says that the bulbs cannot be replaced as they're soldered in LED units!!

Has anyone any experience of trying to fix this? Seems crazy and expensive to have to junk an entire instrument panel to resolve this. Plus there would be the inevitable problem of having a higher mileage tacho reading (mine's done only 80k miles).

Is the instrument panel a completely factory sealed unit?

Any ideas of fixes (even bodges) to resolve this?

Thanks

Steve

Steveo · Post by **Steveo** » Sun May 13, 2012 6:40 pm

Hi Gents

Drove my new 2.0 HDI (110) Exec in the dark for the first time last night.

Noticed that one of the instrument panel illumination lights has gone (on the speedo side, so hard to see what speed you're doing!).

Looked in the Haynes manual, and it says that the bulbs cannot be replaced as they're soldered in LED units!!

Has anyone any experience of trying to fix this? Seems crazy and expensive to have to junk an entire instrument panel to resolve this. Plus there would be the inevitable problem of having a higher mileage tacho reading (mine's done only 80k miles).

Is the instrument panel a completely factory sealed unit?

Any ideas of fixes (even bodges) to resolve this?

Thanks

Steve

lozz · Post by **lozz** » Sun May 13, 2012 7:22 pm

Hi mate,
sadly Mr Haynes is correct,
there little Smd bulbs, solde'rd in jobs,

You couid fit anew one but ithink you wouid need a good soldering iron, fine point with controlable heat id say they wouid be easy to burn out with ordinary soldering iron,

8Jb9 · Post by **8Jb9** » Sun May 13, 2012 8:51 pm

Steveo, have a look around here on the forum. There has been a few who changed the LEDs to different colours, and their technique should help you. With respect to the panel being sealed: There are other people who have inserted chrome rings around the speedo and other meters, and I even think there's a video of it on youtube. Good luck.

Steveo · Post by **Steveo** » Mon May 14, 2012 9:34 am

Brilliant, sounds cause for hope.

Many thanks Gents.

Steve

robb · Post by **robb** » Wed May 16, 2012 6:18 pm

does this apply to D8s as well because my dash is dim in some places ......thanks Rob

lozz · Post by **lozz** » Wed May 16, 2012 6:29 pm

robb wrote:does this apply to D8s as well because my dash is dim in some places ......thanks Rob

No youve got the twisty out bulbs, alot easier to change, no solderin iron needed

8Jb9 · Post by **8Jb9** » Wed May 16, 2012 8:12 pm

Did that change coincide with the change to D9, or the slightly later change to CAN-bus?

robb · Post by **robb** » Mon May 21, 2012 5:58 pm

lozz wrote:
robb wrote:does this apply to D8s as well because my dash is dim in some places ......thanks Rob
No youve got the twisty out bulbs, alot easier to change, no solderin iron needed

Thanks Lozz my local car place aint got em looks like halthingies:roll:

Snook1 · Post by **Snook1** » Wed Jul 23, 2014 12:24 am

Was this problem solved?.. I'm having the same issue.. seems all the lights that light up the speedo have stopped working. Seems strange if there is a separate fuse for just these lights.. surely the whole instrument panel would be without power if a fuse went?

I will have a look at fuses though..

OllieNZ · Post by **OllieNZ** » Wed Jul 23, 2014 9:35 am

Snook1 wrote:Was this problem solved?.. I'm having the same issue.. seems all the lights that light up the speedo have stopped working. Seems strange if there is a separate fuse for just these lights.. surely the whole instrument panel would be without power if a fuse went?

I will have a look at fuses though..

More likely the lamps are in series so if one goes you lose the lot.

Snook1 · Post by **Snook1** » Wed Jul 23, 2014 10:50 am

Good thinking, hopefully I can just change one of the bulbs.. It's the speedo and the temp gauge that don't light up

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