Specifically, these are the lights that illiminate the clock, speedometer and engine temp, fuel tank gauges behind the steering wheel. One day they worked. The next day, none of them worked. There were a couple burned out for a long time--since I acquired the car 7 or 8 years ago. These were for the fuel and engine temp. gauges. Looking at the fuse guide, it says nothing about a separate fuse for instrument lights.
Any ideas?
Did the dimmer knob get turned down all the way? It's easy to do while trying to set the clock. This also dims the lights that illuminate the center console switches and heater controls. If those work, then the other bulb in the instrument cluster burned out, there's only two of them and they're not difficult to replace. All you need is a philips screwdriver to remove the screws that hold the cluster in and slide that out enough to get a hand behind it, only takes 15 minutes or so.
Okay, thanks for the information. Since there are only two bulbs, the other one must have burned out causing no light in the cluster.
Where are the philips screws located to remove the cluster?
Pull the knobs off the headlight switch and the dimmer, use your fingernail, a coin, or similar object to carefully pry the fascia around those knobs, it just pops out, then do the same with the gauge bezels or blank plates on the other side of the cluster. Remove the two screws holding the cover on the top of the steering column and lift off the cover, then remove the two screws on either side of the cluster. Remove the metal bracket that sits over the headlight switch shaft and then pull the cluster straight out. Since yours is newer than '85, it is all electrical and does not have a speedo cable to mess with so it should pull out enough that you can get to the bulbs. They twist counter-clockwise and pop out.
Is there a bulb number to ask for at the auto parts store? It would be great to have them in hand once the necessary components are removed.
Thank you so much for the precise instructions! Looks like it will be a great project for one of the warmer days coming up.
It should be listed in your owners manual. They're ordinary wedge based automotive bulbs, I can't think of anywhere else in the car they're used, but a lot of domestic cars use them for side marker lights.
James Sweet wrote: (...)
I'm only 90% sure, but I believe that our '88 240DL had a speedo cable. I remember thinking that the plastic locking tab on it looked damaged, but it worked ok.
"mjc13 @verizon.net>"
Just picked up a pack of two bulbs from a local auto parts dealer. They looked like the right size. The number is 2821 with (W3W) underneath. However, that same dealer's website shows 2721 to be the correct size. But when I saw the package, the bulb was too small. It reminded me of the automatic transmission backlight in my '84 240DL wagon. A smallish, wedge type bulb, only 1/2 inch long and approximately 1/4 inch around.
I can't seem to get the bulbs out of the sockets to examine the size of the base, but the ones I have in the package, 2821, seem to big.
And one note: the screws holding the instrument panel in place are all torx head screws.
Oh, I'd forgotten about that, '90 or '91 Volvo changed to Torx. Great if you have the Torx bits, but it can be a hassle if you don't.
I think some of the later cars had the bulbs glued into the plastic base things as well, if that's the case and you can't get them out, you might have to hit up the dealer. They are bigger than the bulbs used to backlight the switches and such, which are also used in the optional gauges that install to the right of the cluster.
Have the bulbs in sockets removed. The bulbs are stuck in the sockets and cannot be removed. Must have been made that way. I ordered replacements from FCP Groton for $ 1 each plus shipping. The Volvo, OEM's are $ 8. Thanks for your help!
Got the bulbs from FCP Groton, installed and have full light in the instrument panel for the first time since I purchased on Ebay 8 years ago! Now looking to replace the lights behind the heater buttons for floor, defrost and recirculate. Hope that is not such a challenge--been a long time since I have removed the center dash area.
There's a screw on each side up near the dash, a twist clip on each side down low, and two screws under the lower radio/storage compartment in front of the gear shift. Pull it straight out, taking care not to pull wires off the switches. As I recall, there's 3 bulbs back there, one on the fan switch, one on the heater control, and one up above illuminating the rocker switches.
It isn't too bad a job. They are just light bulbs in wired holders that fit into holes in the back of the panel. I mixed mine up when reinstalling them, and it didn't much matter.
Have replaced the instrument cluster lights. Now replaced bulbs in center console behind the defrost/recirculate/floor button but cannot find the correct socket to insert it back into. Where is that located? Thanks1
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