1998 VW Jetta: No Dash / Instrument panel lights,.

I have a 1998 Jetta GL that the interior instrument and dash lights will not illuminate or turn on. However, I do have exterior head lights / tail lights / turn signals / hazards as well as the overhead reading lights.

Turn signal/ hazards / high beam indicator works on the instrument cluster, other wise, its all dark. All fuses seem intact with no to a blown state. In chatting with a VW service guy, he speculated that the dimmer roll switch - "rheostat" near the headlight switch might be broke. The factory replacement for this is about 120.00 dollars plus a shop labor of 89.00 / hour. If anyone has had this part replaced, I would appreciate you sharing your experiences. Thanks in advance for the replies.

Terrence

Reply to
Terrence
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A rheostat typically develops a bad spot before going entirely bad, if it goes entirely bad at all. Play with it in the evening hours so you can see illumination properly. If its not responding, check elsewhere. The actual connector of the rheostat may be contaminated or damaged for instance.

Reply to
Jonny

so is it on the same fuse as the overhead lights? I would suspect the fuse first but I would also assume that it powers something else. Then I would test that dimmer switch and related wiring.

Reply to
One out of many Daves

If you do end up needing a new switch, do it yourself...really! You can save the labor (it does not take an hour to relplace this item).

This is what you want:

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This one is actually better than your existing switch b/c it has a parking lamp setting as well as settings for front and rear foglamps. You probably don't have them (fogs) now but you can add them later with this switch if you want to. And you also get a parking lamp setting too.

Anyway, if you look at the new switch, you'll see a spring loaded tab on the left side and on the top. All you need to do is gently pry those same tabs on your current switch (usually w/something long and thin/flat like a butter knife), gently pull it out, unclip the wiring connector from the back, and then installation of the new switch is the reverse of removal. However, test the lighting before you clip the new one fully into the dash (just to make sure). But that's it! It's an easy replacement.

Reply to
Matt B.

It could also NOT be the switch. If the car was being driven for years without the lights, the lights could be in need of replacement or just readjusting in the instrument cluster. They lose connectivity in the socket after a while. This isn't a hard job, just take your time and be careful so you don't break the plastic.

Reply to
Peter Parker

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