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'91 Golf - Dash lights went out

All of a sudden no dashboard lights at night. The idiot lights still work and all of the other lights seem to as well. This is a Canadian model with daytime running lights, so I don't generally turn the lights on. I've checked the fuse, and it's OK. My guess is that it's either a wiring problem (shudder) or a burnt out bulb. I don't have a good repair manual and I dread the thought of taking the whole dash apart without guidance.

My questions:

  1. Is it likely the bulb or are there other places to look first?
  2. What's involved in getting to the bulb?

TIA!

Dave

Reply to
DaveInRedmond
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One thing to check first: There should be a instrument panel dimmer, which on my 87 is a little wheel under the headlight switch. Make sure that that is in the on position. It is also possible that this has failed. If you pull the switch, you can check for voltage and continuity.

Also, when your dash lights are on, you should also have lights on for your heater controls, cigarette lighter and rear window defogger switch. If those lights are also out, then it is a bad switch or wiring, probably switch.

If those other lights are on, then it is probably the bulb, which involves pulling out the instrument panel.

  1. Remove steering wheel.
  2. Remove the trim plate. This pretty much slides right out but may require removing the heating controls.
  3. the instrument panel is held in by two screws, one of which is hidden by a fake switch (one of those black tabs like the defrost).
  4. The speedo and electrical connections need to be undone before it can be pulled completely.

I don't remember quite where the bulb is from there, but it shouldn't be too tough to figure out.

Good luck,

Jason

Reply to
Jason Faas

Unless it's different than I've seen, the switch should just pull right out.

Jason

Reply to
Jason Faas

Yes...it should just unsnap. Put the switch in the ON position so you can get your finger under it and then gently pry the bottom of the switch...it should snap out.

Reply to
Matt B.
[snip]

The guage light is actually a set of bulbs connected to a flexible plastic wiring board. It's unlikely that they all burnt out at once.

Reply to
Chris Pflieger

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