C126 interior lights....

[ironduke]

Hi

All the interior lighting, dials, switch back lights...the lot, has stopped working in my 1985 500 SEC. I've checked the fuse and it's fine.

Seems weird that it's all gone, not just instrument lights.

Any ideas?

TIA

 

[ianrandom]

Probably the dimmer unit. Also called the rheostat.
It's on the bottom corner on the rear of the cluster, remove the cluster and the rheostat has one screw to remove before pulling it off.

You may get away with cleaning contacts with switch cleaner, but if not then a good used one will just slot in.

Disconnect the battery before pulling the cluster though.

 

[ironduke]

I thought this but would the dimmer have an impact on the little lights behind the swicthes/buttons too?

Ill give it a go though!

 

[ianrandom]

Yep, it dims all the switches too so its the likely culprit. Happy fixing