Dashboard light does not come on

[maxwellbenz]

My dashboard dos not light up when the headlamps are on. I've tried rotating the dimmer knob but it has no effect. Its a 1982 500SL. Any thoughts- bulb?

 

[Crazyjester900]

yeh, prob bulbs,

i took out my instrument cluster and replaced my bulbs all good
after that..

 

[greyboy]

It could be all the dash bulbs blown, there will be more than one, maybe 3 or 4.

I had a 1993 280 E and the dashboard rheostat (dimmer) burnt out. It was a simple soldering job to repair it once the dash panel was removed.

 

[JRK]

Just bought (today) a 1999 R Reg. C200 Elegance (Champagne with black, cloth interior). It's in gorgeous condition, but has a couple of very minor niggles: The Grille in the Front (Driver's) Door panel is cracked and there are couple of bulbs blown in the instrument panel. Does the 'plastic bit' of the door trim come off separately, and is it easy to get a replacement? And how do you get at the Instrument panel bulbs? Any help much appreciated.

 

[Dec]

I presume you are referring to the speaker grill, on mine, an Elegance, there is one cross head screw in the underside of grill, use a mirror to locate it, remove screw.

With your 4 fingers under the grill, close to the corner, pull hard, upwards and outwards, this will release a wedged shape clamp then just maneuver it off the door card.
For replacement, scrap yard or dealer.

Instrument cluster removal. no need to remove steeering wheel.

See also.


Dec

 

[Dieselman]

Its a 1982 500SL. Any thoughts- bulb?

Didn't older models use a single lamp under the centre console and fibre optics to feed light to the different parts of the dash.? If so, worth checking the lamp.

 

[JRK]

Hi Dec.

Thanks! I made up a 'tool', using a hacksaw blade with the teeth ground off and an old file handle. I covered the blade in insulation tape to avoid marking the dash. Thanks to you posting I knew exactly where the clips were. I took off the panel above your knees, but left the wheel on: but it was really, really difficult!!

I'd got a large style 2W bulb blown (hence the lack of speedo illumination, and the central 1.5W peanut bulb,(hence the lack of milometer illumination). All I've got to do is now try and put it back!!

Cheers.

p.s. I've found out that for my type of door panel the whole panel needs to come off (as the radio grille isn't a separate item.). Looks like I'll need a door panel from a breakers.