Shifter illumination - how to access???

[ArtistsRifles]

The ilumination for the shifter position is working on a hit or miss basis - more miss than hit - on our E320. Can some kind soul provide advice please on how to get at the bulbs etc. as it must be a loose connection somewhere -only driving at night is geting to be a bit interesting trying to remember what position the shift is in!!!!

 

[andy_k]

you need to lift the panel surrounding the gear lever to get at it.

1, If you have a glove box in the centre console below the arm rest remove it, it's held in with two crosss head screws at the front of the box.

2, in the now empty centre console you will see a single screw at the front - undo it

3, remove the frame from around the shifter mechanism

4, lift the wooden panel with the switches on upwards from the rear - it will need a little "gentle persuasion" as the mirror adjuster switch will offer a little resistance

5, you can now get at the shifter surround, it's held together with two clips at the front and side, reach around and you will find them, hold them in and lift the top of the shifter surround

6, making sure you don't lose any bits (particularly the base of the E/S switch) you can lift the cover for the gear selector where you will see the bulb.

This sounds a lot more complicated than it is but you do need to remove a fair bit of trim to get at it. Make sure you have a spare bulb to put in as it's not worth going through the whole process to find out that cleaning the contacts doesn't work

HTH

Andy

 

[ArtistsRifles]

Many thanks Andy!!!

This is now scheduled for the weekend - lets hope it's a dry one

 

[ArtistsRifles]

OK - never had a chance to do the work 'cos the local kids decided to try blowing the cars up with fireworks. Took ages to clean up the mess but luckily nothing was damaged - but thats another story....
Reason for this post is - driving the car the other night the shift illumination came on - and the bulb failure warning light on the dash went out. Few minutes later we went over a speed bump and the shift illumination went out again whilst the bulb warning came on!!!

Are these two circuits linked?? I thought the bulb warning was for exterior bulbs only

 

[Shude]

I thought the bulb warning was for exterior bulbs only

It is! An exterior bulb is blown or is about to blow.

 

[ArtistsRifles]

Many thanks - hell of coincidence those two events!!!!!