the dashboard lights that light up the dashboard aren't working after the car sat all winter long in my driveway. I've had trouble before but was able to get it working by messing with the button on the dash. this time couldn't get it going. teh dash board is completely black at night... any ideas? what about buying a small clip-on light to use at night?

 

The dash light dimmer is a problem in almost every 123 chassis car. You can take the gauge cluster apart and try to clean the rheostat contact points, or just get a new one. I know ThePartsBin.com has them. Don't buy a used one from the local salvage yard because it will likely have the same erratic dimming problem.

While we're on the subject, I've also heard some people mention replacing the bulbs with higher wattage units to make the gauge cluster brighter at night. I never got around toresearching it myself but was planning on it someday. Maybe if you search the forum you can find someone who's done it. Brighter bulbs would be a definite improvement.

 

Last year I pulled the dash by making a hook from a coat hanger. I carefully turned the hook on the side, eased itover and through the top of the cluster, pushed it through that slit and in about 5",slid it around and slightly down to theright side of the cluster, turned the hook down and to the left,eased the hanger out until it engaged the end of the inner cluster, gently pulled it out about an inch, then did the reverse procedure on the left side of the cluster and removed the hook. Then with hands on each end of the cluster,I wiggledit outuntil I could reach over the top and unscrew the Speedo cable.Leaving all wires intact, I pulled it out far enough tomake a drawing showing where allof the wires go. ( Maybe you can use a digital camera here ) Then removed all wires and removed the cluster. ( Of course you put it back together in reverse order, speedo cable last. )
I then replaced the rheostat and dash bulbs. ( some merely bypass the rheostat, and allow the bulbs to always remain on bright, i.e., you can no longer dim the dash lights. )While I was at it, I pulled the instument gauges, put cardboard under all of the needles andcarefullyrepainted them.Paint on a thin layer, because if too thick theweight of the paint could effect instrument readings.I put it all back together, but the damned dash lights were too dim.
It didn't take 5 minutes toonce again pull the cluster, only this time I leftthe speedo cable and all wires in place and merely reached behind and pulled the dash lights.I took those little peanut bulbs into NAFA and they matched them with the slightly higher 4.5 watt peanut bulbs. Those are not MB bulbs, andthat's about as hot as it should go... and even then you may be taking a chance that the higher watt bulbs will melt the plastic seats.
For increased brightness, tape the back of theseated dash lightbulbs with a tough reflective tape. Make sure that it's properly sealed with no light leaking out...

 

thanks for the ideas. i did a quick temporary fix by just hooking together some led lights to a cigarette lighter converter and taped them on the dash. it works well enough for now so we'll see. the clock on the right of the dash isn't working either so i figure there's a problem with the cluster. maybe i'll check it out at some point, but for now those little leds are all good. later.

 

If you ever get aroundto it's an easy fix. Russell at dieselgiant has a pictorial on how to repair the speedo, which has pics of removing the cluster, etc.. http://www.dieselgiant.com/repairyourodometer.htmWhich should make it easier for you. However, I couldn't get my hand behind the cluster from underneath the dash, as he shows, becausethe back of my cluster isfull of sound proofing. But the hooks worked easy.. I had that thing out in 10 minutes or so..

Maybe this is a better discription of making the coat hanger hooks: Get a wire coat hanger. Cut the wire about 12 inches long. On the end of the wire make a sharp 90 turn out of about 1/4 inches of the wire. Leave about 6-7 inches of the wire straight ( from the bent tip ). fold the rest of the wire into a handle of sorts so you can grab the wire to pull it.

Place the wire between the dash ( hook to the side) and the instrument panel and push it in about 3 inches. rotate the wire 90 degrees, move it down and to the right,so the hook will grab the rear of the instrument panel and pull it out. To reach the dash lights you don't even have to remove anything, They're 2 bulbs located at the top of the back cluster. Just reach in, grab the back of the bulb, push in, turn counter clockwise and remove.