NO Dash lights??? and I have no clue!!
 

Hi,[/align][/align]I have always read that W123 have weak dash lights. Well, mine went out all together which isn't much fun since I leave the house at 0530. I went to diesel giant and pulled the instrument panel to look at the rheostat. It was in pieces.[/align][/align]Any clue how to bypass the rheostat and have some lights? I checked all the fuses and all are good.[/align][/align]Any advice would be appreciated.[/align][/align]Driving blind in FL... Chris[/align]

RE: NO Dash lights??? and I have no clue!!
 

I took out the rheostat and looked on the back. Is that where I need to run a jumper?

Also, at the same time my right blinker doesnt work any more?? The left one is fine?

Any thoughts?? Relay?

RE: NO Dash lights??? and I have no clue!!
 

No answer, I'm afraid, to the question. But I have a similar one. On my E320 wagon, 1994, the instrument lights come on only sometimes when the head and/or parking lights are turned on. If they come on, they stay on. But mostly they don't come on. The lights on the center panel (a/c, gear shift position, etc) do come on every time, and they change brightness if the rheostat knob is turned. So the rheostat is presumably OK. What is it that would cause this intermittent failure of the instrument lighting, but not affect the lighting of the center panel? I haven't pulled the instrument cluster yet, because I don't know what to look for.

Guidance much appreciated.

Peter Bakewell

RE: NO Dash lights??? and I have no clue!!
 

Look at the printed circuit that the reostat attaches to. Solder the jumper from one side of the circuit board to the other. If you dont have the electrical knowledge to understand the circuit board have someone with radio repair skills solder the wire. And Peter, not a good idea to hijack someone elses thread. Post your own. And while you're at it fill out your profile and signatureso you dont have to tell us what type of car you have every time you post.