I would guess the lamps are burned out. Only the climate control and the right vent indicator light up on the 300D, the rest are out. I replaced all of them but the ashtray light on the TE while doing the evaporator, forgot to get another bulb for that.

Might be a wire pulled loose on the headlight switch, too.

I'd never personally leave the cluster at full illumination, it is too distracting to me. I keep mine just barely brigth enough to read the gauges, I see the road better that way.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!