When i first go the car about a year ago the dash and climate controls worked the night I bought it and never worked again until one night last week. Now they dont work, anyone had this problem?

Josh

I assume you mean the lights don't work. 99% of the time its the rheostat behind the instrument cluster that is at fault. You can solder a wire across the contacts and get full light (which I did), or replace it. The dash lights are usually on the dim side so you generally don't even need to use the rheostat.

Here it is on Fastlane.

__________________
Adam Lumsden
(83) 300D
Vice-President of the MBCA International Stars Section

I wonder if just spraying some eletric cleaner on the contacts might fix it? Isnt the failure caused by corrosion?

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1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
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#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

I just took out the panel, reoved the rehostat, opened it up, and applied some sandpaper and rust remover, works fine now.

So..are you saying I can adjust the rheostat from somewhere on my dash? Where at? To my knowledge there is nothing on my dash that controls the brightness of my dash light, I may be wrong. By the way, its an 83 240D. Thanks.

Josh

If you turn the odometer reset knob (the one on the left) clockwise it will brighten the lights.

Twist it right and left a few times it may clean up a little. Find the sweet spot, there may be a position it gives you maximum light until you pull the panel to fix it. Good luck.

Thanks, I never knew what that knob was!