I just looked up a price on the internet for a dash light rheostat. Prices for VDO rheostats seem to run $75+ for the rheostat for a 83 300d. Am I missing something here? It looks like a plain little pot controlling a couple of little bulbs. Is there some reason for this price. Particularly when the one for a 93 MB sells for $28.
SEO

I suppose because it is totally mechanical, as opposed to the newer electronic ones?

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71 220D 169K wrecked
83 240D 118K sweet 4 speed
91 350SDL (one of the 60% good engines) 156K
84 300d (loaner to my sister) 189K
79 300SD (partswagen)
86 420SEL partswagen
70 220d (partswagen)
68 280s GASSER!!! under construction now
85 300sd 310K miles winter beater car retired
93 300d 2.5 turbo 168K wife's car
83 280SL euro 5 speed 155K
69 250S newest project 54K

Probably because it is now considered a vintage part which is a custom made purpose only part for a certain style vehicle....oh, and of course add in that it's MB....
Most of us just solder a jumper wire across the rheostat pins where they are riveted to the ceramic and roll with it. They aren't exactly the brightest dash lights ever made...

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Chris
64 190D R.I.P.
80 240D W/617 engine -for sale
82 240D -for sale

Ditto, they be on high all the time, but not very bright anyway.

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83 SD

84 CD

Is your rheostat totally burnt or are the contacts just corroded? When I did it on my car I moved the switch back and fourth about a hundred times and the lights flickered to life as it cleared off some surface corrosion.

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2003 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins - Georend fully built trans, Banks Big Hoss Bundle, Smarty Tuner, 5" turbo back exhaust. 500 HP and 1100 ft/lbs to the ground.
1979 Mercedes-Benz 300CD - Lost to a four car pile up on 275, Thank You Michigan Drivers.
1986 Mercedes-Benz 300D - Sold, Euro non-turbo car.

They dont make rheostat's like that anymore very often. They are expensive even at the wholesale level direct from electronics manufactuers in quantity.

I was leery about just bypassing it, but I haven't regretted it. Max is where I would always have it anyways...its not going to blind you :-)

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'85 300D, 'Lance',250k, ... winter beater (100k on franken-Frybrid 3 Valve Kit)
'82 300D, 'Tex', 228k body / 170k engine ... summer car
'83 300TD Cali Wagon 210k, wife's car

Dont replace it. Hot wire it. Run a wire between the two terminals. I have never ever heard ANYONE complain about it being to bright.

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

Radio shack has a rheostat:
25-Ohm 3-Watt Rheostat
$3.99
Model: 271-265
Catalog #: 271-265

Which seems about right.

On the other hand, the common advice to just jumper the rheostat sounds like wise counsel. I suppose it would be possible to put in a rheostat from one of the numerous hangar queens I have hanging around. Perhaps the entire headlight switch/rheostat from a 1972 Volvo? It would still be a VDO part, and I could even turn my lights on with it.

SEO

Just solder between the two strips like the rest of us and enjoy the very dim factory bulbs trying their best.
There are threads here about adding LED type bulbs. The results look great!

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John