My dashboard has gone dark; there are no lights shining in my instrument cluster, or on the center console or dash when the headlights are on. Makes it tough to stick to the speed limit.

I do get the warning lights coming on at start up. The ashtray light comes on with the headlights. That is all I get. I checked the fuses. They are fine. Turning the dimmer knob has no effect.

I searched past threads, and at the moment, my money is on the dimmer knob having given up the ghost. This leads to a need to pull the instrument cluster. Anyone have any tips or suggestions either on my ill-informed diagnosis, or on pulling the instrument cluster?

Thanks for the help!
Tom Lynch

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2016 E350 4matic wagon
2010 ML350 Bluetec
1995 E300D Gone, but not forgotten.

Lets' Pull the Instrument Cluster!

Rgds,
Chris W.
'95 E300D, 349K

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Objects in closer are mirror than they appear.

Wow! Looks comprehensive. Thanks for the tutorial, Chris!

Tom

__________________
2016 E350 4matic wagon
2010 ML350 Bluetec
1995 E300D Gone, but not forgotten.

I have almost procrastinated the required amount of time. Meaning I have something else that is coming up that I need to procrastinate on, so I am thinking about this.

I looked at the wiring diagram in my shop manual. It looks like the dimmer rheostat has two wires coming into it gray/blue and gray/violet. Can I just bypass the dimmer, connect these two wires, and have non-dimmable lights in my instrument cluster (and not set the dash on fire)?

Thanks!
Tom

__________________
2016 E350 4matic wagon
2010 ML350 Bluetec
1995 E300D Gone, but not forgotten.