help No dash lights 83 240D
 

I finaly had this car running at night and found that there are no dash lights I could not find anything in the owners manual about them is there a switch that dims them that I am missing?

In my 83 300SD...
on the far left is a knob - it resets the trip odometer by pushing and dims/brightens the gauge lights by rotating. This knob connects to a rheostat on the back of the instrument cluster - rheostat may be corroded or the spring giving variable resistance may be broken. Mine had (2) 3 watt bulbs to illuminate the gauges - they may be burnt. There may be corrosion on the brass strips under the cream colored 4"x6" box that holds the gauge lights. Also, where the bulbs seat - look for corrosion there.

Thanks I will try that.

dash light reostat
 

On the instrument cluster is two quarter inch knobs below and each side of the speedometer the left one is for adjusting the dash lights. The reostat is notorius for disentagrating, I have made repairs to them but with a 1983 you should be looking for a new reostat.

It was the reostate I removed it jumped the two pins on the back of the dash and the lights came on .So I took it apart and found that it was a little corroded sanded wiper and put it back to gethere and they work.