91 and older Benz owners - does your instrument cluster clock still function? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

donbryce · #16 12-22-2005, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gidpor

All the gauges on my cluster work properly , however at nighttime the light is quite dim. I did replace the bulbs and that helped a little. Would replacing (the old but working ) dimmer improve things ? Basically , is a dimmer a "work or no work" thingy - or does it become less effective after many years ?
TIA

My '85 380SE clock works great. I had older Mercedes cars from the '70's with the round clock that never worked right though, and this was in the eighties- early nineties.

Re. the cluster dimmer, do a search, as there are threads discussing this at length. Basically, you can connect the 2 prongs and that will show you what the 'most' light looks like. Corrosion on the internals can reduce voltage, but the consensus here seems to be that the full-on position was not bright enough even when the car rolled off the showroom floor.

TheDon · #17 12-22-2005, 10:46 AM

mine doesnt work

raymr · #18 12-22-2005, 10:49 AM

The only time mine quit, I flicked the adjuster knob and it ran again. Its been fine since.

dmorrison · #19 12-22-2005, 11:07 AM

1982 300TD-- Clock works.
1983 240D -- Clock works.
1988 560SL-- Clock works.
1965 Mustang-- Clock not installed. But being a Ford, it probably would not work

Dave

richard28 · #20 12-22-2005, 11:11 AM

works fine on my 87 300e and 88 300ce.

hdexpert · #21 12-22-2005, 11:12 AM

The clock in my 81 300SD works great! The tach is inop,have tried all the fixes. My dash lights are kinda dim and the rheostadt changes nothing when I turn it!

abe g · #22 12-22-2005, 11:50 AM

My 77 450sl works perfectly, (never repaired). Note that early clocks before 70s used point type clock mechansims that usually went out after a few years. Later closcks used quartz movements that can last a long time! good luck all, Abe G

Hatterasguy · #23 12-22-2005, 03:54 PM

Not only do both of mine work perfectly they keep time as accuritly as any watch.

These are German cars I wouldn't expect less.

Oilbrnr · #24 12-22-2005, 03:59 PM

Can anyone point me to a non-404 link for the clock repair DIY?

I've gathered snippets here and there, probably enough that I can R&R it, but there might be some pointers that I'm not aware of.

Thanks.

dynalow · #25 12-22-2005, 05:13 PM

On my 88 124c

Clock works fine as do the left guages: fuel, oil pressure & fuel economy.
The left dash light bulb has gone twice in the last 4 years.
The speedo used to fluctuate occasionally between 70-75 mph.
The odo went at 75,000 miles just this past August. Repaired for a couple of hundred dollars.

From what I've read here, odo failure IS a common problem with older benz's.

420 SE · #26 12-22-2005, 05:19 PM

Mine works perfectly (hope that hasn't jinxed it!!!)

mctwin2kman · #27 12-22-2005, 05:27 PM

Two for my 190 do not work.... Old one and newer one.....

Gigtime · #28 12-22-2005, 06:18 PM

The clock works fine in my 88 560SEL. The fuel efficiency gauge wasn't
working but has been repaired. The trip odometer doesn't work.

page62 · #29 12-22-2005, 07:00 PM

'79 450SL still working -- I can hear the quartz mechanism going tick-tick-tick when I go in the garage.

Hit Man X · #30 12-22-2005, 09:03 PM

Both don't work.

I believe that when these cars sit for an extended time, the slow drain on the battery is what does them in... both of mine sat for quite some time before I got them. There isn't enough to pop the fuse for the cluster/clock so it burns them up. I know this to be true for older Cadillacs from about the mid 70s and earlier. NONE of those ever work that I've seen.