ON my 1983 300Sd, i was installing the power headreast toggle switch into my center console(got newer w126 seats) and in the process ended up taking apart the center console, as well as the area around the acc. After re-assembling everything the interior lights will not light up. All of the fuses under the bonnet appear to be OK. After letting the car sit for about 1/2 hour i went out and turned the lights on, and they lit up. 10 minutes later went out again to double check it was ok and to take it for a ride, and again my Interior lights were gone. Every single one of them except the dome light, guage cluster, center console, acc etc etc. all "dome" type lights work though, as well as all of my windows etc. I'm thinking possibly a ground wire? thanks in advance
Ryan

The most likely culprit is the rheostat in the instrument cluster. Over time these oxidize and come and go until replaced. Move it back and forth 20 or 30 times and it may help.
Good Luck

The lights on your console (antenna, rear dome light swith etc.) are lit by fiber optics. When you removed the console or the wooden panel for the switches you could have unplugged the fiber optical connection somewhere or you might just have a burned out bulb. Right behind the climate control pushbutton unit there is a junction with 1 bulb and about 5 fiber optic connections. Check that first.

no, it's not the fiber optic cables because none of the lights work. The guages dont' light up, nor do the window switches. IF it were the fiber optic light then the only lights out would be the shifter selector, and teh buttons. Thanks though
R

There has to be a connection point under the dash/behind the center console panel that connect a couple of interior light related wires...did you have something connected to this (like the wire for illuminating the newly installed switch) or can the connection be released in any other way?
Normally this is a connection with a couple of (gray/blue) wires bolted to one isolated point...

greetingz,