1990 560 dim dash to no dash lights
 

Hi All,

I pulled my dash today in hopes of correcting my dim dash lights. I read you could jumper two traces on the rear of the dash and bypass the problematic dimmer (rheostat). Well, the rear of mine does not have those two copper traces to bypass. I pulled out the dimmer and cleaned the rheostat with brake clean and when I put it back together now their are no lights. I checked the fuse for the instrument panel and I do have the light in the ash tray if that makes a difference?

Any ideas? Is their a way to bypass my dimmer?

Thank you,

Mike

You can just jump the two terminals to illiminate the REO. There has to be a feed in and one out. On my 280sl I drilled out the rivits and cleaned the contacts, reassembled with two 4-40 nuts and bolts. Another thing you can try is to rotate the dimmer 20-30 times, this will sometimes clean the contacts.

Attachment 90163

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Thanks for your reply, petesmba.

The problem is my dash is the VDO setup so my dimmer/rheostat is not like the one you pictured. From what I have found it seems everyone has the type you show but mine is completely different.

Below is what mine looks like and the link to enlarge.

http://img.eautopartscatalog.com/liv...1609188OES.JPG
http://catalog.peachparts.com/ShopByVehicle.epc?q=&yearid=1990@@1990&makeid=63@@MERCEDES+BENZ@@X&modelid=6311%3AED%7C10000060%3AMB C%7C1547@@560SEL&catid=241959@@Body+Electrical&subcatid=242026@@Dash+Light+Rheostat&applicationid=W0 133-1609188@@Dash%20Light%20Rheostat&mode=PA

That looks even easier, just bend the 3 tabs on the front of the module to open it then clean and assemble. It appers that the metal band is ground and the hole thru the body is probably power. Can you see a contact in there and is there a power post on the cluster for it ?

Well, I have some of my dash lights working now that I replaced the dimmer/rheostat but I still have no lights working behind the instrument gauges. Neither the speedometer, tack or fuel-oil-temp lights work. Everything works behind the idiot lights and center consel. My cluster is a GenII VDO so I don't believe I have that red fuse like the GenI has. Are their other fuses behind the cluster or anything else that could be causing this?

Any ideas??

Thanks,

Mike