Thanks to all for the help with my brake warning light question. I hope that I can get an equally good answer to my new quandry.

My instrument panel is very dim. I believe that some of the bulbs may very well be burnt out, but the Haynes book I bought today does not deal with this subject in much detail; it tells how to remove the panel, but I want to be sure I need to before I go to that trouble.

Is there a rheostat for the dash lights? If so, where is it? My new manual mentions one, but it seems to be behind the speedometer. Can it be accessed without removing the instrument panel?

In addition, can someone help me with the type and number of bulbs? I have ordered an owner's manual, but driving at night is an adventure without being able to see the speedometer.

Thanks.

Ken

Ken,

There is an adjustment. There are two small knobs at the bottom edge of the instrument cluster. However, unless you're lucky this is probably not your problem. The instrument lights, even if perfect, are not very bright.

The instrument cluster is very easy to pull out, There are no fasteners, it just pushes or pulls out. Be careful prying on the edges, you can break the plastic lens loose. There are three screw covers at the front edge of the under dash cover. Remove them and the three phillips screws under these covers, there are then two plastic fasteners with phillips slots in them at the bottom of the underdash cover. Turn these 90 degrees either way, then pull them out.

After removing those fasteners, lower the under dash cover and reach up behind the instrument cluster and push it out. If you want to take it all the way out, which may not be necessary, disconnect the speedo cable, oil pressure line (10MM open end or tubing wrench) and unplug the round electrical connector. There will be, I believe, one more lamp on the right side, that you will pull out. Then you can take the entire cluster to the bench and replace all the bulbs. Some of the bulbs are in small black plastic carriers that twist in.

I just described the time consuming way. You can if careful, and part orangutan, replace the bulbs without entirely removing the cluster.

I don't remember how many bulbs are present, but I think about five.

Good luck with it,

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Larry Bible
'84 Euro 240D, 516K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles

I have had luck changing the lamps. The old ones seem to get dim and yellow with age.

Hey,

how about on my '85 300DT? How easy is it to remove the dash cover and the instrument cluster to replace my bulbs? They are all working but if they get dim and yellow with age, I would much rather just replace them so that they are new. My cluster lights are not efficient. At least I can see the speedo at night. It just would be nice if it was brighter.

Thanks,
FrankieZ

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FrankieZ
84 500SEL EURO 87K
85 300DT 267K (not my miles tho)

fz500SEL,

The procedure for instrument cluster removal is exactly the same for your 300D as it is for a 240D described in my post above. They are both w123 series cars.

Good luck,


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Larry Bible
'84 Euro 240D, 516K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles