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  #1  
Old 09-21-2006, 06:20 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2006
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Dash Lights

I am the proud owner of a 1985 300D Turbodiesel and I have a strange problem for those who may know what is wrong. At night the car starts fine and dash lights come on dim but useable. When I turn on the headlights the lights get dimmer and the tempature gauge and the fuel gauge go higher than they really are. Turn the car off and on and the gauges are fine till the healights are turned on again. The only dash lights are the turn signal lights and the seatbelt light that won't stop going off every minute or so. Before I open the dash up I thought I would ask the experts.

1985 300D Turbodiesel
1985 BMW 528e
1993 Chevy Suburban
2003 Pontiac Montana (Mommymobile)

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  #2  
Old 09-21-2006, 12:04 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: West of Ft. Worth. TX
Posts: 4,186
Believe it or not.......

Check your grounding, Batt.-Chassis and especially Chassis-Engine (near the starter). Also check the alternator terminal strip on the passenger fenderwell.

If those turn up nothing. Read a voltmeter across the battery and see what you get. (possible voltage regulator)
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84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )
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  #3  
Old 09-21-2006, 01:53 PM
Zerohour3k's Avatar
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Ocean County, NJ
Posts: 367
I used to have this exact problem with my (sold) US-300D.

The problem was indeed grounding, amongst other things. Make sure the instrument cluster has good contact with the chassis, as well as the battery being grounded to the chassis. If it isn't a grounding issue, pull the cluster and take it apart. Check the PCB board for any breaks in the electrics. In my case, right by the 14-pin(?) plug, was a seperation in the solder-tracking. Get a nice soldering iron heated up, and fix any breaks in those tracks.. and test with a multimeter.

The most common thing I've seen is poor grounding, and electrical breaks / shorts. Check those, and get back to us with the results.
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  #4  
Old 10-18-2006, 12:14 AM
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Location: West Michigan
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dash lights dont come on

I jsut acquired an 84 300D with just about everything working fine except the dash lights dont come on. I'm talking about the one you dim with the rheostat. Could it be that the rheostat is bad? Can't be all the bulbs are out. Even the lights by the a/c switches dont come on.
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Last edited by tobybul; 10-18-2006 at 12:19 AM.
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  #5  
Old 10-18-2006, 12:16 AM
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI
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Could be: Rheostat (likely for the dash lights), fuse, or bulbs....just go through and check the bulbs/fuses/wires/ground connections etc...
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  #6  
Old 10-18-2006, 12:19 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pawoSD View Post
Could be: Rheostat (likely for the dash lights), fuse, or bulbs....just go through and check the bulbs/fuses/wires/ground connections etc...
looking at the fuse box and haynes manual, the dash lights do not appear to have a fuse.

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the sooner you start... the sooner you'll get done If it ain't broke, don't fix it.. Its always simpler to tell the truth...
2007 Honda Accord EX
2007 Honda Accord SE V6
96 C220
97 Explorer - Found Another Home
2000 Honda Accord V6 - Found Another Home
85 300D - Found Another Home
84 300D - Found Another Home
80 300TD - Found Another Home
Previous cars:
96 Caravan
87 Camry
84 Cressida
82 Vanagon
80 Fiesta
78 Nova
Ford Cortina
Opel Kadet
68 Kombi
Contessa
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