My instrument panel light keeps tripping out. it goes dark without warning, then when i fiddle with the rheostat/trip odo it flickers and i have to stop at exactly the right place. is there any way i can jump short past the rheostat so i can have it bright all the time or will the bulbs burn out. By the way how i access the rheostat.
thanks

Pull the instrument panel out you will see two copper strips behind the rheostat. jump them with a 14 gauge wire by sticking the end of the wire into the little hole of the strip.

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BJ

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Thanks for the advice. i am really getting tired of that light going out on me. can i just pull the instrument cluster out or do i have to unbolt from behind the dash panel?
thanks

You can pull it out without unbolting anything. If you have small hands (or a helper with small hands, I guess) you can easily reach behind the instrument panel and disconnect everything, then it'll be free. The only thing to watch out for is the oil pressure gauge: mine has a oil line that runs from the oil filter housing to the back of the instrument panel that has to be unscrewed, but yours (84 300D turbo) might have the electrical sender. I don't know.

I replaced my rheostat with one I pulled from a junker. The old one had the same symptoms as you describe, the "new" one works just fine and cost 25 cents at the local U-Pull-It junkyard. Others recommend bypassing the rheostat altogether by jumping it with a piece of wire.

- Nathan
'83 240D "Steiner"
'00 New Beetle TDI

Thanks nathan.
i can finally see how fast i am going at night i cant belive they actually have an oil line going into the instrument cluster what a mess. i will probably just short the rheostat as i never adjust the brightness any ways.

The only thing I noticed after jumping my rheostat,
is that the bulbs in the heater knobs get a bit warm.
The oil line is another story, I didn't tighten mine afterwards - talk about a mess.
I had light but oil an my shoes. But that's how you learn.

Good luck
Wolfgang

__________________
Wolfgang Marquardt
1982 240D, 270K
1983 Ford F100, 260K

Thanks for the tips guys, maybe i will wait till i go to the local Pick -your - part junkyard and steal, i mean purchase one of those rheo's. those poor cars are always picked so clean.
i will have to look out for that oil line and get it good and tight.

I removed my faulty rheostat and jumped it with a long wire thinking I could install a remote rheostat later,but the full bright dash suits me fine...
William Rogers.....