W210 Instrument Cluster Light
 

The light that illuminates the outside temperature readout on my W210 instrument cluster must be going because the brightness is about 1/2 of what it should be. This is the same area of the instrument cluster that shows the word "Service" as part of Service In X Miles if the O button were depressed twice. The word Service is also dim.

After reading other posts on a similar topic on this forum, am I correct that this problem is likely a bulb that has gone bad?

Thanks.

You are correct your left side bulb is burned out. The cluster is a little difficult to get out if you havn't done so yet. I made a homemade tool out of a coat hanger to get the cluster out.

Thanks rjnonnie. I'll probably also make my own tool. Do you know how many bulbs total are needed for the instrument cluster and are they all the same? Since I'm in there I might just replace them all at once.

For the amber backlighting, there are 3. There are also 3 red ones to illuminate the backlighting for a red warning display, but I've never had to replace a red bulb. Just replace the 3 clear ones.

Gilly

Thanks Gilly.

Is the lamp for the outside temperature display area amber or clear?

All three bulbs for the amber backlighting are clear. There are only two types of bulbs for the instrument cluster: clear and red.

Right. Normally just the clear ones come on, this is for your normal (amber) displays; odometer, clock, temp, etc. Sometimes you'll get a red message, I can't remember exactly what these are, I'm sure you;ve noticed this as an owner, I think if a door is ajar, or certainly in a malfunction like SRS, etc you'll notice the display area is lit in red, this is these red bulbs coming on making it change color. Again I've never had to replace them, I suppose because they are used relatively infrequently, where the clear ones are almost always on.
If you want to be a little extra thorough, there are i believe 2 bulbs which are for illuminating the gauges (may be more than that, not much, lets say 2-4), these will occasionally burn out. These are all I'd replace, not all the little "idiot light" bulbs or the red warning bulbs.

Gilly

A quick test for the red bulbs is to set your emergency brake and put the car in park with the engine running. A red warning message will appear to remind you that your emergency brake is on.

Like Gilly stated replace only the three message display bulbs (left, center, right). You can keep the other two as spares.

I assume you meant put the transmission in DRIVE with the engine running.......

Gilly

Yes - I meant drive with the engine running. If the engine is not running you will not get the red warning message.

You also won't get the message if the transmission is in PARK, which is what you wrote......
Gilly

Hi Dave,

Did you end up replacing your instrument cluster bulbs? If so, do you remember how you did it? I have seen posts that say you can remove the knee kick pad underneath the wheel & reach them from behind...is that true?

Thanks!

Brian