Hello,

I have a 91 300SE with a problem that's really stumped me. It started all at once a couple of weeks ago. My dash lights (console and climate controls) will not come on (I did try wiggling the dimmer). The climate controls no longer work (although if I turn it on and drive it does trickle out) and the fan in front of the radiator no longer comes on. So when the car is idling or I'm stuck in traffic it heats up.

Soooo, naturally I check the fuse that controls all of those and it wasn't blown. To be sure I replaced it just in case. Then I got frustrated and wrapped wire around the terminals. Still nothing (yes, I put the fuse back in).

Sometime before they all went out my front driver side window switch went faulty. I had moved the one from the back to the front so that I could pay tolls - but since doing some research on this board I've put it back the way it's supposed to be. Unfortunately, that didn't seem to make a difference. I'm not sure if the problem started when the switch went out, but it was around that time. I somehow remember the switch a couple of weeks before the lights and fan issue.

I have no idea where to start looking now. I'm fairly good at engine/transmission things - but when it comes to the electrical my knowledge ends at installing a new stereo and rotating switches.

Any ideas? Where should I start? Could this be separate issues that started at the same time? Should I just abandon the car on the freeway, claim it as stolen and use the insurance money as a down payment on a 1937 540 K Cabriolet?

Thanks,

Brian

wow that sounds text book.

There is a bulb in the console that sends fiber optic light up to those things that you have no light to. Most likely when you were moving the wires in and out to change the switches you may have dislodged them from there holder or unpluged the supply bulb in there.

Some one on here may have a good pic of the bulb and plug to post, or you could pull some switches and turn the lights on and look in there.

G/L

I would check the voltage regulator. When they go bad all kinds of weird electrical stuff happens.

__________________
2005 Mercedes C230k sport sedan, 6 speed
1987 Porsche 924S - 968-engined track car

does the window work with the door open and the key on? there is a diode that can cause that. your model only has the fiber optics to the rocker switches so that probably is't the issue, i have seen the potentiometer for the dimmers develop an open and no amount of wiggling will cause it to work, you will need to remove the cluster and jump the terminals, and see if it send power to the lights. here is a picture of where you can put the jumper and see if it works, use a small piece of wire. as for the fan check the aux fan relay it may be defective,the voltage regulator will not cause these type issues,

Ok, it's not the bulb - there is just no juice going to it to power it. Plus none of the switches that are out are working.

Where and how can I check the voltage regulator?

Yes the window works when the door is open. I tried jumping the potentiometer and still got nothing. It's like that whole circuit (dash and console) just lacks juice. It almost seems like the whole thing is just unplugged from somewhere.

Any other ideas? I'm afraid the more that I play with the spagetti of wires in that dash the more I'm going to mess it up.