Replace lights at dashboard [image: 68.2KB]

[ClubMed]

The image blows the forum borders by a bit, hope it doesn't piss off too many members

This is a BMW 316. Does anyone know whether it is possible to replace the lights behind the dashboard? Both of them are burnt out.

If it's possible from where do I access them?

Merci in advance,
CM.

[jokostel]

do you access to any manuals for this car at all? if possible find some kind of a chiltons manual and see what need to be done i doubt anything fancy.. its probably just going to be about a dozen screws and the faceplate to remove.... nothing too extravagant .
The lights for the gauges should be right behine the black plastic molding around the gauges any hardware store or auto store should have the lights
jokostel
also... before you rip the dash apart... make sure that any fuses didnt blow at all since both are out on ya

[ClubMed]

Yeah I looked through the manual of the car. The only thing it mentions are the front lights which can be replaced, but nothing about the dashboard.

Does anyone know where these screw might be? Couldn't find any just by looking from the above point of view

Probably on the underside of all the dash parts. Harder to see them that way when you're sitting in the car. You might have to replace the whole dash cluster. I hope not.

[MDS]

usually replaced from the back side of the dash through the bottom

[pickel]

Probably gonna have to pull the dash on that one. Not even on my El Camino did I not have to pull them . You should be glad you have a Dodge Stealth!!!!

[Bushmaster]

There are screws at the top of the instrument cluster that go straight up. If you just stick your head in the car and look up you'll see them. remove those screws and the cluster then tilts out and down so you can remove it. Other versions of that BMW cluster had two springs that had to be released from the rear of the cluster by reaching up under the dash, and then removal was the same as what I said above.

[ClubMed]

Thanks Bushmaster, I'll give it a try and post back.

[ClubMed]

Okay, I found the two screws your were talking about, I removed them, but the cluster did not tilit out, nor was I able to pull it out, could there be other screws, or do you think there's going to be springs as you mentioned?

Thanks.

[RedFury]

Good chance. You may have to reach in under the dash to remove the speedo cable unless the speedometer is electronic-that cable usually doesn't have much slack to work with in my experience.

You may want to look to see how the entire dash pad is attatched to the dash. Might be easier to access everything if you could just pop the top of the dash off ( but probably not ).

As far as the bulbs go, they should be simple twist in bulbs. Usually they have a holder and it gets contact by twisting onto a circuit board. Should be pretty easy to figure out once you get it out ( it's just usually getting the dash pod out that is the hard part )