1979-1993 & 94 Conv [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Hans,
(Sorry for the bad title joke...)
1) Well, your center vent shouldn't be a cause for concern. It is SUPPOSED to blow only cold air--for real--because the air which comes through the center vent doesn't pass over the heater core. Therefore, it NEVER gets heated. That's one of the idiosyncrasies of SAABs (no, not idiocy). I kinda like that function, now that I've gotten used to it: I can wear my coat in winter in the 900, when I get warm I simply turn the thumbwheel to open and have a shot of cool air for my face while rest of vents blow heated air. This helps to cool me down if I can't pull over and take off my coat in traffic.
2)You DO get to the instrument illumination bulbs through the driver's side speaker grille. However, warning lights aside (battery, brake, low fuel light, etc.) there are only TWO (2) bulbs to illuminate the whole instrument cluster, one for left side and one for right side. Unlike some cars, SAAB 900s illuminate the FRONT side of the cluster, instead of being backlit. (It is rather dim.) The bulbs protrude out to front side into the little "visors" which you see at top of the instrument cluster if sitting in your driver's seat.
If your fuel guage side isn't lit up, then take off the driver's side speaker/grille and feel up at the top for one of two bulb holders. #W3W or #194 bulbs are replacement. If you can't feel 'em, get out of the car, look into hole with flashlight from outside of windshield. In '84--my car--they were knob-like, made of light blue, round ribbed plastic; by 1990--my Mom's car--they were black and bad a barlike thing to grab onto. They remove by turning them 1/4 turn.
Congrats on 173K and doing your own maintenance! (Ain't it fun?)
Hope this helps!
Micah in NC
'84 900S, 224K mi.
'90 900, 69K mi. (Mom's)
posted by 67.35.16...
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