Is anything right with this car??? Actually everything that you are doing on this car has been done on every Saab in our family!

OK, there are two rheostats; one is a shaft in the instrument cluster that controls the speedo and tach lights, the other is a knob on the left side of the vinyl dash panel that controls the radio and center panel dash lights. If wiggling the rheostat or jumping the wires on the rheo back doesn't work and/or the only lights out are the heater fan and the heat distribution control, you probably need to replace these bulbs. These are a pain. If you remove the dash panel it is easy, but you have to pull the steering wheel and remove the four long dash bolts and then unplug all the switches on the dash.

If you don't want to do that, it is possible to get to both bulbs by reaching through the radio "hole." Remove the radio and remove and unplug the cage behind it. Remove left speaker hole and put a good light down the speaker hole so you can see. Get a small mirror so you can look behind the panel. the bulb for the fan switch is near the top over near the fan switch and you will find it. The bulb for the heat distribution control is just above the lighter and slightly towards the driver's side of the car. You can carefully reach down through all the wires and hoses behind the panel and get to it. The light actually is directed across the dash panel from the bulb through a plastic "optic" channel to the control.

If I were you, I would remove the dash panel so you can learn how everything works behind the dash. Given the problems you have had with doing everything else, I don't think you have a chance of finding the bulb by reaching through the radio hole. But you might give it a try and be lucky.

posted by 216.75.9...

• Interior lights on dial controls are out..., thereuare, Mon, 20 Jan 2003 19:47:17
  • Check your rheostat (sp?), Liam, Mon, 20 Jan 2003 22:10:41
    • Re: Check your rheostat (i don't think so on an 86), thereuare, Mon, 20 Jan 2003 22:21:34
      • Re: Check your rheostat (i don't think so on an 86), Shawn C, Tue, 21 Jan 2003 10:02:26
        • Re: Check your rheostat (i don't think so on an 86), thereuare, Tue, 21 Jan 2003 10:51:59
          • Re: time for a new car ;-))), JohnK, Tue, 21 Jan 2003 18:14:46 <-- Viewing This Message
            • Re: time for a new car ;-))), thereuare, Tue, 21 Jan 2003 21:39:47
              • Re: never give up, this is great fun, JohnK, Wed, 22 Jan 2003 11:36:04
                • Re: i DID just do a radio install, thereuare, Wed, 22 Jan 2003 11:55:02
                  • Re: there IS a 2nd rheostat!! and it's tempermental, thereuare, Wed, 22 Jan 2003 13:38:58

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