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1985-1998 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Hello,
What happened to all of my 9000 edu's over the years is that of the three bulbs, one will die, then you'll run with 2 for a long time, and then finally you'll get down to one bulb... and run on that one until it too finally dies.
Then you notice the screen is out.
I doubt that all three bulbs blew at the same time, but I bet you that they are all blown. Or at least 2 and you might have an intermittent one, as sometimes i can smack my dash and one will light back up.
Anyways, I was not able to shine a flashlight into my lcd area and check to see if the screen was on very easily either... you have to catch the viewing angle just right with the flashlight pointed at the lcd screen and pushing the info button will help you to see any changes happening in the lcd... look for movement between screens and such.
Taking the top of the dashboard off is a lot easier than it sounds... if you have a little time, patience and a few tight squeezable tools.
There have probably been dozens of posts written already about how to do it but...
there are very small TORX screws holding on both the front speaker grills.... both sides have to come off...
then you put those screws and grills aside...
then with the front doors open, looking in at the sides of the dashboard you will notice two small torx screws on a small strip of dash, under where the speaker grill used to be, and those each come out... on each side
and then on the top, under where the speaker grill used to be, there is another small torx run through a metal tab... this comes out as well, on each side.
if you look with a flashlight up inside the guage cluster area, up and to the right, you will notice a cut out... way up inside this cutout lives a small torx, holding the top dash on. it's tricky but it will come out easily once you get the torx on it.
Then open the glove box, if you have one... and there were torx screws hiding behind rubber plugs, this was on an older one without a front airbag... if you have an airbag, i'm not sure if there are torx's there, sorry...
then up at the very front of the top dashboard, by the bottom edge of the windshield, in the holr where the speaker grill used to be, is a hex nut... i don't know the side... but... it's pretty small...
7-10mm size
it's hard to get out because you can't stand a tool up on it because of the windshield being in the way, i grab mine with a bit meant for a driver, then turn the bit with pliers... it's a pain, i'm not going to lie, but it will come out... just hand tighten it down when you put it back in and it'll be ok. remove the hex bolt from both sides...
then... you should be able to lift up on the front edge of the top dash piece. if it won't come out, look for other screws you may have missed.
Lift up, and then pull towards you, SLOWLY, there may be wires clipped to the underside of it.
Undo these clips
and then there will be one last clip at the edge furthest away from you, under the windshield, but simply pulling towards you will release it from it's hold... it's in the center of the dash... and use this clip to align the top piece when putting it back on.
now with this piece set carefully aside out of the car...
you can look down into your dash.
what a mess!
wires everywhere...
there are two torx screws holding in the gauge cluster at each top corner... i think... or some type of screw..
remove those, and then you will be able to wiggle the gauge cluster around...
carefully, as it is still connected to all the wires...
you may be able to maneuver it around to see the back, or you may find it easier to unclip everything, and bring the cluster inside. the wires are pretty self explanatory, if you to unhook them it's not a big deal to plug them back in. if it's a turbo with a vacuum line, be careful not to split the line open
if you bring it inside, and look at the rear, you will see a black plastic strip along the bottom...
in this strip will be 2 or three small black plastic knob looking things, these are the bulb holders and will have to be turned 90 degrees or so to be removed. they pull straight up...
they are NOT threaded in, one small turn should be enough to free them, and the clips holding them in also provide electrical contact for the bulbs, so be careful with them.
once removed, you can inspect the bulb in good light and check the filament to see if it's still intact.
if you're not sure, get some wires and touch it to the positive and negative battery terminals, it's 12v afterall, it will either light up or it won't
my guess is that it's dead.
so... replacing them can be as easy as pulling out another warning light from the back of the dash that you don't care about, such as SRS or if you're feeling adventurous... your CHECK ENGINE light :)
some of them are bulbs of the same type...
I think i took my trunk bulb out... definitely SRS and maybe the alternator one... temporarily... i check the voltage meter all the time so i'd know if something was up with the battery, you know?
anyways, some of the bulb holders have the bulbs soldered into them, and it'll be a pain to replace the bulb, others are bulbs clipped in by a little bit of force, and are easy to change...
look for other burnt bulbs at this time. ILLUM bulbs and warning lights and such
once you screw the new bulbs in, bring it out to your car to re-plug it and turn the key to see if it comes on.
if so, congrats...
put it all back together...
the gauge cluster once plugged in, sits into two grooves on the bottom, and is only held in by the two screws on the top... once the bottom pegs are lined up, put the screws in and that's it
good luck...
should take you about 2-3 hours TOTAL, first time...
well worth it to check other warning lights as well... or to pull SRS light if it's on :)
-gavin
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