Hi guys.
Last evening I tried to change some dead light bulbs on the dashboard but after I removed the dashboard I wasn't able to remove the first connector, on the left, because of a safety purple thing. So I quit and I put back the dashboard but I noticed that the lights behind the gauges are off. So I see the warning lights for fuel too low, coolant temp too high, ABS, hand brake, etc but the speedo, the rpm meter and the water temp and fuel level gauges are dark.
Do you think that I might have damaged the dashboard only by trying to remove the jack (didn't force it)?
Today I managed to take both jacks out and I think that all the light bulbs that are not working are actually dead, but I am not sure. Some of them were not dead before taking the dashboard out.
Any suggestions are welcomed because I have no idea on how to solve this problem. I switched the dimmer and I didn't get any response.
Thanks and sorry for my English.

 

Hi Christisor, what you describe was what I had also.

How i fixed the problem.....using a multimeter to check every dash light bulb and replace all blown ones with fresh bulbs, except for the lighter/ashtray which was replaced for a white LED.

One quick way to test the dash light dimmer circuit is to put a multimeter across the light for the ashtray/lighter - brown(-) and grey/blue (+) when the parks lights are turned on;

when dimmer is turned fully down, voltage will be near or at 0, sweep the dimmer across its range with park lights on will see a change in voltage across those dash light wires, it simply checks whether the dimmer circuit is working or not, as I found the circuit was working next step was to check / replace any blown illumination bulbs (in the photo first post, the dash cluster illumination bulbs are the ones with white holders including the gap where one was removed)

I dont know if the ash tray and air con unit lights are in a series circuit with the dash illumination lights - i do suggest you take out the air con control unit carefully, unplug it and check the 4 bulbs in the air con control unit and the lighter bulb because i dont remember if these had any effect on the dash lights as i simply went through them all in one go - remember though - make sure he dimmer switch is turned up (clockwise).

 

Thanks AudiA4blue.
It looks like all the light bulbs were burnt when I tried to take the cluster out. I replaced all of them and now everything looks great, but I really can't explain how did this happen.

 

Hello everyone. I have 97 Audi B5. I just wanted to make a quick post if judging by this picture I took I can fix my cluster at home. Only About 1/3 of the instrument cluster is lit, when I first bought the car it was more than half.



So as you can tell only from 60mph and onward the panel is lit. Thanks in advance everyone for your help.

 

Hi all, I purchased my Audi a4 quattro about a week ago and didn't test the lights as it was day time when I looked at the car. Turn the lights on while driving at night a had same issue as most people, some of the display bulbs was not working. Took the cluster out and noticed the previous owner had not replaced the bulbs but transfered working ones around. All up there were about 7 missing bulbs. Checked for damaged bulbs and found another 3 burnt ones. I put the working bulbs on the display slots and all were working fine. I bought the replacement bulbs and filled in the missing slots. After this was done, one of the display slots no longer worked (the top section of the tachometer). It was working fine the previous night, so I checked the bulb again and it seems to have burnt out. I put a working one in and still no go. Thought that bulb might have burnt out too but when I put the new bulb back into the slot it worked. Read on the forums that Audi dash clusters have high tendencies to fail. Does anyone think I have one of these damaged cluster. Frustrating as it was working fine before replacing the missing bulbs. Aaaasrrggghhhhh.

 

Where did you purchase the bulbs. I check auto zone and they didn't have them

 

I got them from Repco. I was told you can also get it from CAVS (used to be called coventry's) but Repco was closer to m house. Only $2 per bulb.

 

Hello guys,

I am fresh to the forum, and I have a whole new problem with the illumination in my instrument cluster and also in the fan and radio pannel. I will mention that I have an Audi A4 1.8 ADR from 1995, most basic model there was available, but a damn fine car after all these years .
I suddently found myself without illumination one day and have tried endlessly to figure out the problem from the internet without any relevant succes.
I Want to mention that I have read everything about changing light bulbs and after having an "electrician" to look at the problem, the bulbs are ok. I have also rulled out the dimmer switch but tonight discovered that the mileage display had also failed when I switched on the lights. This car has automatic lights for daytime use as per Danish regulations and while the lights switch is in the neutral position, the mileage display is properly illuminated but once I try to turn on the position/night lights, the display fails. Well actually I have noticed tonight that it doesen't actually fail in that much to my surprise, I have a glimpse of the entire illumination in the dash lights for a couple of seconds when I am turning the lights switch on and then they die alloghether while I have also noticed a strange buzz comming from behind the fan control unit or the cd player, somwehere in the middle. I am guessing some fuse or something is overheating quickly and is killing the lights.

Any tips or suggestions are welcomed ! Thanks a lot !

 

deadish battery? (obviously unlikely but $0 and 30 seconds to check so why not)

ignition switch?

lights/turn signal/wiper stalk? I swear I read somewhere that those can go out and with them go your dash lights

 

Indeed the previous owner had mentioned that the battery might be old and I had been using the car for almost a year since. Fact is that I had never had any trouble with the ignition or any other power related issue such that would promote a battery issue. Then again this car is a real fighter when it comes to battery use over the years from what I heard and this might be a way of shutting down a system in order to keep everything else running. I guess it is about time I should go and change the battery and will come up with some more update after.

Thanks a lot for your reply !