Have an Elite (98) with climate control, and need to get at the rear illumination bulbs on the "round" left & right temp. setting touch buttons (can see the temperature figure in daylight - only on LHS cluster - RHS cluster OK).
Any advice on how to get at them?
Also, someone once mentioned "couloured" bulbs..any comment?
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I did this myself not so long ago. There may be a thread someplace, but I can't find it. From memory:
Remove the radio
Remove the radio cage
Insert hand into radio aperture, at top front of opening there is a cable which you pull, which unlocks the whole central fascia
Once you have this open, the bulbs (which are v small and quite dear!) are accessible at the back of the climate control switches
Haynes describes how to do it.
The problem I had was locating the cable to unlock the fascia. Even when I'd done it once, I had trouble the second time (another bulb blew as a result of me taking it apart, I think). Avoif tugging wiring looms accidentally!
Once you have mastered it it shouldn't take more than 20 mins.
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Thanks for that.
I'm fascinated why/how the cable "locks" the assembly?
I'm also wondering whether there's actually a dry joint / cable intermittent on the LHS assemply, as a gentle "tap" brings up the touch control (light switch activated) illumination, but not the dislay (which I can see, as I said, in the dylight.)
Maybe 2 faults...but then again, why would they both occur at the same time (last night) if they were seperate faults (although i've had "earth return" faults on other equipment which can cause very strange symptoms (I'm an electronics engineer.
Any ideas re. the "coloured bulbs"?
Thanks again.
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I can't describe things well! The cable runs from side to side (I think) and needs a sharp tug downwards to unlatch the assembly somewhere else.
Coloured bulbs for the climate display? Never heard of it!
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Ah, when you said "cable", I thought you meant electrical cable...it's the electronics background haunting me. I assume it's a "sprung wire" assembly? But I suppose I'll find out when I remove the radio.
By the way, I can't see into the radio securing holes, and this may seem a dumb question, but what sort of head is the screw / bolt that holds it in?
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When I reached into the aperture I found a coathanger wire type bar and pulled that, it ripped off in my hand, so I pulled other things, and ended up wrecking the brittle walnut panel and the CC PCBs! managed to get a scrapyard one for £250.
Once removed, I saw what I should have found and pulled, there was no cable on mine, but a square sectioned handle made of metal which pulled down (I think) it was spring loaded and only moved about 10mm, releasing two catches, and the whole thing slid out.
Look out for 3 screws in the ashtray aperture, miss one and the brittle plastic may break.
Good luck!
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Yep Joos, I had similar experience (without the breakage though!). I'd forgotten about the screws in the ashtray aperture. I lost one so now I only have two...
And I tugged on the coathanger wire, but now you mention it I think it was a bar rather than a cable, very difficult to find amongst wiring looms, and hard to unlatch.
My radio has small grub screws (allen key) in each hole, once these are out you use radio removal tools (Halfords, about £4 IIRC) to "unlock" and slide the radio out. You could probably fashion these from something yourself if you needed to.
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I\'m starting to remember more now, the bar you pull to release the catches is up amongst some thick wiring looms with all melted sticky glue on them from the fabric tape they are bound with! The bar remains mounted on the dashboard moulding, and two catches are pulled into recesses allowing them to disengage from the beautiful walnut carving (someone must have spent a month carving this :op )
I also remember having not much cable slack and removing the two connectors from the CC PCB (which is a bit fragile, so be careful.)
Then, I think there was a load of wires for the switches, but I think you would have enough slack to change the little bulbs, they are the tiny type in plastic bases which pop in and rotate 90 degrees to lock.
Also, I don\'t know whether you can change the ones in the switches, but I wish I had done this, as two have gone dim, since I did the CC ones a year ago, so it looks like I\'ll be going through the whole procedure again.
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Thanks for all help & advice.
Job done (4 were off - just as well I'd bought a couple of extras.
Just when I thought all was OK....see new posting on "intermittent alarm when moving"
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