My Rover 218 'L' reg radio has lost it's frequency display. Anyone have experience of this failure - is it just a bulb that's died? How do I get at it to replace?
Or is the display terminal and I need a replacement radio! Aaaagh?
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What make is the radio?
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I had the same thing happen to the radio in my Rover 414 a few years ago. I took the unit to an auto electrician who fixed it for me. I can't remember how much it cost, but I don't think it was earth shattering.
Have a look in the yellow pages and try to find a guy who knows what you're going to say before you explain everything - chances are he's seen the same problem before and knows how to fix it.
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Oops, I should have responded to Dorian also. Thanks for this suggestion. I prefer to fix things myself but anyway, you're right and if I can't get the solution in this forum, I'm going down your road. Ta.
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When I bought a second hand 400 a couple of years ago there was an itmem on the sales invoice for the prep work they had done and it included a 'Clock Display' at about £35.
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I'm afraid to say it's Rover's original fitting. But please don't send me back to the dealer!!
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My one that packed up was also the original Rover one, so don't worry about that...
The posting about it costing £35 sounds about right.
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Most car radios are illuminated by little pigmy bulbs with coloured condom type caps on. A few are illuminated by LEDs.
The ones I have worked on have been bulbs[1], and generally accessable by first removing the radio from the dash, then unscrewing the front panel of the radio. You will probably find you have to remove the top and bottom covers of the radio as well before attempting to remove the front panel.
[1] Very uncommon to get an LED failure.
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Thanks DD. I suspected the answer lies in a dismantle job. If it comes down to needing a new bulb, is it a readily available item? From car radio place or is it too specialised to obtain easily?
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Try www.maplin.co.uk and search for part code WQ13P. You will need to remove the old bulb and solder in a new one.
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Common problem - we take them to a local electronic repair shop - costs about £35 tops. The LCD type display is replaced IIRC.
The later cars have remotely mounted displays, lit by a simple twist in bulb and holder...easy!
MG-Rover Questions? forums.mg-rover.org/
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I'll risk a removal job at the weekend (need daylight). Risk, because if it goes wrong, I can't see the display to re-code the radio!! Thanks for the pointers folks.
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Just some feedback - did the job only yesterday! The small bulb was eventually sourced locally (Exeter) for 80p. I got the radio out using some bent garden wire (!!) to release the catches and then pulled the front panel off by unclipping several small bits round it's edge.
The display came apart, again by pressing in several plastic retaining clips which released the ribbon strip that makes all the contacts with the LCD, and then the bulb was pulled out.
The replacement has two very thin contacts, so thin they would not push into the holes. So I bent the wires double and tinned them for strength. They then pushed in okay and all is now fine.
So thanks all for the tips; saved about £34 and had some fun.
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