Instruments Lights Not Dimming

[mikee boy]

My interior instrument dimmer switch (S2 rotary) doesn't work in the centre (dimmed) position. The switch is fine and I've worked out it's the resistor or the wiring to/from the resistor but I can't find where this resistor is as the wires to/from just disappear into the wiring loom. Any ideas or should I just make another in which case what's the resistance I'm after?

[Ali B]

Traced mine (S1) as far as the bundle of wires disappearing behind heater unit in centre of dash before apathy struck again.The wires do not seem to exit the other (drivers) side so its behind the heater as for as I can tell.

anyone know what the resistor looks like so we know it when we see it?

[roy_allen]

On my S2, there are a couple of those big chunky resistors in the engine bay tucked under the bulkhead below the brake fluid resevoir. Could these be them/it? I noticed them a while ago and wondered what they were for.

Roy.

[WonkyGibbon]

Oh - so the middle position does something !! Mine does naff all in that position too. Dimmed eh ? Have to look into that.

Does that mean that the fog switch should also do something in both positions ?

[roy_allen]

Presumably that would switch the front fog lamps on (if you had them)!

Roy.

[LeeBee]

Yes the two white blocks under the brake fluid reservoir are the resistors.What usually happens is that one of them fails, basically a wire goes into one end there is then a link wire that connects it across to the other one and a wire exits opposite where it goes in.If you remove the link wire and connect the other two wires across one resistor (try both to eliminate the blown one) it should work ok, well the ones I have done in the past have!

Cheers

LeeBee

[minghis]

WonkyGibbon said: Oh - so the middle position does something !! Mine does naff all in that position too. Dimmed eh ? Have to look into that.

Does that mean that the fog switch should also do something in both positions ?

My instruments don't dim either - I assumed that the mid position didn't do anything.

Another job to do.....

Minghis

[roy_allen]

Aah, my middle setting also does nothing. I shall have to have a play and see if one of the resistors has gone on mine then!

Roy.

[Roy C]

roy_allen said: Presumably that would switch the front fog lamps on (if you had them)!

Roy.

Correct.

[Roy C]

roy_allen said: Aah, my middle setting also does nothing. I shall have to have a play and see if one of the resistors has gone on mine then!

Roy.

The three positions on the switch on my S2 are:
1 - off, 2 - too dim, 3 - too bright.
I have a piece of black neoprene fitted (jammed) between the dash and the dash top to prevent reflections (head-up display!) at night.

[WonkyGibbon]

Right - well that's four of us with bonnets open and soldering irons out over the weekend then !

[Ali B]

I can't wait til the weekend!!!....

..found it ! thanks Lee.

its held on with 13mm nut and bolt. nut is just behind removable side panel on curved dash. its the lower of the two on the heavy metal plate.

thing is it is only one, and its toast so I can't rewire.

what value is it supposed to be so I can get one from maplins ?
or
what part off which car is it so I can get one from a motor factor?

[roy_allen]

Had a quick look but decided not to mess too much this close to Le Mans. Dont want to break something I cant get fixed in time.

Roy.