hopefully a simple one..

[Sireatalot]

Evening all.

Last night was one of the rare occasions the 350i was out in the dark - popped along to a hod rod gathering on the outskirts of Brizzle..

Driving home, realised the dash was not lit at all, no illumation on either the dials or the centre console switches..
I am right in thinking it is only one bulb for all the dials? if so, where abouts is it located.. and can anything be done to improve the design / brightness

Cheers
Dom

[jon haines]

Try fiddling with the reostat for gauge bulbs but most likely its a fuse blown if all the switches dont light up. All gauges have individual bulbs the switches are fibre optic I think.

[KKson]

jon haines said:

Try fiddling with the reostat for gauge bulbs but most likely its a fuse blown if all the switches dont light up. All gauges have individual bulbs the switches are fibre optic I think.

Dom, same advice - most likely it's the rheostat (dash dimmer switch) which is on the RHS of the column. It gets worn so might need a twiddle to make the contact. If not then the fuse but I reckon it will be the 'stat. My dash lights have gone off a few times with the same issue.

[adam quantrill]

Or it could be the "rob switch" by your right knee. So named because it could "rob" you of light... ;^)

[Sireatalot]

Cheers guys. Will check the reostat when it's next out

[Wedg1e]

The rheostat has a habit of burning out iif it's left just off full brightness. Full on no problem, dim no problem but just off full causes too much current to flow in the resistance and it goes open-circuit.

[TVRleigh_BBWR]

Wedg1e said:

The rheostat has a habit of burning out iif it's left just off full brightness. Full on no problem, dim no problem but just off full causes too much current to flow in the resistance and it goes open-circuit.

all the one's i've seen are just a 3 way switch, with the middle position using the 2 resisters in the engine bay.

[GOG440]

TVRleigh_BBWR said:

Wedg1e said:

The rheostat has a habit of burning out iif it's left just off full brightness. Full on no problem, dim no problem but just off full causes too much current to flow in the resistance and it goes open-circuit.

all the one's i've seen are just a 3 way switch, with the middle position using the 2 resisters in the engine bay.

Mine certainly feels like a variable resistor not a 3 way switch.
Still doesnt work though, I dont have any dash lights either and I replaced the bulb last year (it did work then)

[ElvisWedgely]

I've never had this problem, though I know some reostats do need a little tweak to get going. If I did have this problem, I would bypass the reostat and have the dash lights on full. Who wants dimmed dash lights anyway? Its not as though they are blindingly bright in the fist place.

Tony. TCB.

Edited by ElvisWedgely on Thursday 10th September 10:39

[mrzigazaga]

Hi mate...You haven't turned it down by mistake have you...Ive done that...If you had no speedo illumination then i would say put your lights on at night and look at your right knee...If its lit up then there is the bulb...Hanging out of god knows where like mine...For the life of me i cannot get it back in without removing the dash....You could upgrade the bulbs to LED but you WILL need the dash out..