levin dash issues

[perfk]

I have a '96 levin and only half of the dash lights seem to work
(I can see 0-60km on the speedo, and above 4000rpm on the rev counter... but I can't see anything in between). All other indicator/beam/warning lights seem to work no worries.

Is this likely to be a fuse issue? or a bulb issue?

Also, seeing as it looks like it's going to mean taking parts of the dash off, could this be a handy time to replace the current bulbs with a different colour? or is it not that straightforward?

[sergei]

bulb issue - common fault, well not actually a fault, just end of life of the bulbs. They are T10 (10mm spade) type of bulbs with green condoms (which will rip when you are going to replace them - so if you want to keep green look get new ones) located behind the instrument cluster (will have to pull it out).

[Mr Revhead]

yeah a little fiddly but not hard really.

dash comes out quite easy.

[aesc]

One thing I would recommend is NOT using those LED bulbs you see littered on trademe, the light distribution is patchy and generally looks shit.

Just buy some standard T10 3W or 5W bulbs and new condoms in the colour you want (blue looks good). From memory theres 4 bulbs behind the dash

[perfk]

Yeah - so we took the dash off (like you guys said, not too hard - just about getting the order of things right) and disovered 2 working bulbs (one either side) one blown bulb, and one ratting around loose behind the dash.

Grabbed some amber T10 wedge bulbs and checked that everything works - which it does, yay.

Now in the process of coating some clear T10's with rose pink glass paint so that I can pop those in behind the dash.

[flygt4]

how much of the dash did you have to take out?

i have the same problem thats been bugging me for years

[perfk]

disclaimer: I don't know what anything is called, so you'll have to forgive the 'girlspeak':

1. the part under the steering wheel (2 screws, I think)
2. the part over the steering wheel
3. the console part where the headunit/heater etc is (clips)
4. the dash (which will then sit on the wiper arm) (4 screws iirc)

there could be a better way of doing it, of course, but this one seemed to allow access to get the dash /gauge part out without breaking anything else.

almost blinded myself with the 5w amber bulbs
the 3w white/painted bulbs that we tested last night seemed a lot more suitable

[Mr Revhead]

yeah that sounds about right, though i think in an ae101 you dont need to take the coloum cowl off, just the stereo surrond then the dash unit itself