Please hear me out
Cluster lights are really dim...
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Cluster lights are really dim...
I've changed ALL bulbs with new ones along with the rheostat and the cluster still sucks at lighting. The top is illuminated, but the bottom half hardly gets any light at all.
Any ideas?
Kind of a bad picture, but I think it shows the general problem as you can see the top is illuminated 5x better than the bottom.
Any ideas?
Kind of a bad picture, but I think it shows the general problem as you can see the top is illuminated 5x better than the bottom.
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
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From: Elk Grove, Ca.
1989 300E 105,000 miles
Lights
That is really bad...........can't be the primary or secondary fuse (red one behind the cluster)............you changed the rheostat................grounding issue? Guess you will have to circuit test the power lead and see what juice you are getting. Any other electrical issues going on with the car?
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That is really bad...........can't be the primary or secondary fuse (red one behind the cluster)............you changed the rheostat................grounding issue? Guess you will have to circuit test the power lead and see what juice you are getting. Any other electrical issues going on with the car?
No other electrical issues. Well...glovebox light has no power @ wire, but I don't think thats connected.
I'll probe the line and see what voltage it is getting.
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 48
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From: Elk Grove, Ca.
1989 300E 105,000 miles
Lights
I wonder if there is some type of relay involved too? Might be a problem within the headlight switch. No power to the glove box light is strange too. A wiring diagram would help!
Tell us what you find out!
Tell us what you find out!
Last edited by bigdogbitu; Jan 9, 2010 at 02:25 PM. Reason: ...
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W124, W220 S500 4matic, W140 S500, CLS55 AMG
Did you clean/inspect the light prisms. Higher wattage bulbs will have the tendency to melt the reflectors therefore altering the amount of light and angle of the light reflection onto the cluster.
You might also want to look for a later model cluster as the light prisms are larger.
Follow this link and scroll to the bottom for more info -
http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/W124InstCluster
Good Luck
You might also want to look for a later model cluster as the light prisms are larger.
Follow this link and scroll to the bottom for more info -
http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/W124InstCluster
Good Luck
Thread Starter
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I have not inspected the prisms. My 88 300te has the old style cluster and it's illumination is awesome...also now that i think about it the bulbs for the o2 sensor, oil light etc are bright so it can't be a power issue otherwise they would be dim too. I'll check out the prisms.
...well as soon as this torrent of rain and wind stops here in California! It's crazy!
...well as soon as this torrent of rain and wind stops here in California! It's crazy!
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 48
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From: Elk Grove, Ca.
1989 300E 105,000 miles
Light
He has a point about the higher wattage bulbs. I used 5 watt bulbs but I cut back the prisms a bit so they would not melt. I also painted all the light paths white for maxiamum reflection and I cound not be happier with the results. No melting of the prizms, light housings etc... and the cluster works just fine!
Last edited by bigdogbitu; Jan 20, 2010 at 09:55 AM. Reason: ....
