Dashboard/Instrument lights

[dean]

it happened to my SL yesterday.  The dashboard became dark.   I replaced fuse No. 7 and all lights on this fuse are working ie: Right: tail light, parking light, license plate, BUT NOT the dashboard lights and the map light and the heater levers light.
 
Based on this thread I suspect the rheostat.

Could it be something else?

Is the only way to get to the rheostat to fix the problem by taking out ALL the instruments to get to the rheostat?

Thanks

[al_lieffring]

Go back to post # 10 in this thread.

[280sl1968]

The Technical Manual has a fix at the twelve-prong plug that saves having to take out the dials.

It doesn't restore dimming capability but basically shorts out the rheostat so that it at least gives you dash lights again.

http://www.sl113.org/wiki/Electrical/DashboardInstruments


David

[EDIT: sorry, should have referred you back to Al's post #10 - didn't intend to repeat information already here]

[dean]

Al and David,

Thanks.  I reread the thread and it sounds like a great solution compared to taking the instruments out.

Need to find my soldering gun and some time this weekend to try it.

Thanks again,

Dean