86graphitecoupegt

For about the past year all 3 of my main digital display lights only go on intermittently - when I turn the ignition switch on sometimes they come on and sometimes they don't; once on they stay on until I turn off the ignition. Lately they almost never come on. I have opened up the dash (removed the top "cover" and removed the screws that hold the big display unit in). All of the wiring looks sound; and I have tried pushing and pulling at each of the connections into the back of the display. I have also replaced the lighting rheostat. Still no lights. When the lights don't come on I can still see that the LCD display and digital circuit board are functioning under the right light conditions so the main circuit board appears to be fine. Anyone else dealt with this before or have any ideas?

vwfreak

I have had dash light problems relating to the dash light switch before but since you have replaced it I am not sure what to recommend.

EuroTrasher

I got them all to come back by replacing the bulbs & holders, and re-aligning them within the sockets. I then cut pieces of clock foam to fit in the holes and keep them in place.
This worked for a while, but eventually failed. The bulb holders heat up and create "pits" in the solder on the board they twist into. Not having a good enough soldering iron for the job, I got someone at the shop I worked at to build up more solder on the contacts. Works pretty well now.
Ultimately, I'd like to solder in LEDs, but I'm not sure about heat dispursal or which ones to use. Others may be able to offer more help here. Good luck.

smirking

(maybe when u have the dash cover off) then you have bad bulbs. there are 3 , 1 behind each screen. remove the 2 screws holding the dash and look at the back a pair of needle nose pliers are needed Do not take the display apart!!!!!

Dealer will have the bulbs (18.00 to 20.00 dollars a piece)

86graphitecoupegt

Yes, one of my lights, the center one used to go on and off when I went over a bump until a couple of years ago. I tried unscrewing the bulbholder and it wouldn't come out but in the process it got re-seated on the board and hasn't gone on/off since -- until now! The funny thing is that they all go on and off at the same time now so I lean more to an overall wiring thing or the board itself. Does anyone know if new (or inspected used) boards are available anywhere? In the meantime I'll check out all the wiring connections to the board. I do have an instruction book on the digital dash that shows a wiring diagram with wire color codes and pages that describe the correct resistance between certain points but I've never checked out electrical stuff before. I could also remove the whole unit and send it somewhere if I knew who worked on the things.

86graphitecoupegt

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/117168/img_0175.jpg"></center><p>I've just added a picture of the dash when it worked!