No Instrument Lights or Warning Buzzer

[Lancsbob]

Hi All
After investigating me gear lever knob wireing & found it
to be a dead short (have now disconnected it at plug) have
tried the lights which are all OK except for the instrument lights
& warning buzzer not working, i assume that the fault with
the gear lever may have something to do with it. I did find
a thread saying it can burn out the rheostat in the lighting
switch.If so how big a job is it to test/fix & are they all
the same for GB. Mines an 02 2.2

Cheers Bob

[Brian H]

As you stated Bob, the rheostat will have burnt out, two solutions really, replace with new or bridge out a couple of connections inside the switch. The later means you will no longer have adjustable lighting in the instrument cluster.

I'll dig out a pic of the pins that need to be connected if you want to go down this route?

[Lancsbob]

As you stated Bob, the rheostat will have burnt out, two solutions really, replace with new or bridge out a couple of connections inside the switch. The later means you will no longer have adjustable lighting in the instrument cluster.

I'll dig out a pic of the pins that need to be connected if you want to go down this route?

That would be great, never understood why you need adjustable instrument lighting.
Do you know if the warning buzzer is on same circuit? Can live without it though.
How do you get light switch out of dash?

Cheers Bob

[Brian H]

Here you go Bob

[Lancsbob]

Thats champion Brian, will give it a try tomorrow.

Cheers Bob

[Brian H]

Have a look here Bob, maybe give you a heads up on how to remove the switch, its a PITA to do.

http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopi ... 34#p360434

[Lancsbob]

Thanks for that but found this-

http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopi ... 18&t=35763

Cheers Bob

[Lancsbob]

Thanks to Brian H i now have instrument lights & a buzzer...
Definately the rheostat at fault caused by the gear lever knob light, what a crap idea.
Am slowly working my way through the little faults, there will be more i'm sure.

Cheers Bob

[Brian H]

Well done Bob, glad it's sorted, it's nice when you can fix problems like this without having to splash out loads of cash.

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Hi Lancsbob. Off topic but from a personal perspective - adjustable instrument lighting,I wouldn't be without it and especially when driving on pitch black motorways and trunk routes.
The constant brightness can be very very tiring on the eyes. The instrument panel on my Volvo V70 D5 SE Geartronic lights the front of the seating area up in pitch black conditions.

Is your Z3 the Silver one that I flashed last night (Saturday at 19:45 hrs) in Mescar Lane,Scarisbrick ?

Mine is a Topaz Blue Metallic with Chromed Side Grills/Vents.

[gookah]

The instrument panel on my Volvo V70 D5 SE Geartronic lights the front of the seating area up in pitch black conditions.

Of course ..... the Volvo V70 D5 SE Geartronic ....
Its mentioned almost as often as Mike Fishwick's Golf TDi....

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Hi gookah. Actually it is not only my current V70 D5 SE Geartronic that is affected by an extremely bright instrument panel but also my previous 6 other Volvo V70's.

The ability to dim the instrument panel lights is an absolute God send and especially when I was covering between 25,000 & 35,000 miles each year and almost always out before daylight and back home after lighting-up time .

[gookah]

[Lancsbob]

Hi Lancsbob. Off topic but from a personal perspective - adjustable instrument lighting,I wouldn't be without it and especially when driving on pitch black motorways and trunk routes.
The constant brightness can be very very tiring on the eyes. The instrument panel on my Volvo V70 D5 SE Geartronic lights the front of the seating area up in pitch black conditions.

Is your Z3 the Silver one that I flashed last night (Saturday at 19:45 hrs) in Mescar Lane,Scarisbrick ?

Mine is a Topaz Blue Metallic with Chromed Side Grills/Vents.

Sorry for not replying, been away. No it wasn't me, mine is actually sorned at the moment until i sell my Mazda & mine's blue.

The rheostat is completely burnt out on my light switch so if you have a light up gear knob be very careful as they can easily short out
and destroy it.



Cheers Bob

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Hi Bob. Not a problem and thank you for your reply.

I am intrigued by the "Lit-up Gear Knob" Do you mean the gate cover or the actual shift stick ? baring in mind that mine is an auto gearbox.

[Lancsbob]

Hi Bob. Not a problem and thank you for your reply.

I am intrigued by the "Lit-up Gear Knob" Do you mean the gate cover or the actual shift stick ? baring in mind that mine is an auto gearbox.

The actual gear knob has 2 wires going into it from the gear lever to a light in the gear knob.
I think this was standard in the SPORT model. With all the gear changing i presume the wires
get freyed & short then fries the rheostat which means no instrument lights or warning buzzer.

Bob

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

Hi Bob. Not a problem and thank you for your reply.

I am intrigued by the "Lit-up Gear Knob" Do you mean the gate cover or the actual shift stick ? baring in mind that mine is an auto gearbox.

The actual gear knob has 2 wires going into it from the gear lever to a light in the gear knob.
I think this was standard in the SPORT model. With all the gear changing i presume the wires
get freyed & short then fries the rheostat which means no instrument lights or warning buzzer.

Bob

Hi again Bob. When you say "The Sport Model" are you referring to the Auto with the sideways shift to Triptronic/Manual control of the auto box ?

My 2.0 litre auto is the regular straight line movement but with the electronic button that gives Sport - Economy - Manual.

[Lancsbob]

No, the Sport had extras like heated seats & air con plus M bits & pieces i think & include an M gear knob.
Mines a 5 speed manual.

Bob

[ARoosterinaRoadster]

No, the Sport had extras like heated seats & air con plus M bits & pieces i think & include an M gear knob.
Mines a 5 speed manual.

Bob

Hi again Bob. Advances in technology and design !!!!!!!!!!!!!! for who ? - the parts department.

[BonBon]

Thanks - this saved hours of anxiety. I did spend 30 minutes trying to figure wtf went wrong (checking fuses etc)
It seems that in the process of changing covers of my console I left the lighter wires free to short which fried the rheostat (there is no protection in the wiring).