No backlighting for Instrument cluster and Dash....

[muz_amin]

hi,

a few days ago my instrument cluster and dash stopped lighting up when i turn my lights on.............

i thought it my be a fuse but after checking them all they all seem fine....

wierd thing is the everything including the digital display in the centre of the speedo has stopped lighting up apart from the digital climate control unit, however the lighting behind this is very dim....

all the needles still work which again has really baffled me as it must be some wiring problem seeing as everythin works but just doesnt light up.....

does anyone have a wiring diagram so i can check to see if thats whats causing the problem???

or does anyone have any suggestions as to how i can diagnose it????

its a 99 A4 1.8TQS................any help would be appreciated......

 

[gruf]

have you tried taking the clocks out and replacing the little bulbs, theres about 6 of them, it seems funny if they have all blown at once, but anything can happen

 

[muz_amin]

yeah i got the bulbs checked and its not them...........ive heard from someone that it could be a simple joint that need re soldering, or something else............but im having difficulty figuring out how to find the problem........

 

[Broken Byzan]

Check fuse Number 3 i think thats dash panel and assosiated illumination

 

[muz_amin]

nope, checked all the fuses.......all fine..................this is relly begining to trouble me now...........im not the trongest with electrics.........

 

[Broken Byzan]

Have you got a multimeter/DVM to test for voltage at the appropriate fuses?

It could just be the switch seeing as you have lost illumination on the dash,the vents and the climate, its all from the same fused feed IIRC. That in turn comes from the light switch

 

[muz_amin]

i dont think its the switch as part of the dash (the digital climate controls) still light up but very weakly.............and refering to the manual if it was a switch or a fuse then all those lights would be off not jus some of them............

what the hell am i supposed to do now? i dont even know who to take it to......

 

[Broken Byzan]

the climate lights up weakly all of the time, always does.

Have you a bulb you could use to test it maybe, if you were in S wales it wouldnt take long to nail it down with a DVM

 

[muz_amin]

i can get hold of a DVM, my mate has one at his place............

sorry if the question sounds really dumb but once i get it, what is it that i should do exactly? pull out the fuse and test the voltage where the fuses was?

 

[Broken Byzan]

pretty much yeah, you could even prob each end of the fuse in case it has a hairline crack in it that you have not noticed. It has not been unheard of mate, honest.