Dashboard light for 1991 Volvo 240

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john doe

The dashboard light on my 240 wagon went out tonight. Do I need to pull the
dash to replace it, or is there an easier way?

Thanks,

David
 
john said:
The dashboard light on my 240 wagon went out tonight. Do I need to pull the
dash to replace it, or is there an easier way?

Thanks,

David
Click to expand...

There are 2 bulbs. If the cluster has been half dark, then maybe the
second bulb has burned out. You can change them by reaching up from
below, but if you don't know what you're looking for, you're not going
to have much luck. It's not too hard to remove the cluster, just remove
the blank panels to the right, the knobs and panel to the left and undo
the 4 screws. Pull back and you'll be able to see what to do.

If the cluster was not half dark, look at the dimmer rheostat first.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

NOTE: new address!!
Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)
 
As Mike F. stated, the cluster is simple to pull out, however, before you
tear into anything, be sure the dimmer is turned up all the way...I made the
mistake of pulling my cluster once when the lights didn't work, turned out I
had turned down the dimmer while cleaning the interior earlier in the
day...DOH!
 
It is definitely out. I even get the idiot light up telling me a bulb is
out.

Pulling the cluster seems easier than pulling the whole dash, for sure. Any
idea what kind of bulb it takes... I could not find anything in the manual.

Thanks,

David
 
john doe said:
It is definitely out. I even get the idiot light up telling me a bulb is
out.

Pulling the cluster seems easier than pulling the whole dash, for sure. Any
idea what kind of bulb it takes... I could not find anything in the manual.

Thanks,

David
Click to expand...


The idiot light only checks the taillights and headlights, so you've got
another issue there, either a bulb is out, mismatched, or you have a bad
connection.
 
James said:
The idiot light only checks the taillights and headlights, so you've got
another issue there, either a bulb is out, mismatched, or you have a bad
connection.
Click to expand...

And the cluster bulbs are a special halogen bulb built into a holder.
Probably only available from the dealer.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

NOTE: new address!!
Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)
 
Mike F said:
And the cluster bulbs are a special halogen bulb built into a holder.
Probably only available from the dealer.
Click to expand...

Halogen? Since when? Mine just has normal bulbs in there, IIRC they're
#555's. Maybe they changed it in later years, I have seen small halogen
bulbs at the autoparts store, didn't know what they were for.
 
James said:
Halogen? Since when? Mine just has normal bulbs in there, IIRC they're
#555's. Maybe they changed it in later years, I have seen small halogen
bulbs at the autoparts store, didn't know what they were for.
Click to expand...

The last few years had halogen bulbs. I'm not sure what a 555 bulb is.
The earlier 240s used a non-halogen 3w bulb which looked the same as the
5w license plate bulbs in the sedan. However I've heard that installing
these 5w bulbs melt things in the cluster. The new halogen bulbs have a
holder built on, and go in a slightly smaller hole than the older type.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

NOTE: new address!!
Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)
 
Mike F said:
The last few years had halogen bulbs. I'm not sure what a 555 bulb is.
The earlier 240s used a non-halogen 3w bulb which looked the same as the
5w license plate bulbs in the sedan. However I've heard that installing
these 5w bulbs melt things in the cluster. The new halogen bulbs have a
holder built on, and go in a slightly smaller hole than the older type.
Click to expand...

The #555 bulb is a 3W 12v wedge base lamp.
 
James said:
The #555 bulb is a 3W 12v wedge base lamp.
Click to expand...

They are also the exact same bulbs used in many pinball machines, so
if you are looking to replace the entire set, this might be a good
way to get them in larger qualtities.
 
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