As KlausC said - replace the AC dryer and the instrument cluster bulbs.

There are 4 '194' bulbs for the main instruments.

There are 5 other bulbs ( left signal, right signal, odometer, 2 for clock/temp display) which can be changed with wedge bulbs from the auto parts store. You have to pull them out of their bulb holders, and they don't come out easily, but they can be replaced. Many people buy new bulbs already in the holders, but these are damn hard to find without going to the dealer and the wedge bulb replacements are fine.

If you have one of the cars that has a non-user-resettable service light then pull that bulb completely so it doesn't bother you anymore.


There are a lot of other little light bulbs that are fun to replace when you have everything apart. I had been planning to put a light in the little slide-out ashtray. When I got it apart I found there actually is a light already there!

Also I replaced the light in the trans shifter by rigging one up using one of the small wedge bulbs I bought for the instrument cluster into the long 'holder' that the old bulb was in. It wasn't tough and I just used the hot glue gun to hold it in place (because I busted the tabs off it during the modifications:) )


I did this job a couple of weekends ago.

I built up the attaching tabs using fiberglass and polyester resin and I'm happy with how they came out.

I also lined all the 'attachment' points with closed cell foam tape from the hardware store. Pretty much anywhere anything touched or mounted on something else I lined it with the tape unless I found there wasn't enough room for the tape. All my noises are gone!

I also took the opportunity to remount my 12V lighter sockets under the console as well, as they had busted out of their tabs and would no longer accept a plug. I used fiberglass/resin for this too. It was a tight fit to keep the resin out of the way for remounting but with some judicious filing/sanding I fit everything back together nicely.
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1998 V70 AWD->FWD Turbo 200k+