Last Sunday, we went out to dinner. When we got in the car after dinner, we had NO dashlights - instruments, heater, switches, etc.

I had Monday off, so I spent the day repairing it. It turned out to be the rheostat that brightens or dims the lights to your taste, which is just to the left of the instrument panel ($115!).

The shop manual says that panel switches can be removed by prying them forward, out of the dash. I removed the switch below the rheostat (fog taillights, I think; can't remember as I sit here typing), but it didn't seem to want to pry out, and it seemed like it got larger behind the dash, so I removed the top of the dash (45 minutes the first time it's done; about half an hour to put it back, and now I know how - but see below for consequences), only to find (LESSON 1) that those clever Swedes built the rheostat so it could be removed from the front, if you've removed the switch below it first - it gets taller, but no wider. Just pry, using a really small screwdriver, until it pops out.

Lesson 2 is that disconnecting the battery - necessary in removing the top of the dash - causes the radio to lose its anti-theft code, and, if you don't happen to know the serial number, you need to beg your Volvo dealer for it.

Lesson 3 is that disconnecting the airbag causes the SRS light to stay on. I've got a generic OBDII code reader, and erasing the OBD codes with this doesn't seem to convince the system to turn that darned light off. Anyone know what I need to do?

This is the second time I've encountered what I assume is an OBD code that my new generic reader can't read. Are there affordable Volvo-specific code readers available?