I just replaced the dash light reostat on my car. After positioning it upside down with everything put back in place, it suddenly occurred to me that this is easier than first I thought. You do not have to take off the steering column cowl or the dash instrument cluster (unless you have lights in there that need replacing) to get at these dash switch lights. This is probably common knowledge to virtually all other Bricksters, but it was my own epiphany that I'm sharing with you. Yuu can carefully pry the fake wood trim loose, working from the center split (carefully because there's a tab there that hold the two pieces together, There is two plastic clips as part of the trim that secure it to the dash. These will pop off with gentle but persistent. I was warm enough today in Baltimore that every thing worked fine.

I can only hope now that it's solved the flickering dash light problem.
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John Shatzer, '97 V90 @ 110K

Hi Shatz:
Which rheostat did you replace (I think there are two on the 960s)? Wonder if this would solve my "no dash light" condition? The instrument panel lights work fine, although they don't dim when I turn the rheostat. If you replaced the rheostat that is somehow behind the instrument cluster, would you post again how to do it? Where did you get the replacement and how much did it cost.

TIA,

Mike
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Mike Brown Greenville, NC 1996 965 113K 1994 940 135K 1986 244 137K

This is the reostat that controls the dash lights... the wheel to the left of the steering column, next to the headlight switch. Since this effectively dims everything, it was most annoying when it turned itself off, like on the highway going 70 mph. The only two lights that were typically , but not always left on were the ambient temp gauge in the instrument cluster and the radio station frequency display, but occasionally those also went out. How this car is wired is completely befuddling to me. I've only tested it once so far and it seems to be holding. I'll let you know whether this was the culprit, or it's a loose ground wire as others have suggested. Hope this helps.
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John Shatzer, '97 V90 @ 110K

I hope it works for you. When I turn the wheel on my dash rheostat there is no change in anything. So I think that the problem may be somewhere else, as none of the dash lights (other than the lights on the instrument cluster) work.

Thanks for the note.

Mike
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Mike Brown Greenville, NC 1996 965 113K 1994 940 135K 1986 244 137K

Nevermind. The new wheel didn't fix it. Yet I can tap the dash near the reostat and the light wil go on again. It must be the ground everyone talks about, but I don't know shere to look for it right now. I''' check the wiring diagrams and let you know.
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John Shatzer, '97 V90 @ 110K

I printed off one of those All Data wiring diagrams and it shows two rheostats, the one thumbwheel and another somewhere behind the instrument cluster.

I'd be interested in knowing what you find out. Sorry that the dash rheostat didn't work for you. Keep me posted.

Mike
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Mike Brown Greenville, NC 1996 965 113K 1994 940 135K 1986 244 137K

So, after the disheartening news that my attempt failed, I decided to go out and sit in the car with the engine running and light on and tweek the switches and wiring as best I could. I again removed the plastic woodgrain trim piece that hold these switches. I moved every wire I could reach and fiddled with every switch along that side. It never darkened, but once and I couldn't replicate it. So I carefully start to slip the assembly back into position and the light go out! I'm working with plastic here and I cn now essentially bend (move) the trim piece toward me and it will turn the lights on and then baack to its rightful position to snap into place and it goes off. I can touch the black blank filler to the RIGHT of the front fog light switch and ta da, it goes on! This is a good 4-5 inches from the switch I just replaced. AURGH! This doesn't make sense at all. I again move,d pushed, jiggled every part of the assembly that I could reach and nothing happens. Start to snap it back into place and it goes out. Is there some kind of grounding that I'm causing here? I dunno. EVerything looks in place that I can see with a flashlight. I fiddle a bit more and I finally get the trim piece to snap back into place without causing it to darken the entire lighting sets in the dash switches, instrument panel and console. Right now it works, but who knows why it happens and whether after it warms up a bit in the dash with all the lights on (one of the symptoms) it will again flicker or fail. This is way beyond my patience...besides cold weather will be upon us by tomorrow.
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John Shatzer, '97 V90 @ 105K

Well, that is really annoying! It does sound like some kind of continuity thing going on (ground wire, shorted wire, etc.) It is going to get to cold to work on it outside, your right. I wish I had a heated garage (well, actually, any garage....)

Keep us all posted.

Mike
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Mike Brown Greenville, NC 1996 965 113K 1994 940 135K 1986 244 137K