excavating the dimmer switch

[318itx]

for some reason my dimmer switch for my intrument cluster has pushed back behind where it was supposed to go. any ideas or tricks i can do to get it out? i tried gum already..and failed

PS: it seems a few of my bulbs in the instrument cluster have gone out whenever i turn on my lights. any suggestions to replace those? how hard is it to take the instrument cluster out?

[Cruzin 323is]

your going to have to go under the dash and push out the switch.....

as regaurdeing your lights, check the bently manual, and previous posts... ull find plenty of info

[325isBaby]

there are little torx screws holding the instrument cluster in (at the top) Unfortunatly with E36's the steering wheel has to be removed to remove the instrument cluster....other than that it's not a tough job at all. Good Luck!

[e36surge]

LOL... sorry my dimmer switch did the same thing. I removed the access panel underneath the steering wheel and fished it back through the hole. I used 'DUMB DUMD', sorry that's what we call it, black play dough, to keep the switch in place. I just leave the dimmer on max since then.

As for the cluster you don't have to remove the steering wheel. just follow the instructions in the link below. I did and my cluster is just dandy now.

http://community.webshots.com/album/219881572pOuUKG

[318itx]

how hard is it to take the bottom panel out? and how exactally do i go about getting to it? sorry i know i just don't work on this car too much.

[e36surge]

Look at the link below and scroll down to step #4. It describes how to remove the driver side under dash or kick panel.

hope this helps. Once removed you'll have access to the switch.

This is what I did. Good luck.

[318itx]

awesome! appreciate the help!