Dim Odometer???

[rhyswill5]

used Can't easily read the odometer display in our 1990 525i... can the bulb be replaced?? If so, how?? The rest of the dash display is great - only the odometer is dim.

Thanks

[sp0rky]

Yes, the bulb can be replaced....

Do you have power or manual seats?

If manual, drop the steering wheel to its lowest position, remove the two screws on the top of the instrument panel and pull it out.
Unclip the wires and remove the backplate of the cluster, the bulb will be right there in a socket. replace the bulb with the appropriate one and reassamble

if you have power seats, you must remove the airbag and then do this procedure.
Airbag removal: http://www.lehrmangroup.com/rickard/

hopefully the link still works.

[nizar]

plz advice if u have solved ur problem cause i have similar problem
my odometer part fades out after a while and u cant realy read the milage.

haubsh@yahoo.com

best regards

nizar

[sp0rky]

That is most likely the same issue i have described above. If you have the same kind of car, the procedure is the same, except you do not take the instrument cluster apart, there is a bulb socket on the very back and its a veyr small light bulb. just pull it out directly behind the odometer and replace.

good luck

[nizar]

no its not the bulb, plz advice if u have any suggestions, any body
note, it seems to be effected from heat (Car power, or out side temp.)

[beautyland]

nizar,

what makes you think it is not bulb. how can your be so sure? just curious. I changed bulb for the similar problem. it just works fine. bulb is $2.65 from a dealer.

[Gaz525i]

Is it really that simple. My mum has a 1988 525i with the same problem

[Bear]

I have a 1988 750 and by replacing the four (I believe) bulbs the display is normal. If you have a drivers side airbag you may wish to remove the module, pull steering wheel and then remove the cluster. if you do remove the airbag module, first disconnect the negative battery cable or you will end up with a SES light that will not go out and will have to be reset using a code scanner.

[nizar]

i have no problemm in removing the cluster, u c, the problem is not the bulb because when starting the car after an over night and the weather is cool, the led display is perfect, no problem, as soon as the car starts and the temp. raises, the digits in the odometer led display starts fading out, one by one, until the odometer display is black, no didgits at all, it takes about 10 min. for it to disappear.
plz help, i have removed the cluster and i couldnt c the problem

[Pikespeakbob]

I'm also having the same problem with my 1989 525i, no odometer light. I do have electric seats but this year car has no air bags. Do the replacement procedures change if there is no air bag or ??

[Teh Prof]

If you don't have an airbag, then don't remove the airbag...just follow the other instructions instead.

[Pikespeakbob]

Originally Posted by M3UOND

If you don't have an airbag, then don't remove the airbag...just follow the other instructions instead.

It sounds like I don't really need to disconnect the battery cable, just lower the steering wheel and remove the two screws at the top of the instrument panel, pull out panel and replace the faulty bulb(s). Or, do you still recommend disconnecting the battery cable?

[da_bull]

Really any time you are working on electrical, you should disconnect one cable or the other. It'll keep from poppping fuses, shorts etc. I've seen people jump from a little spark, and pull their hands back/up/away from the spark quickly, and injure themselves.