My instrument panel is dark when my lights are "on." The illumination bulbs for the instrument cluster must be burned out. Can anyone describe or show me where I can find the illumination bulbs on the back of the instrument cluster for a '79 Volvo 240 series?

There are three bulbs. They are found directly above the cluster. Removal of the cluster is required to replace them. The bulbs are actually clipped to the dashboard so they don't come out with the cluster.

HOWEVER, I'd be willing to wager that the dimmer is to blame.

Are the control panel lights in the center console working? If not that's another indication that it may be the dimmer.

It's easy enough to pop the rheostat out of the center console and jump the wiring. If the dash lights now work there is your culprit.

At that point you could replace the rheostat but I would just bypass it.

It's easier to check this first than to pull the cluster.


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'80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon

Of course the rheostat is located in the center console--ignore what I wrote about the shunt with the cluster out --- I wrote the note--then got into my car--1980 245 and realized I'd been thinking of the 140 series with the ribbon speedo which does have the dimmer switch in the cluster. A shunt can be soldered to the console dimmer. The dash bulbs can collect a lot of dust/dirt which can dim them too--as well as whatever finds its way to the translucent ribbon. -- Dave

I just figured you were referring to the center console.

Somone recently described how they used an LED strip, if that's what it's called, to improve the dash lighting in a later model 240.

It sounded like it might be useful in the early cluster but I haven't really thought any further about it.

My 242 could really use some help in this area. I may give your 'hole-in-the-ribbon' method a try. How many holes did you make and what did you use to make them?


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'80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon

For Bulletproof -- I just used a small drill bit -- maybe 1/16th" and a series of holes -- maybe 5 or 6 holes. It will lighten up the entire cluster - but may result in some "white spots". One in my '80 sort of highlights 65mph - strictly by accident.
For the original poster -- you wrote that the cluster may not have never been removed --- in which case -- you will need to break the speedo cable "seal". It is a plastic band built into the cable collar - fit a straight screwdriver under the "loop" and twist to break it - now the collar can be twisted to release the cable. It will require you to get your head under the dash to see this. There may also be the 30k mile service reminder box (it has two electrical wires and a short cable) attached to the back of the speedo head. Many folks toss the unit. It is there to light the "service" reminder lamp. -- Dave

Again, thank you for the information. We've never had the speedo cable out so I'm sure I'll have to break the seal. A '79 245 is so old that there is no "30,000 mi. service light" in the instrument cluster. Volvo must have started doing that sometime after '79.

I'm going to stick my hand up on top of the service cluster today to try and feel one of the three illumination bulbs. Maybe I can get the bulb out (and replace it) without removing the instrument cluster from the dashboard.

Edmonds17

I'm pretty sure your '79 should have provision for the service light. Our first 240 - a '76 244 - had it. Originally Volvo called for timing belt replacement at 30k intervals (not as bad as the 15k interval for the Fiat 128 models we owned). When you have the cluster out look for a small "output" cable drive post on the back of the speedo head. The wires, cable and "unit" are reachable without removing the cluster. Maybe the "unit" and/or bulb got removed early on. The location of the lamp in the cluster is in the center section--small square just below the "parking Brake" lamp. It's called the "EGR service" lamp in the owners manual. -- Dave

My '79 has this and it functions yet.

Here's a view of the top of the cluster which might be helpful when trying to release the spring snaps holding it into the dash. Also you can see the three blue filters for the lights above.













--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in his shoes. That way, when you criticize him, you're a mile away and you have his shoes.

Thank you for the pictures of the top of the instrument cluster. Those illumination lights are much closer to the bezel than I originally thought. Will be really tough to get my hand up there to even feel the illumination bulbs. Will try sometime today to get at them.

Edmonds17

The bulbs are held in place with springsteel clips - they wrap around the exposed metal bulb holder (creates the ground). Best way is to unsnap the holders from the death grip of the clips and change the bulbs where you can see/reach them. -- Dave

Great responses. I truly appreciate all the information.
I tried sticking my hand up above the instrument cluster. Couldn't even feel the wiring harness w/the light bulbs.
I am pleased to report, however, that I appear to have stumbled on a fix to the problem of no instrument cluster illumination lights. I checked all of the fuses. All the fuses appeared to be fine. One fuse, presumably the fuse for the instrument cluster lights, appeared to have the metal bowed out substantially. (The metal wasn't broken, just bowed out.) I pushed the metal down toward the ceramic thereby removing most of the "bow." Amazingly, the instrument cluster light bulbs are now working.
I don't know if this was a fix or if I happened to touch something else on the back of the instrument cluster that caused the bulbs to work. All I know for sure is that all three bulbs now appear to be working. Weird.
Thanks again for all of your help.

Edmonds17

Good for you to not have to remove the cluster. The fuse panel on the 240 series is in a very water/dampness vulnerable spot. The cluster lights not working was an early message from your car to perform a fuse panel service. Clean all the tangs and fuses. Disconnect the battery first. -- Dave

Thank you! Great responses. I did go check the lighting on my center console. My rheostat is working because the lights on the center console dim as I turn the rheostat. It appears, therefore, that the 3 lights over the instrument cluster have burned out in the 34 yrs. since our '79 Volvo was built. We've owned our '79 since about 1989 and I'm sure no one has ever removed the instrument cluster since we bought it. Thank you again for your great responses.
Edmonds17

You may already know this but the bulb is designated Ba 7 s. Might possibly be listed as B 7 s. You can probably find them in a blister pack at any auto parts store.


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'80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon

The bulbs are not located in the cluster--but the cluster has to come out of the dash to reach the bulbs.
Remove the plastic cover over the steering column. Two philips screws should be exposed now at the lower edge of the cluster--remove them. Remove the "over the knee" pad. Reach up and unscrew the collar for the speeedo cable. I use my left hand up behind the upper part of the cluster pushing out -- and my right hand holding a sturdy screwdriver or other pry tool wedged between the front top of the cluster and the dash "hood". The dash is held in place at the top by two flat a "springs" --the pushing from behind and gently wedging from the front will get the cluster to pop out. Flip it sideways to remove the wire connections. Remove the cluster from the dash.
The illumination bulbs are on a harness up above the cluster - held in place by flat springs. You'll see the top of the cluster has a translucent blue ribbon to allow the light in. I drill some small holes on the ribbon to make the illumination brighter. Good time to replace all the cluster warning bulbs as well -- especially for the oil pressure and alternator. Solder up a shunt to bypass the illumination rheostat which usually doesn't work anyway. -- Dave