Light to the hot/cold air selector

Need technical Q/A then you're in the right place

Moderator: martauto

Post Reply
User avatar
b4gga83
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 436
Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: West Midlands

Wed Dec 16, 2009 6:13 pm

I noticed today that the light to my hot/cold air selector is not working but the rest of them are.

What could be the cause of this?
BadDave
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 6012
Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Nr Aberdeen.Scotland(Gods country)

Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:00 pm

Blown bulb???
Alpina B10 3.2L #187 (1 of 64 brought into the UK)
2.8L turbo build thread(work in progress)
http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... 27#1268227
User avatar
b4gga83
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 436
Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: West Midlands

Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:04 pm

How do I go about changing it?
BadDave
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 6012
Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Nr Aberdeen.Scotland(Gods country)

Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:40 pm

You may manage to reach it if you remove the access panel behind the glove box, failing that, you'll need to remove the hvac panel(the panel with the heater controls) and slip in a new bulb

Access panel is held by a phillips head screw and a plastic fitting nr the bulkhead.
Hvac panel is held by 2 screws up top(accesessed once you remove the switch blanks and switches) and 2 screws underneath
Alpina B10 3.2L #187 (1 of 64 brought into the UK)
2.8L turbo build thread(work in progress)
http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... 27#1268227
User avatar
Brianmoooore
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 49358
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm

Wed Dec 16, 2009 9:31 pm

The bulb for the three sliders is situated just below the fan switch, and you haven't a hope of getting at it via the glove box!
Removing the two centre consoles is probably the easiest way of reaching it.
User avatar
b4gga83
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 436
Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: West Midlands

Thu Dec 17, 2009 10:57 am

The fan speed switch, the three silders all have the lit backgrounds.

The hot/cold air selector and the three '0's do no have a lit background. Are there three bulbs behind the dash or more? :?
clipper
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1980
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Madrid

Thu Dec 17, 2009 12:07 pm

Do a search for "dash bulbs" and you'll find loads of info. You'll probably find that you're missing illumination on parts you never thought were illuminated !

I bought 10 bulbs yesterday to do all of mine when I take the dash out.
These are sensations as hard to forget as they are to ignore.....
User avatar
Brianmoooore
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 49358
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm

Thu Dec 17, 2009 1:06 pm

Light to the actual sliders is via three flexible fibre optic cables, but use the same bulb as illuminates the fan switch.
Rotary heater control is illuminated by a second bulb, situated immediately below the clock/OBC. If you have the analogue clock, it a two minute job to replace this bulb,as the clock is easily removed forwards. If you have an OBC it takes a little longer!
User avatar
b4gga83
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 436
Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: West Midlands

Thu Dec 17, 2009 1:24 pm

I really shouldn't have started to mess around with this, now I'm thinking to replace all the bulbs with brand new ones! :mad:
George
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 2153
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Landarn

Thu Dec 17, 2009 4:02 pm

So in total, how many bulbs in the centre dash console?

Plus one for the headlight/foglight switch?

(All the same type I assume?)
Image

Sold: 1986 E30 325i Cabriolet, Alpine White :(
User avatar
b4gga83
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 436
Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: West Midlands

Thu Dec 17, 2009 4:27 pm

George wrote:So in total, how many bulbs in the centre dash console?

Plus one for the headlight/foglight switch?

(All the same type I assume?)
Including the one(s) in the glovebox!
User avatar
Brianmoooore
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 49358
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm

Thu Dec 17, 2009 5:42 pm

Front and rear ashtrays, 2 for the heater panel, 1 for the headlamp/foglamp switch, 2 for the instrument cluster, 2 for the headlamp height adjuster, the glovebox light and 1 for the clock/OBC, plus illumination (not intended to be replaced) for all the other switches, except the demister switch.
George
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 2153
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Landarn

Sat Dec 19, 2009 8:16 pm

Thanks Brian 8)

Need a couple of bulbs for the ashtrays.
Image

Sold: 1986 E30 325i Cabriolet, Alpine White :(
User avatar
Brianmoooore
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 49358
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm

Sat Dec 19, 2009 8:26 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:, except the demister switch.
There's a mod to change this, if you so desire.
George
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 2153
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Landarn

Fri Jan 22, 2010 9:43 am

Thought it better to post here than starting a new thread - what kind of bulbs in the instrument cluster. The left hand side decided to give up yesterday. :roll:
Image

Sold: 1986 E30 325i Cabriolet, Alpine White :(
User avatar
Brianmoooore
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 49358
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm

Fri Jan 22, 2010 7:02 pm

A capless 3W bulb. Do NOT use a 5W one!
George
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 2153
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Landarn

Fri Jan 22, 2010 7:26 pm

Melt everything I'm assuming?

Thanks Brian :)
Image

Sold: 1986 E30 325i Cabriolet, Alpine White :(
George
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 2153
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Landarn

Fri Jan 22, 2010 7:34 pm

Incidentally, should all the interior bulbs including centre console be 3W?
Image

Sold: 1986 E30 325i Cabriolet, Alpine White :(
Chris-W
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 7219
Joined: Tue May 24, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: South Cheshire
Contact:

Fri Jan 22, 2010 7:37 pm

BMW bulb is a 1.2w capless - part is 63217167000 if you're interested in getting them from BMW.
Image
George
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 2153
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Landarn

Fri Jan 22, 2010 7:42 pm

So they aren't 3W?

(confused!)


I'll change both in the instument cluster at the same time anyway so no need to worry about them not 'matching'.
Image

Sold: 1986 E30 325i Cabriolet, Alpine White :(
User avatar
Brianmoooore
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 49358
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm

Fri Jan 22, 2010 9:52 pm

The two bulbs that illuminate the cluster are 3W ones. Every other bulb that illuminates the dash and centre consoles(with the exception of those inside switches), and all the warning lights, are 1.2W.
5W bulbs in the cluster will melt the orange domes around them.
George
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 2153
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Landarn

Fri Jan 22, 2010 10:13 pm

Thanks again for the info Brian, appreciate it. :)

(I'm assuming I can also get the 3Ws from the stealer?)
Image

Sold: 1986 E30 325i Cabriolet, Alpine White :(
fingerman
E30 Zone Squatter
E30 Zone Squatter
Posts: 1588
Joined: Mon Jun 05, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Stockport

Fri Jan 22, 2010 11:29 pm

Previously owned loads of old E30s, E34s, a few E36s, E32s, E39s and an E38.

Currently in a diesel Audi - miss me old E30's....
Post Reply