How do I change the Dashboard bulbs ?

T bird 2 · Post by **T bird 2** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 8:36 pm

Hi there from New Zealand. ( warm and sunny in Nelson, maybe 23 to 25 degrees here today....). I have a problem changing the bulbs in the dashboard on our BX19TZD,namely how the heck do you get at them ?
I have removed the plastic bit under the steering column but there appears no simple way of getting in behind the dash.....
Is there an easy way of doing this ?

BTW our Citroen is a 1991 green TZD, we are the second owners from new, and have owned it since 1996. It currently has 219,000 km on the clock, runs like a dream. I do the regular oil changes every 5000km or so, and try to do the other things but this one has me stumped !!

Any help would be much appreciated...

Cheers, Ian

NB I joined this in my wifes name, as this is really her baby.

ellevie · Post by **ellevie** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 9:01 pm

Welcome Ian and wife,

From our DIY section
http://www.bxclub.co.uk/diy/dash/
Replacing Dash & Heater Bulbs

David

T bird 2 · Post by **T bird 2** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 11:00 pm

Thanks very much, guess what I am up to this afternoon !!

T bird 2 · Post by **T bird 2** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 2:03 am

OK..... and the trick to getting the bulbs out of the bulbholders is ?

mountainmanUK · Post by **mountainmanUK** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 10:16 am

It's a "twist and remove" job! About 1/3rd of a turn will remove the plastic holder from the hole in the circuit-board.
I always buy replacements "complete" in plastic holders....onlu around 35p each from my local motor factor. I would assume(?) that the bulb itself is a push-in fit to the holder.

Good Luck (and congratulations on having such lovely weather "down under"!!!:)

Dave

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 7:20 pm

I seem to remember a recommendation here that you could buy these in quantity very cheap off ebay. IIRC they are the same type of lamps for fruit machines. A search of this site should turn up more detail.

T bird 2 · Post by **T bird 2** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 10:30 pm

Thanks folks, we are all done. What a ..... of a job !!

Cheers, Ian

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 5:55 pm

If your BX has an oil level gauge there are a couple more hiding underneath the plastic cover for this ....

Boxwolf · Post by **Boxwolf** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:39 pm

I'll need to change some of my dashboard bulbs soon, half the speedo doesnt light up and I have no lights for main beam or dipped headlights.

The DIY section mentions removing the speedo cable, does the tachometer cable also need to be pulled off if the car has one? Also not sure what the cowling below dash panel refers to.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:05 am

Look here for a diagram: http://www.tramontana.co.hu/citroen/ele ... hboard.php

The rest of the site should answer some other questions too, though don't follow the tachometer link on this page as it'll take you nowhere, and if it did would only be stuff applicable to petrol models. Both diesel and petrol tachos are electrics-only - hence co cable as they're fed their signals through the dashboard connectors.

I think Tom is referring to (1) in the diagram on this site. The retaining screws underneath and at each end are probably very small torx-headed ones on your car - check you've got the right tool for the job. In fact all of the screws referred to, like most interior screws in a late BX, will have torx heads, so a set of torx bits or keys (normally not too expensive) are a worthwhile investment.

Care is needed when removing the two lower retaining screws [2] for the dash itself . Use a screwdriver/bit-holder with a magnetic magnetic pick-up if you have one, otherwise place a small blob of blutac onto the end of your torx-head key, screwdiver or torx-head bit to help retain the screws as they come off.

If you don't, the screws may fall down behind and onto the lower steering-column cowling as you remove them if you're not careful. This is a bit of a pain to remove/replace & irrelevant here.

Where Tom refers to 11mm securing nuts/clips they are almost certainly butterfly-nuts on your car - no tools required other than your fingers.

Even so, I still find that as I'm right-handed (Tom isn't), I can't always grip the l/h nut to turn it in the right direction for removal unless I act like a contortionist and insert my outstretched RIGHT arm and hand into the hole where the clock tray lives, from the passenger side. This works for me personally, but it's not for everybody, and depends on how stiff the
nut is. For me, it's also easier to hold onto the nut that way so I don't drop it behind the big dashboard moulding when it comes off.

There are rubber washers under the nuts which need to come off too - remember to put them back to avoid rattles.

The speedo cable is secured to the dash by a white push-on-pull-off plastic sleeve (original Citroen part), or possibly by a lug/clip on either side (replacement part).

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:53 am

I've just added a short summary to this useful thread in case any of the links fail to work in the future.

To get the dash pod out you remove the trim strip between the pod and the steering column (2 screws underneath), remove the clock tray (2 screws at the front), and the panel by the driver's right knee which has the electric mirror switch in it (pops out forwards)
You then reach up behind each side of the dash pod and find a small nut near each top corner. I think in the early '90s they changed from 11(?)mm nuts to wingnuts which makes life easier.
Then pull the pod forwards, removing connectors and speedo cable, and that should be it!

Simon B · Post by **Simon B** » Mon Mar 01, 2010 9:39 pm

I am pysching myself for this job soon as I can hardly see any intruments at night, and this GTi keeps going faster than I expect!

I have heard concerns regarding the risk of damaging the speedo cable whilst disconnecting it. Can you see what you are doing when you remove speedo cable or is it just by feel? Is it usually OK?

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 7:39 pm

Simon B wrote:I am pysching myself for this job soon as I can hardly see any intruments at night, and this GTi keeps going faster than I expect! I have heard concerns regarding the risk of damaging the speedo cable whilst disconnecting it. Can you see what you are doing when you remove speedo cable or is it just by feel? Is it usually OK?

When I did it, there was enough room to withdraw the pod sufficient to see to disconnect/refit the speedo cable.

It is best to do the bulb change in the car because athough many connectors can be unplugged it's not possible to remove the last connectors on the switches to totally free the pod without dismantling the cluster from it's surround.

ritmo · Post by **ritmo** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 9:48 am

Does anyone know where I can get hold of the plastic light holders?

I took my dashboard off to put in a new speedo and replace some bulbs, but it turns out that someone has had a go at it before (breaking the speedo cable I presume). There are quite a few bulb holders missing. I've got the bulbs, just no way of attaching them.

I fitted new brake pads last night also, Jesus! who's idea was it to have to rotate the cylinder to retract it??? Took bloody ages! However, Betty now stops like she has been nailed to the ground.

Jake

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 11:09 am

Some places sell them with holders, a quick Google search brings up this bunch.
Regarding the front brakes, I've made up a tool consisting of a washer to fit inside the piston, a bar going across to locate in the cut outs, and a nut welded to it that I can turn with a ratchet spanner. Saves a fair bit of time!

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How do I change the Dashboard bulbs ?

How do I change the Dashboard bulbs ?

Bulb holders