I am just sorting out a few minor issues on my parents car and realized that the LCD displays for the clock and transmission gear display (on the dash guage cluster) do not light up. They do function correctly, but they both do not light up when the lights are switched on. Is there a bulb behind the cluster or is the light within the lcd? Can this be repaired?

Lastly, do the hvac vents illuminate at all? I know that in newer vw's they do (not the vent itself, just the side - open close), so I am wondering if these do as well. Thanks in advance.

 

The clock in the cluster has a bulb behind it. The Gear display light,assuming you have an automatic transmission,has bulbs behind it but they need to be soldered in.Doable for a DIY if you can solder.
Do a search as I know I've put links in to the repair as I've done it myself.

HVAC vent lights,assuming you have an automatic climate control,do have a series of bulbs behind.You have to remove the automatic climate control to access them.Also a searchable item.
If you have a manual rotary button for your climate control it also has lights behind.
The open/close **** at each individual vent does not light.
good luck

 

"It's an easy job to replace with either a new bulb or a small 3mm superbright LED. Beauty of the LED is that it'll last for an age. A bulb won't. Down point of an LED is that it'll make a small bright spot. If that doesn't bother you then all's fine, if it does does rub over the top of the LED with some sandpaper, don't go mad though, you just need to scuff it up a bit so the light is more diffused.

A "cj70m" 3mm miniature LED from maplins, a bit of soldering and you'll have illumination at night again.
A tip though, don't completely unsolder the old bulb, just snip it off and leave it's old legs sticking up,



trim down the LED's legs to the correct length and resolder to the old.


Two reasons for doing this, the holes on the pcb are tiny, and I mean tiny as you can see, you'll have to enlarge then them to insert new LED's legs and that leaves hardly any track on both the top and bottom of the pcb, second is the longer you faff around with a soldering iron on the pcb, the more likely you are the heat damage the components on it.

Remember to determine the correct orientation of the LED (cathode and anode), it'll only work one way round. To do this. reconnect the ATD up and turn the ignition on. Briefly touch the new LED to the old bulbs legs sticking up from the board. If it doesn't light, turn it 180° and briefly touch again. Once you know which way around it goes, make note of it and then go ahead and solder it on. Be quick, don't hang around for to long with a soldering iron. The components on the board are small and don't like high temperatures.
Reattach the ATD to the connector, turn on the ignition and the LED should now be lit.

"

http://www.s2forum.com/forum/showthr...=retrofit+temp

 

Perfect. Thanks for the replies. The work involved doesnt seem too bad, but that is expected on an older vehicle.

Regarding the HVAC: the lights function correctly on the climate control area. What I am referring to are the vents that are located on the dash. Are there bulbs behind the rotary **** to indicate the airflow (open-close) of the vents?

This isnt my car or picture, but just to indicate what I am describing. To the left of the vents, above/below the rotary ****; do they light up?

 

Mine does not light up. And I don't remember a bulb being back there...

I also used an LED in my temp display. I used an amber one though. I love the results!

The LED I put in the clock though, for some reason, is not bright enough. I'll have to try a much smaller resistor.