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Hi - the LCD portion of the speedometer illumination (VCM code/fuel consumption/mileage display) no longer lights up on my car so unless it's daytime, I can't read the display -even in daytime it's not easy to read.
I looked at some of my (not so good!) pics of the rear of the binnacle but didn't see a bulb/bulb holder in that location so I'm wondering if the binnacle has to be dismantled in order to access the bulb?
If you lift up the rear white cover, you'll find more bulbs along the lower edge of the cluster. I think the center two bulbs may be for the mileage display/odometer. If not, you may have to dig even deeper into the cluster. I have taken ours apart all the way to the gauges to clean the speedometer needle because the white paint was separating, creating a "double needle" appearance. Unfortunately, I didn't take photos on that excursion. I did take photos when I replaced the bulbs and the links to those albums are below the photo:
Perfect Don, thanks! It does look like the middle two at the bottom alright, weird that both would be gone though ..unless one was out for a while and now both are! No doubt I will find out ...
great tutorial on the binnacle btw!
cheers
Larry
Last edited by Lawrence; Nov 4, 2016 at 11:31 PM.
Reason: addl
FWIW if you have to go in and replace 1 bulb at least as far as the illumination ones go do them all. I had to go back in twice because as soon as I touched it other bulbs went out.
Before I removed the binnacle I thought I might as well try the old "digi-dash cure" ...even though my car doesn't have the early digital dash ...so a good slap on top of the binnacle and hey presto everything is illuminated (again@!)
so till I get round to taking it apart, it'll do for now!
Thanks guys- Roger has one odo bulb out and Ive been reluctant to tear into it. Its been a problematic year for both of those cars. But I have a spare binnacle which may Just earn its keep very soon. Don- any idea what the number is for those bulbs? Or the number for the even tinier yet bulbs for the center console clock?
Don- any idea what the number is for those bulbs? Or the number for the even tinier yet bulbs for the center console clock?
Jerry,
If I recall, the OE bulbs are either no longer available from Jaguar, or silly expensive. They occasionally show up on eBay but also at high prices. I re-used my plastic bases and replaced the bulbs only with small "grain 'o wheat" type bulbs that I purchased from bulbtown.com. I can't get to the computer with my XJ40 service records right now as we're preparing to leave for the Thanksgiving holiday, but somewhere in the Jag-Lovers archive I posted the bulb part numbers, voltages and wattages. Off the top of my head the IC bulbs are standard T1-3/4 size and after much research I bought the ones with the longest leads and highest wattages I could find. The number 2182 comes to mind but that may be wrong. Voltage was either 12V or 14V.
After I had taken the time to replace all the bulbs in all the bases, a good used instrument cluster showed up on eBay for USD $40.00 so I bought it just for the bulbs!
Some owners have replaced the bulbs with LEDs. Check this forum for posts as well as the archives at Jag-Lovers.
If I can look up the bulb numbers before we leave I'll edit this post.
I had looked up the clock bulbs at the "usual suppliers" but that's what I saw, theyre not available. Ill see if 2182 is any good for that. Thanks, didn't mean to hijack.
Hey all, I was prodded by this thread to replace my own odometer bulbs as one was out. Just thought I'd put my 2 cents in. It's not a difficult job. I found a couple of differences from Dons description since his subject was a 94 and mine is 92. The cluster mount screws on mine are 8mm and the inboard rear with the bracket on it did have the weld nut, but then there was the bracket with another loose nut holding it. My car does not have tilt and I had to lower the steering column to remove the cluster.- A bit of a project in itself. For what it's worth I used bulbs from a cluster removed from a 96 model year VDP. The gauges appear to be the same, and the plugs from the harness to the cluster are the same but the plugs for the trip computer and light switches are not. The printed circuit that the bulbs contact has the same number on it. It's my feeling that the instrument clusters themselves may be interchangeable. I took a few pics which I will try to get posted later. Thanks to Larry and Don for the inspiration.
I have to dredge this thread back up. I have some tiny tidbits of info that may come in handy to someone. I was able to harvest enough used bulbs from my spare binnacle to replace all of the burned ones in both cars. I then proceeded to the heater control knob and clock display lamps. I rechecked online again but since I had no good numbers (sorry Don) I came up dry again. I checked at my NAPA store who gave a valiant but fruitless effort. Finally my brain engaged (only about 3 weeks later) and I went to Radio Shack. Yup. Sure enough there they were. I got a 2721141 lamp for the heater knob and a handful of 2721092 for the clocks. This second number I was able to find as being a trade #7219 bulb. I was able to make the 1141 bulb work but it was rather a tedious project of stripping Very Fine insulation from even finer wire. In the end I think the 1092 bulb would have been an equally suitable replacement and a lot less work. Also, after the fact I bookmarked an online seller called "Bulb Town." Prices seem quite reasonable, but I was too late to actually need any. There it is. All the news that's fit to print.
Mileage display
