Hello, I lost power to my instrument cluster and it won't illuminate - this happened in the Fall right before putting it away for the winter. I belive the guages still worked, just no lights. My first thing is to check the fuse. Does anybody know where that one is located in an '89 - (I believe the fuse boxes are located under the steering wheel and under the glove box on the passenger side). If its not the fuse, and I have to take the dash apart, I am going to replace the bulbs with LED ones. I remember seeing some great posts on how to do that in this forum and even which bulbs work best. But I have been searching for 20 minutes and can't find the nice consice thread I was thinking I read years ago that had great advice on how to do it. Can anybody either point me to that post, or let me know what kind of LED's worked best and any pointers you may have. Thanks in advance!

 

Supplier for LED lights just make sure your bulb is correct...they list the tiny warning bulb as the main cluster illumination bulb which is not the same one is miniscule the other is like..T10? I think.

Long story short they sent me the wrong stuff.

 

Hi Jnp

This could be a very easy fix, as the First thing to check is not the Fuse but the Rheostat Knob that's underneath the dash which is basically just a Rotary Dimming Switch and is meant to be easily turned while you are driving the Car

Its just to the right of the Steering Wheel on a UK Car so by sweeping your fingers along in that place, your fingers should easily find it as it has indentations that will make it feel like a Cog, where having found it what you do is to Switch your 'Non Working' Lights on and then vigorously turn that knob back and fourth

This is usually all that is required to get them working as lack of use can make the Contacts in this Switch Corrode

Post again if that doesn't work as there are other things that you can try and if you really want to remove the Instrument Binnacle Cluster, this is so easy that even the GF can do it, all by herself with no help from me (apparently!)

How to remove the Instrument Binnacle on a 1990 XJS V12

This 'Tale of Woe' is in Two Parts so please read the whole of this Thread on Page:76

 

Had a sick kid this weekend, so I didn't get to try it out yet. Thank you Orangeblossum for the advice with the rheostat, hopefully that's it.... But I read your post you linked and my speedo does the exact same thing, so I think its time to remove the cluster and clean the contacts anyway. And probably put some better lighting in there while I'm at it. Hopefully this weekend. Thanks again!

 

Anyone know the right size? I have the cluster out but am not proximate to it. Good time to change them.

Thanks

 

Thanks again Orangeblossum. I played with the rheostat back and forth and whala, the instrument lights now work! Sometime, when I get some time... I'd still like to clean the terminals so I can get my speedo more reliable again and do the LED's while I'm in there. Thanks for the link to how to get it out. Has the GF let you live down the steering wheel adjustment yet?

 

I think this is the one you might be looking for.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...lights-124049/

 

Hi Jnp

Unfortunately not!

And She hasn't stopped gloating from that day to this and is starting to consider herself a bit of a Jaguar Expert and has even showed me how to fit a Crank Position Sensor while cooking our evening meal at the same time! as apparently us guys are no good at multitasking, the only problem being that She is probably right

Except that I did get my own back in 'The Great St Valentines Day Hot Water Bottle Massacre' when I had to cut the side right out of her Hot Water Bottle in order to make a Rubber Gasket for the Master Cylinder Actuator and She is going to go Nuts in May, if She ever finds out!

'The Great St Valentines Day Hot Water Bottle Massacre!'

 

Thanks, that is the one I was thinking of!

 

I put some green LEDs from a specific kit that I bought on ebay, and although it has improved, I have been a bit disappointed, I expected more lighting. The markers on both sides (odometer and rev counter) have improved a bit, especially the odometer, which was previously impossible to see anything at night, but instead the central indicators now I would almost say that they are a little less than before.