1988 MK1 Cabriolet - Dash Board Bulbs - Grrrrrrr

Huff. Sigh. Grrr.

I have purchased multiple different bulbs to have my dashboard / clocks lit up in the dark. Be it LED or normal bulbs.

Nothing seems to work and or fit. Fuses, check. Wiring, check. Connectors, check. All have power and an auto electrician has checked everything.

Can someone please let me know, and do talk to me as if I am 5 years old, which bulbs I need and where they 'fit' for my dashboard to light up and glow….??????

Thank you.

Have you had the plastic printed  circuit tested?  These can crack and deteriorate. Worth checking each route assuming it is just the dials lights that are an issue if all lights in the each then likely something else. All else fails http://www.veals.co.uk/acatalog/___Headlamps.html


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Where the lights go in, if you carefully Peel the Mylar off, you will see it is like a box that is heat welded to the main part of the cluster.  Under that is a piece of Clear Green Plastic.  That plastic gets cloudy, and you have to either remove it (which is what I did). Or remove it clean it with sandpaper 2000grit wet then polish both sides to get it clear….then replace.  I Carefully popped the light tray out,  removed the green film, covered the entire insides with the FOIL Duct tape as a reflector, replaced and glued with JB-Weld.

Now for the light bulbs you can get either Super Brite LEDS, or what I did was to get the Bulb Sockets from a Honda, or Isuzu dash.  Go to the parts store and look up
the WARNING lamps for the same car you removed them from.  Why?  Instrument lamps are 2 watt usually, the Warnings are 3-4 Watt so you get more light, the bulbs will last 6-7 years or more….

Then they are also plug and play sockets not the all inclusive ones that VW used.

Thanks chaps appreciate your help.

Everything has been checked and double checked, or replaced.

Simply put I keep buying the wrong bulbs and or sent the wrong bulbs.

I literally need a list of part numbers and where in the dash these bulbs fit, be it instrument cluster, heater controls etc.

Beyond annoyed now, my own fault, being too particular and OCD.

Thank you!

I guess you tried heritage for them. Just had a quick look for you on the web site and they list 2 types.


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Seen this old topic also. https://vwgolfmk1.org.uk/forum/index.php?page=topicview&id=how-to_2%2Freplacing-dash-leds


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Lovely, thank you!

Have placed my order and await the items and light in my dashboard….

Fingers crossed    

Appreciate the help, THANK YOU…!

They work….

Wires had been chopped, joined incorrectly, stereo wired incorrectly and a general BIG mess.

All sorted with lovely new bulbs, wiring back to factory and everything works, even the handbrake light and heated rear window, as it should when it left Karman many moons ago.

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY

MOT later today…