Chrysler Repair: Instrument cluster lights: 03 Neon, illumination lamps, soldering pencil


Question
12/2003 Dodge Neon, 2.0L, AT, PS, AC, 4 door.

Lights on instrument panel will not light.  Fuses check good and digital odometer lights and brightens/dims with adjustment of switch.  All other vehicle lighting is fine.  Help, please!  :o)

Answer
Hi Jennifer,
Do the illumination levels of the prndl/radio/ac-heater control/rear window defogger, center stack lamp all work? and do they vary in brightness level when you change the position of the multi-function switch the way they are supposed to? If so, then I suspect that either the bulbs of the cluster are burned out (the bulbs are type pc 194) or there is a 'cold' solder joint on the cluster circuit board itself which would be corrected if you re-heated it with a soldering pencil. It appears to me that all the other dash lamps I listed above are on the same circuit as the cluster illumination lamps, in parallel to one another, so that if just the cluster lamps are out it means that the 'tap' off the common variable voltage output for all is not connected solidly to the cluster bulb trace on the circut board.  Although the bulbs in the cluster are all connected to the same variable voltage source, so too are all the other dash lamps. and that source is 'centered' on the cluster proper.
To remove the cluster you disconnect the battery, remove the covers from the pillars on either side of the windshield, remove the top cover of the instrument panel, remove the bezel surrounding the cluster, remove the 4 scres that attach the cluster to the base panel, and pull the cluster rearward to disconnect it from the base panel. Then examing the 'traces' on the circuit board that go to the illumination lamp sockets and find a common source point and reheat that with a soldering pencil. Also check the bulbs for function using a 12v jump.
You can try a cluster self-diagnostic test by pressing the trip reset button and holding it while you turn the key to the 'run' position, then release the button. The oil lamp will light as well because the engine isn't running.
Roland