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Whilst it is normal
to insist that the battery is disconnected before any work on
electrical items, it is not necessary but preferable for this job.
It is however an unwritten rule to remove (or tape up) your watch
and rings before working close to live electric components.
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Set steering wheel to
12 o'clock position so that it can be replaced correctly without any
other adjustments. If you have an airbag stop now and refer the
job to a workshop. If not continue as follows. Pull off horn
push carefully! It is snapped into four rubber sockets but may well
come apart dropping the contact separating springs on the floor. It
is worth reassembling the two halves before proceeding too far to
preserve the springs and do the job whilst you remember what's what.
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Remove the two
connecting wires and put horn push to one side.
Picture.
Remove large nut that holds wheel to column and pull off wheel
ensuring that it is still at 12 o'clock position. Put wheel to one
side taking care not to mark upholstery / carpets with the grease on
the underside.
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Remove upper and
lower plastic shrouds from the column switch mechanisms, these are
held together and to the column by three screws, two marked (2) self
tapping and one marked (1) set screw see Picture.
The lower shroud will unclip from its upper partner and drop away,
put it to one side. The upper section WILL come out over the switch
arms if they are both moved to their lowest position.
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Unscrew three screws
marked (3), Picture,
but don't pull them out as they help to keep the two switch sections
together and correctly aligned. Remove three or four (depending on
vehicle options) plugs that connect wiring looms to them. Picture.
Each plug has two clips, one attached and one that is part of the
housing each has to be sprung to extract the plug. The dual switch
assembly will now lift off the column stub. Put it to one side.
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The instrument
surround is held in place with two screws marked 2 in Picture,
remove these and pull the plastic surround towards you and lift
away. The instrument cluster is now before you.
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The instrument
cluster is held in place by a screw each side, see
Picture
showing a screwdriver in place at the location of the left one (RHD
vehicle). Remove both screws being careful not to drop them into the
lower parts of the dash and fuse box.
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Now remove the cover
from the fuse box, it's behind the little oddments tray above the
driver's right knee, usually removed by turning the slotted knob
through 90 degrees and hinging down. Then lift off the hinge pins.
Now reach up behind the instrument cluster. Locate the speedometer
cable at its connection to the instrument cluster. Squeeze the
plastic lugs on the sides of connector to release it, push the cable
away from the back of the instrument cluster.
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Tilt the right side
of the cluster towards you, locate the electrical connector plug.
Again removal is by squeezing together two plastic clips, squeeze
and pull from the instrument cluster. After the instrument cluster
has been removed the shape of these connectors can be seen in this
Picture.
The unit is now free to take to the workshop.
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Now working on a
bench top with good lighting the instrument cluster can be
disassembled to access the point of the trouble. Unscrew the two
screws located either side of the instrument cluster Picture,
and prise the retaining
clips clear to part cover from the body. Take care not
to touch the inside of the plastic window with finger marks, you
will regret it for ever!
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Now lift off the two
gauges and clock, the clock may require a little more pressure
Picture.
The speedometer also comes away from the base in a similar manner.
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The printed circuit
board can now be removed from the housing by removing the heat sink
screw from the voltage regulator (Your target) and the clips
that hold the wiring loom connector socket to the
housing. As you lift the board out please take care of the ribbon
cable that feeds the illumination bulbs, this can be
unplugged from the board.
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Now with a powerful
magnifying glass you will probably see fine cracks in the soldering.
Remove the voltage regulator from its socket before applying heat,
noting which way around it fits for replacement. A small instrument
soldering iron will enable you to re-solder
these
six connections.
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I can now offer no
better than the conventional instructions for replacing all these
bits into your vehicle. Reassembly is the reverse of disassembly.
It is worth checking that the gauges and warning lights all
correctly work before fitting the instrument surround and noting
that there are two
clips to locate the bottom of the surround as it is
pushed into position. Again before fitting the steering wheel but
after fitting and connecting the switch assemblies test that all of
their functions work correctly. The last operation after fitting and
tightening the steering wheel is to connect the horn push. Careful
examination will reveal + and - markings on both ends of the wire
connections, connect like for like.