How do you change the dash lights on a 1994 VW Golf?

Answer 1

The haynes or bentley manual can answer this question for you. The haynes manual is around 25 dollars and the bentley around 60.00. First you disconnect your negative bat cable. I have changed mine and mainly it involves CAREFULLY prying off the light switch assembly to your left with a very small screwdriver, Try prying from the bottom or top first, I found that the spot mentioned in the manual is not necessarily right. Then the same for the small dash trim piece to your right. Unscrewing the "shroud is next. It has 2 screws, one on either side. Then you gently Pop it out of where it is held in by its plastic tabs, again be gentle. Maneuver it out slowly and patiently, they crack easily.You will then be looking at your barenaked cluster. it has two screws on either side top right and top left not easily visible without a flashlight. It is likewise held in by two slots in which two cylindrical pivots are built onto the cluster. Take out the screws and set them aside making sure not to mix any screws up at all, as collar, trim and cluster screws are all different types. you will now tilt your cluster toward you and if you are lucky you will have small hands because you must reach over top left of the cluster to unclip the wiring harnesses of which there are two one below the other. They are color coded and different sizes so remember which came from where. You will have to press on them pinching them with your thumb and most likely your ring finger if you are right handed to unclip them. Slowly work them out if they are sticking. Once they are detached you can now do the most difficult part, lightly pull the cluster up from below and it will pop out of its pivots then carefully maneuver the thing out of the dash, this is most difficult because it fits very tightly behind the steering wheel. You may need to try it a couple of ways before you get it out. Once out, flip it toward you. You will see lots of little 6 sided colored plastic things. These are all bulbs. There are 2 isolated directly at the top a few inches from one another and likely different colors then the tight row at the bottom turn them gently with your fingers if you can and with small pliers if you cannot and about a half turn lift them out. Installation is the reverse except getting the harnesses back on is harder than getting them off, but not hard if you are patient and can envision where you are plugging them in. You will be working "blind" when you plug them in. The bulbs are only 3 or 4 bucks the labor in a shop will likely cost you 60 bucks or more, so DIY if you can. Happy changing. Goyette