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Cadillac Repair/speedometer light bulb replacement

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Expert: - 3/7/2011


Question
QUESTION: What is the easiest way to change a light bulb for the speedometer (a dash light)

ANSWER: Hello,

Well, you did not give me year make and model, but this is not something a novice should do. When you say easiest, the question is easy for me or easy for you?

The speedometer cluster must be removed for access. Some have bulbs, some have l.e.ds, and some have fiber optics surrounding them. All these days are controlled with printed circuits.

The problem may be as simple as a bulb, but what if the bulb is good? That might be a printed circuit problem.

I would suggest taking the car to a local service center (not a dealer) and see how much a diagnoses would cost. Possibly, once they remove the cluster, they will find the problem immediately for you.


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---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I'm sorry about the lack of information. It's a 1994 Cadillac Eldorado. Thanks again for your time.

Answer
Hello,

Thank you so much for your rating, but I want you and everyone to know, i never talk down to anyone.

My purpose is to help anyone I can. I volunteer on this site to offer my knowledge and if something is simple, I will tell them. If more difficult, I tell them that too. I have no agenda. I am not selling anything.

In your case, as I said, there are too many things that can go wrong in trying to change a dash bulb in the cluster. Heck, when removing this snap on plastic, I hold my breath and close my eyes-lol After time, the older the plastic gets the more brittle as well. The clip ends sometimes break, the outer bezels snap. In a situation such as this, its better if someone from a garage does this work, because if they break it without warning up front, they bought it.

Again, Thanks again, it's wonderful when people appreciate my answers.

Good luck


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Rob Painter

Expertise

Alarm system questions cannot be answered on this forum. These systems are not what I can answer. Without being physically at the vehicle and not knowing what kind of electrical service has been done on the vehicle, there is no possible way to give an accurate answer over the internet. My expertise is in Ignition/key based anti-theft systems. These issues include GM VATS (resistor chip in key blade) PASSLOCK (MRD)-ignition lock rotation based, no special ignition key and the PKIII Transponder (computer chip in key) systems. These systems are not alarm based and are integral with the starting of the engine. This is why I cannot diagnose alarm problems without physically looking at the vehicle: Alarm systems are a completely different annimal than ignition key/lock based anti-theft system. Many alarm questions come from vehicles 10 years old, and since older, many hands that had been involved over the years.I am an expert in all GM factory (ignition/key based)systems. Alarm system questions pose to many situations beyond my knowledge as to what has been done to the vehicle over the years. Some guy may have actually wired the stereo into the alarm system. Who knows? Over my past 30 years in vehicle wiring repair, I have seen unbelievable wiring disaters done by guys that consider themselves "mechanics." I have seen stereos and alarms intalled using surgical tape. I have seen modules burn up, un-fused circuits, wiring jambed between the doors and even lamp cord used for a starter kill. To answer alarm questions over the internet without examining the vehicle is like asking; What does it take to remove a dent?

Experience

Education/Credentials-ASE certified. 11 years with a GM dealer and 17 years with a repair facility dealing with only the repair of theft recovered vehicles.

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