'86 5KTQ instrument cluster lights out

[Robert Myers]

It could be something as simple as having the dash lights turned full 
dim.  Not sure about the 5K's but in my S6 the dash light dimmer 
"switch" is also the one used to set the dash clock.  At the Daylight 
to standard time change I inadvertently turned my dash lights to full 
dim while setting the clock.  Maybe the same has happened to you?

Bob


At 07:42 PM 11/19/2008, john at westcoastgarage.net wrote:
>L DC wrote:
>
> >John at westciastgarage.net wrote
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >>I'm not sure about the '86 5000Qs, but the '87s have a light control
> >>relay above the glovebox.  A few months back I spent WAAAAAAY too much
> >>time looking for this puppy, and it was only by luck I found it. There
> >>were a few well meaning efforts to point me in the right direction,
> >>some referencing the Bentley manual, but in the end it took me parting
> >>out a car to find it.  About the size of 2 normal relays, with venting
> >>for the heat, and clipped to the underside of the front of the
> >>dashboard.  In my case, it was probably bad contact at the pins, and
> >>plugging/unplugging it a few times after spraying it with a good quality
> >>contact cleaner/enhancer did the trick.  I have a spare if you need
> >>it.  BTW, it's a couple of hundred bucks, I think, at the dealer.
> >>
> >>
> >
> > John
> >
> >My instrument cluster lights are still out along with the 
> diff-lock warning light.
> >
> >John, could you please point me to where exactly are those 2 
> relays you mentioned.
> >
> >Are they right above the glove comparment box?
> >If so, I guess the glove compartment box along with plastic cover 
> above it would need to be removed to get to it?
> >
> >I did, however, found 2 relays of normal size as you described 
> next to each other clipped on the underside of the dashboard right 
> below to the left of the instrument cluster.
> >
> >With the driving lights on, one of the relays (a black one), shut 
> the underdash lights off when pulled.
> >
> >The second relay, brown one with no part # logo, had no effect on 
> the vehicle when pull out from its the harness. Is this the relay 
> that perhaps you are refering to? If so can I jumper it and which 
> contacts should I jumper to see if instrument cluster lights and 
> diff locks lights come on?
> >
> >Thank you in advance for your input.
> >
> >Louis
> >
> >
> >--- On Wed, 10/15/08, L DC <ldc007usa at yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >>From: L DC <ldc007usa at yahoo.com>
> >>Subject: Re: '86 5KTQ instrument cluster lights out
> >>To: "quattrolist" <quattro at audifans.com>, john at westcoastgarage.net
> >>Date: Wednesday, October 15, 2008, 11:04 PM
> >>Thank you all for your responses. I will look into the
> >>dimmer control next to see if there is the problem. I also
> >>have a spare dimmer (trip computer) that will swap to see if
> >>that does the trick.
> >>
> >>John, should the '86 5KTQ share the same relays as
> >>found as in the '87 model you mentioned, does the
> >>glovebox need to be removed to get to it?
> >>
> >>Thank you all again.
> >>
> >>LDC
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>There's one relay, double sized and with a lot of cooling holes, and I
>accessed it by removing the glove box and dropping the panel above it.
>I think it's toward the left side of the opening, but I'm not sure.  I
>later went back in without dropping the panel, IIRC.  The trick part was
>hanging the relay back in the correct location so it was secure ........
>You can't see what you're doing!
>
>John
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