[V8] was failing light switch, now failing rack

[dsaad at icehouse.net]

Hi Roger,

No - I wouldn't be so lucky.  This is the main switch for sure.  But since
this is after all an Audi, the lights are going to have to wait for the
steering rack to be fixed.  The weird little driveway zits that I started
having a few weeks ago has blown up to a full fledged case of "rackny". 
So - now, what is the consensus for the best rebuilder?  I assume this can
not be done by me at home.

Dave



> DAVE:  BTDT.  The failing dash lights may be caused by a failing rheostat.
> Is this the part that you wiggle to make them work again?
>
> IF it's the failing rheostat, it is repairable, although only by sourcing
> another rheostat from a wreck, removing the dash instrument cluster and
> r&r-ing the rheostat.
>
> In the first V8 I owned, I was driving along one dark and stormy night (!)
> and suddenly my lights went out.  Man!  Was that black interior dark with
> no
> lights, and traveling in the rain at unknown warp was not exactly fun,
> especially when it happened with no warning.  in the end I got a rheostat
> from a place in Colorado (I think) called Sante Fe Auto Parts or some
> other
> similar and unlikley name, took it to my dealer who did the repair there
> in
> the dealership.  One of their mechanics had been to the Audi type school
> when the V8 was first introduced, probably dead now.
>
> I also have a failed light switch on my V8 and I haven't bothered to fix
> it
> yet, since I haven't driven the car since July, and have no plans to
> before
> next year.
>
> Roger
>
> Oh, yeah:  Audi's "fix" for the rheostat is a new instrument cluster plus
> core:  it was $1100 eighteen years or so ago, when my I had my first V8.
>