Re: dollar signs by the dashboard lights...

["Anthony K.B. Chan" <chan@seattleu.edu>]

You need either a 22mm/24mm socket to start with, it's for removing the nut
behind the horn pad. It's the nut which lock the steering wheel to the 
steering column. I couldn't quite remember if it is 22mm or 24mm. I had both 
sockets but I don't have the 5000s anymore, I sold it last year. You need 
to remove the horn pad, the way do it is to pull each corner off one at 
time, it has 4 spring loaded clips, one on each corner. The horn pad also 
has a wire plug into the steering column for the horn, you need to unplug 
it once you free the horn pad from the steering wheel. After you remove 
the horn pad you'll see the nut that hold the steering to the column.
Before you remove the nut and the wheel make sure that your front wheel 
is pointing straight ahead so that steering wheel is also dead center so 
that when you put it back when you are done then the steering it pointing 
straight ahead.

Another thing you need to do before you proceed any further is to 
disconnect the speedometer cable at the transmission end. Since there is 
not much slack in the cable, you will run the risk of breaking the 
plastic bayonet connector behind the speedometer behind the dash. You 
will find the speedometer cable screw into the transmission bell housing  
between the engine and the firewall, it's on side where the coolant tank is 
located. You can unscrew it with your hand. Then push bit of slack 
towards the firewall.

After you take the steering wheel off, you can proceed to take the dash 
out by undoing the two screws on the underside of the instrument hood. I 
think there are 2 screws maybe 4. It's been awhile since I have done 
that. After you got all the screws off then you can pull the instrument 
out gently, just wiggle it bit from side to as you pull it out. If you 
feel any resistant then you want to go back to the engine bay and push 
the speedo cable into the firewall. There are also a bunch ribbon type 
cable connectors behind the dash so make sure you are not pulling it hard 
just pull it out enough to get to the light on the top. You really 
shouldn't need to diconnect any of cable since you are not trying to 
reset the O2 sensor light which is very hard to get to without getting the 
instrument cluster out. If you do need to disconnect the any of the 
cables/wires, make sure you mark their orientation since there're two that
are only 2 prongs and both prongs are the same, and I am not sure about 
if they are polarized, so I mark which side is facing up. Be patient when 
you disconnect some of the big connectors, you need to use a small 
screwdriver to get the retainer clip on the side off but do it very 
carefully since these clips are plastic. 

When you are done make sure you have all the connectors reconnected. It's 
probably a good idea to clean all the contacts points while you are in 
there. Make sure the plastic bayonet connector for the speedometer is 
still connected. Then you can push the instrument cluster back into its
pod and make sure that you don't get any of the wire/cable get stuck 
between the the cluster and the pod itself. Wiggle it around once you get 
it in and then put the screws back in then you put the steering wheel 
back on the column, tighten the nut back to 44 ft/lbs(that's what the 
Haynes manual said, you might want to check with the Bentley). Reconnect 
the wire back to the horn pad. Snap the horn pad back on to the steering 
wheel, make sure that they are snapped all the way on, I usually just 
pound on each corner with my palm and you will hear a snapping noise when 
each one snapped back on.

The last thing you need to do is to go back to engine bay to reconnect 
the speedometer cable. 

Anthony Chan, First Hill, Seattle, WA, USA.
chan@seattleu.edu
92' 100 V6 Tornado Red.

On Wed, 18 Sep 1996, Stephen Siblock wrote:

> Date: Wed, 18 Sep 1996 01:03:44 -0400 (EDT)
> From: Stephen Siblock <steve.siblock@sheridanc.on.ca>
> To: Audi Owner's Listserve <quattro@coimbra.ans.net>
> Subject: dollar signs by the dashboard lights...
> 
> 
> Two of my instrument lights have gone kaput in the past month, so I plan 
> on replacing them all.  Question: is getting at the necessary area 
> tricky on my '86 5kturbo?  The last time I had the dash apart was on my 
> '81 5kS.  Didn't like it too much, the dash never fit properly again, and 
> I've never had the dash off this car before.  Any thoughts welcome.  Thanks.
> 
> 
>  Stephen Siblock, Associate Registrar          Tel: 905-845-9430 x2695
>  Sheridan College, Oakville, Ontario, Canada   Fax: 905-815-4086
>  (Co-list-owner, OCUR-L "Ontario College and Universities' Registrars' 
>   Discussion List")
>  '86 Audi 5000 CD Turbo Silver/Navy  |
>  '81 Audi 5000 S Arctic White        | Member of the Audi Quattro E-Club
> 
>