A4 1996 1.8 SE Fuel Gauge & Dash Lights

[blueeye]

Hi Guys

This is my first post so please be gentle. (I put it on a wrong forum)

I have aquired an Audi A4 1.8SE on a N plate 96.

A couple of problems have occured which is the usual for older models. Do we have any experts out there with a step by step guide on the fuel gauge. It was working for the first month but now when I fill up the car it only shows half full on the gauge. Then after 18 miles it shows empty. What part will i need to correct this and is it easy to do.

Secondly the orange dashboard lights - I have a couple of these which have blown on the dashboard. They have blown on the fuel and oil gauge making it impossible to read at night. (even though fuel gauge is not working anyway). How easy is it to change these bulbs or do you have to take out the whole unit to get to them.

Thanks

[blueeye]

Anyone please

[Clarkus]

Hi Blueeye.
Like you I'm fairly new to this, but I've found it to be a really useful forum.
I can't comment on your dodgy fuel gauge, but I have had exactly the same problem on the bulb that illuminates the fuel and temperature gauges and I'm just waiting for new bulbs to arrive at the Audi dealership before I finish the job. I've got a 1998 A4 1.9tdi, but I'm assuming the dash and fitting is exactly the same as mine. I have no photos, but you can refer to the first two photos on the below link that Docurley put on. To do this you might want a variety of posidrive heads preferably with a long handle, a set of small hexagonal sockets or long nose pliars to extract the bulb (depending on whether you completely remove the display console or not) and a very patient temperament as it can be really finicky!!

Forgive me if the below is teaching you how to suck eggs, but too much detail is so much better than not enough!

1) Move your steering wheel as far towards you and as far down as you can - this will make the removal of the display panel much easier (I realised too late!!). The Haynes manual I bought afterwards says to remove the steering wheel, but you don't need to.
2) Remove the steering column trim as shown in the first photo on Docurley's entry. Do this by moving it up and towards you.
3) Removing this will expose the two screws as shown in picture 2. Slide the end of the flexible trim back underneath where the two screws are housed. On mine they were conventional posidrive screws, so no need for the T20 driver that it shows on the photo. Take the two screws out, taking care to get a really good fit with your screwdriver because they can be very stubborn and you could easily damage the screw heads.
4) Once the 2 screws are removed you can gently tease the display console towards you carefully using the two control stalks for the clock and milometer resets, and by gently levering it around the outside. If it's not been moved before it could offer a little resistance, but persevere. Take care to keep the flexible trim pushed down as much as possible as the two lugs that held the two screws will catch it - it's a really close fit.
5) You will find that as the display console starts to come out, it won't come very far before it's restricted by the wiring that's connected to the back (there's very little play in the wiring so you won't be able to change this particular bulb without removing some wires).
6) I believe there are 5 connections on the back of the display. The two on the left are the ones to start with as their removal gives a bit more play. There's a small black one which, although stubborn, can be teased apart with a thin screwdriver, penknife etc. The trick to the second one which is much bigger is to raise the red central plastic bar - this will enable it to be removed. You may find this gives you enough play to get to your particular bulb which is in the top at the middle. If not, the third connection at the middle/bottom needs to be squeezed together on both sides, then soon comes off. The fourth is a larger bulb on a wire lead which comes out by turning it anticlockwise (this is the diesel warming light so it might not be on your petrol version). If that still isn't enough play, the fifth connection, which is on the far right is the same design as the second one.
7) To remove the offending bulb just tun it a quarter or half turn anticlockwise and it will pop out. The easiest thing to use is a very small hexagonal socket set head or long nose pliars. The one you'll be replacing is set in an orange plastic surround. Some of the others are in black surrounds as they are a slightly different power rating.
And there you have the little devil!!
The bulbs are about £1 each from an Audi dealership, so I got a few spares.
Obviously replace in reverse order, but I would suggest checking to make sure all the bulbs are working properly before putting it all back together!
Good luck!!

https://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/s...hlight=display

[blueeye]

Thanks Clarkus. I will be trying this out tommorrow and check back to see what happens