One FM posted is for a 89. How do you remove the turn signal/cruse control levers and the bezel to get to the head light cluster switch?
I have no tail, side, parking lights. Head lights, fog and brakes OK. Fuse OK. Want to swop with my 89 to see if switch is defective. Do not want to just "pop" the plastic.
Mahalo,
Dave in Honolulu

 

I had to do this on my 91. Not hard at all....make sure you take that small hex screw off the switch handle first before you try to take the switch assy off. Taking the steering wheel off also recommended, IMO. Three screws right above the guage cluster bezel and I believe two on the bottom of the same bezel.....Don't have the link for the manual but it should all be there....

 

Thanks, steraing wheel removal was what I was trying to avoid. This 15 minute job is...
Is there a 91 Factory Manual posted?

 

Yes...there's one and I'm trying to locate the URL as we speak.........anyone??

 

My 89 bezel comes apart in two peices. The 91 is a box style and the top part looks like it pops off. I do not want to break the plastic. any hint on what holds it together?

 

The manual at FC35.org and I Love My...are both for a 89, although it is listed as 89-92. There are differences: bezel and location and design of the turn signal/dimmer and the cruse control levers.

 

I haven't read the 89 manual procedure but I've had to take out the switches on my 91 to access the wiper switch. There's three screws in the bezel above the tach/speedo. Then there's 4 scews on the bottom, 2 under the cruise switch and 2 under the turn signal switch. It makes it easier to remove by unscrewing the steering column cover, not removing it but by unscrewing it and letting it rest on the column. And also tilting the wheel down to the lowest position. When I removed the assembly I had to pull down on the steering wheel a little at the same time to get the bezel over it. Have fun removing the connectors for all the switches. Good luck! I broke one of the plastic pieces that one of the screws under the turn signal switch goes into.

 

I know what you mean about the manual..... Once I pulled all the screws around the bezel, very carefully I pulled back on it and disconnected the wiring harness from the switches.....the whole thing came out as one piece...... I have not seen a two piece bezel like you describe for the exception of the steering column cover, That one does split into two pieces.......but you shouldn't have to take that one out....

Ahhh, yes....the wiper switch.....that POS...I'm still looking to get one that works or one that I can repair...the guy before me replaced the original with one that did not have the rear wiper on it....so now I got this big hole there........Good luck bro

 

Don't remove the steering wheel.

Remove the steering wheel column cover (which is two pieces)

then its only 5 screws for the trim bezel, three on the top and two on the bottom in each corner.

The bezel comes off and then up between the dash and the steering wheel.

 

You're absolutely right....but for me and my huge hands, Steering wheel off made it very simple and avoided me breaking anything (which happens to me more often than not)

 

Should be pretty easy. It looks fairly complicated, but once you get in....its a breeze. Good luck man.

 

I have every thing loose. The 91 does not have a tilt column wheel (89 does). 91 also has Airbag, which I would not like to mess with, without the FM.

The steering column cover (89 is two peice which unscrews-easy and the turn signal and cruse control are in the insturment bezel) in the 91 contains levers for the turn and curse controls.

I just do not want to crack the column cover. The top pops off...somehow...just checking to see if anyone had the "secret" combination.
Mahalo!

 

No its held together by a screw and couple of tabs to the bottom steering wheel cover.

why wouldn't you want to remove it? It's three screws total.

 

I had this exact same problem on my '90 convertible a couple of months ago. I am not sure of the differences between 90 and 91, but my steering column does not adjust and I have an airbag as well. DON"T take the steering wheel off!

First, The top part of the column cover popped off for me. Then I removed the three screws above the instument cluster and the four screws uner the switch panel. It took a little bit of rocking back and forth to get the whole panel out from behind the steering wheel. but it eventually came free. Take the wire connecote off as soon as you can get to it, it will make remove much easier. Be careful of the plastic tabs on the dash where the screws go in on the bottom, the plastic on mine was pretty brittle and had snapped off sometime earlier.

As for the light switch, take a good look at the white wire connector before swapping out the switch. On mine the lead that powers the lights you mentioned had melted the plastic around the connector causing a short. There was nothing wrong with my light switch. I was able to pop out the metal tab for that wire and creatively wire that lead through the connector directly to the switch lead. I have had no problems with the lights since then. The whole thing took me a about an hour to do.

Good Luck.

 

Ill have to chime in here and say that i dont recall having to remove anything but the cluster surround screws and then disconnecting the wires and speedo cable.

The secret is to turn the steering wheel UPSIDE DOWN.

The wheel is attached off center (low of center) so that there is more wheel is above the center of rotation then below.

(slightly)

This facilitates just enought space to remove the cluster without removing the wheel or other breakable plastic parts.

Also dont forget to use the two part plastic wled glue to re assemble the two peices that hold under the instrument cluster that are broken.

They are fork shaped and hold a foe nut for two screws under the cluster.

I KNOW these are broken.

I have only see one car where they were not.

Be careful removing the small peices and you can re assemble it like new with the two part plastic weld stuff.

Make sure you use the two parts tuff so that you are getting the kind that melts the plastic sightly before drying. Its ready in 15 minutes and holds better then original.

I have repaired 11 cars with this problem.

 

Also, if the cluster and steering surround is shattered, dont waste time re-installing them unless you have ALL the parts to plastic weld/glue it back together.

It WILL shatter more and cause you teo have to replace them again.

The steering surround isnt expensive.
the cluster surround is.

go to a junk yard for that one.

To ensure that old cluster surrounds stay healthy, I spread a thin layer of plastic weld around the inside of it and around the necks of the screw towers.

This has the effect of de-dtressing the plastic when the glue softens it and strengtheniong it when it dries 15-20 minutes later.

The de-stressing is like shot peening a block.
It avoids any cracking that is on its way to happening.

 

Mahalo! Just got up, 6:30 AM in Hawaii. Another problem I have is the head lights do not stay on High. The FTP feature and the dimmer both work but in one second the lights go back to low beam. I have swopped out the two relays in the front Headlight and dimmer.

How about some info on the dimmer handle. On the 89 it is mounted in the intsturment bezel in the 91 it is in the steering column surrond.

Thanks again for all the info!

 

Dave..

You own a convertible.
A series 5 convertible.

You put the battery in backwards.

You fried the CPU in the process.

I have seem this many times.
Obtain another Convertible version of the CPU and install.

Your seatbelts are freaking out too.

 

Also, the mount of the switch is not dictated by the year like you think.
the 1991 coupe has it in the surround.

the 1991 series 5 covertible have the culum supporting it.

And I am certain of my diagnosis above.

The CPU handles the latch on/ latch off of the headlights.

Its located in the drver side kick panel at your left ankle.

 

thanks Sniper X
Can I use the 89 CPU to check the 91?
Where can one find if parts are compatable?
When you call the dealer parts department what do they look at?