Hi all,

I have a 1995 XJS that I suspect has a bad hand brake bulb in the instrument panel. When I lift the hand brake to raise or lower the top, no light turns on to remind me that I have the hand brake activated. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get to the bulb. Does anyone have a service diagram or something similar by chance?

Tyler

 

@Tyler

On my 92 there are 3 screws holding the plastic trim in place round the instrument cluster. (One straight in the middle, and 1 on each side). They are easily visible from the drivers seat. Once you unscrew these the 2 plastic pieces come off and you can then see how to remove the instrument cluster. I'm not sure if the 95 is the same ?

 

A couple of weeks ago I did have all of that off but I still couldn't see any screws etc. that could have been holding it in place. The clearance between the instrument cluster and the dash was very minimal, maybe an 8th of an inch so I couldn't see how there would have been a way to get a screwdriver in there which led me to believe there were screws or bolts holding it from behind. I spend some time on my back but couldn't see what if anything could be holding it in place from behind.

 

@Tyler

Reading from my ROM.... (which has the added supplement that covers 92 to 96 cars)

1) Remove the central finisher
2) Displace and remove the side finishers
3) Displace and remove the instrument panel to fascia securing screw cover plates
4) Undo and remove screws securing fascia to panel
Carefully displace instrument panel

I think I talked about 1) and 2) above. Step 3 is where we seem to have a problem. I had my cluster out when I first got the car and as far as I remember the screws were visible and easy to undo. I suspect that my car maybe doesn't have the "securing screw cover plates" so it was easy for me to see the screws, whereas your car still has the cover plates in place making it less obvious where the screws are ?

 

Thanks for that, I appreciate it. Do you remember approx. where those screws were by chance? On the top, bottom or sides of the instrument panel and how many there were?

 

I found out where the screw cover plates were by looking for parts on ebay. As it turns out, the screw cover plates are in the top right and left corner of the instrument panel. I'm not sure if they just pop off easily or not but apparently the (two) screws are there.

 

how do you get the wires loose?

 

This is how I took mine apart when I removed/fixed the driver's side blower motor.

• 
  
• Remove side trim around instrument panel by removing 1 screw on each side and one screw at the top/middle which holds a small piece which joins the two side pieces. There is trim along the bottom of the trim pieces on each side of the steering column which must be loosened; one screw on each side of the steering wheel fastened from below.
• Once the trim is removed, there are two screws that hold the instrument panel to the body at the upper corners. First, pry out (with your fingers) the two screw head covers; they come out easily. Then remove the two screws underneath. Lower the steering wheel as far as it goes and pull out the instrument panel.
• There are two electrical connectors that attach to the instrument panel. From the left side, reach in and press down on the top and bottom of the left most connector; this releases the connector. Then reach further in and release the second connector by pressing down on the catches at the top and the bottom of the connector; the connector comes loose easily.

Good luck, Mitch

 

Are you sure it is the bulb and not the switch on the handbrake?

 

You should check the switch on the hand brake and check to see if 12 volts is getting to the switch first before removing the cluster.
If you do remove the cluster be sure to polish the contacts that the two big plugs go into and the contacts on the plugs themselves. Lightly tighten all the little nuts on the back of the cluster. I used a very thin coat of dialectic grease on all that.
The screw covers just pop out at the upper corners to access the screws after you have removed the first three and removed the two plastic pieces.

In my effort to do this, not knowing about the two top screws or the covers over them, I prized on the top of the cluster hard enough to bend the tab the right top screw fits into. As a result the cluster didn't go back in far enough by about 1/4 ". I had to push on the screw to bend the tab back in. Luckily for me the plastic is quite strong and doesn't break easily, even after 20 years. Fits perfectly now.
Cheers,Rag Jag

 

There are three total screws to remove the two side trim pieces and one for the center joint cover piece. There are two screws in the upper corners behind a small pull off cover plate. There are two small screws coming straight up from below the cluster, one on each side of the steering column. One is above the side mirror adjustment switch and the other is just above the emergency flashers switch. These hold those two switch sections up tight to dash. The reason I would remove them is because there is a lip on the top edge of those panels which is just over the front edge of the instrument panel. If you are not careful the "OLD" plastic on those lower panels can brake.

 

I am aware that certain members have removed and repaired these motors could someone talk me through the procedure.

 

Hi expedio

Sorry to be so late to the Party and sorry to hear that you were having a problem in removing the Instrument Binnacle of your 1995 XJS but as luck would have it, I have the very same Car and can tell you in no uncertain terms, that this really is a total 'Walk in the Park' once you know where those secret screws are located!

As they have been cleverly hidden completely out of sight behind the Plastic Indicator Light Covers, where having carefully prised these out with the tip of a very slim Craft Knife (one one each side of the Binnacle) Those two hidden Screws will be revealed

Where once these have been removed, then all your problems in that direction are over and then you can carefully pull the Binnacle downwards and then forwards, which should then give you plenty of room to insert an average size hand inside in order to disconnect the 2 Multi Plugs

As for taking a Bulb out, I haven't had to do that so can't really comment on that but once the Binnacle is free of those 2 Multi Plugs, then you can carefully take the Binnacle right out of the Car to work on it indoors

Just be very Careful not to damage the Printed Circuit on the back, or replacing that Bulb or whatever else could be the last of your worries!

So here is how you do it complete with all the Photos you will need and while I am about it, I may as well Post for the benefit of all the V12 Owners how you remove the Instrument Binnacle on those, in case the Speedo Stops Working or you want to change the Bulbs for Brighter ones

Which again is so simple to do, that when I initially ran into a problem the GF manage to do this (apparently with no help from myself) and hasn't stopped gloating from that day to this!

Removing The Speedo Binnacle from my 1995 XJS 4.0L

Removing The Speedo Binnacle or (How the GF Removed The Speedo Binnacle from my XJS V12) all by herself, with apparently no Help from me whatsoever!
read the whole of Page 76 Cherry Blossom Restoration Thread, as this Sorry Saga is in Two Parts (including loads of Photos) of how She did it with no help from me!

Hold my Prosciutto! GF Humiliates V12 Owner in Speedo Fix Drama!

 

Hi
your reply about removal of the binnacle was extremely helpful. I need to renovate/repair the airflow motors and I wondered if you had gone that far into the space at the rear of the binnacle.
regards
Chris

 

Hi Chridal

Greg and Grant are the Guys for that

Alex

 

Do you mean the blower motors for the heater?

 

Hi Greg
Yes they work intermittently and I have been advised to give them a tap to free them or take them out to renovate them. The one behind the binnacle is apparently difficult. I have accessed ( with difficulty) the lower motor and a tap sorted that for a while. I am trying to avoid an expensive dash removal. Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers
Chris

 

Chris,

In my experience, removing the instrument binnacle doesn't really help you at all with aircon flap problems. It's much more about getting the cheek panels off, or else it's a dash-out challenge.

I would start a new thread in order to keep this one on track for its original title and question.

Good luck

Paul