960/90: Ambient Temperature Display

[CTCNetwork]

Hi,

I decided to take a bit of a risk this evening and attempt to change the bulb in the ambient temperature unit.

Having been advised by Rupert (V6 Man) that the dash had to come out (I suppose it does) and this required the very careful removal of the wood trim around all the switches on the dash. Great care as you can break the trim/cover. So, easy job then!

I decided to go the other way!!! Underneath!
Removed the cover to the drivers footwell and contorted myself into a position to be able to see the back of the instruments.
Actually, this position is a good one to be able to change many of the bulbs in the cluster, including main dial and warning bulbs...

I was after the ambient temp display though... This can be seen easily enough, from the footwell looking up it is to the right.
It is held in by a screw which you can see easily, but need a ratchet to remove easily.
Actually, I lie. It is actually held in position by two screws!!!
Having felt about the unit carefully with my fingers (as best could working in a restricted space area and upside down in the footwell and in the dark I cold not feel the screw on the far right of the unit. There wasn't really any space to put a screw driver of any sort on the far side either.
Wiggling back and forth eventually snapped the other retaining plastic "O" leaving the screw in place.

I also tried removing the bulb. Because of it's position you are unable to exert enough pressure and be able to twist the holder out as well.

Which prompted me to think:
What sort of design a$$holes does/did Volvo employ to have to remove half of your dash to be able to change a bulb?? Didn't these sort of things actually come to their minds when designing them?
They design a unit (optional) that screws into the instrument cluster that has a bulb. Bulbs blow on occasion. No, Really! So lets put the bulb on the top so it can't be changed EXCEPT by removing the cluster and all that involves??!!
Wucking Fankers!!!

Unplugged the unit and popped inside to change the bulb. Done.
Refitted, but with only one screw holding the unit in, but it does feel quite secure.
Works perfectly so I can now see how warm/cold it is outside...

Des. . .

[Jim760]

i guess the 960 has meny more wires.. i have this unit in my 760..you can get your hand up and remove the bulb fairly easy.. its putting the bugger back in thats the pain i found! you have th support the unit and wriggle about till the bulb drops in place. sounds like you where a bit heavy handed des!

[CTCNetwork]

Hi,

Originally Posted by Jim760

i guess the 960 has meny more wires.. i have this unit in my 760..you can get your hand up and remove the bulb fairly easy.. its putting the bugger back in thats the pain i found! you have th support the unit and wriggle about till the bulb drops in place. sounds like you where a bit heavy handed des!

Heavy handed? No, I spend a good 15 minuted trying to get a reasonable grip on the bulb but couldn't get enough hand (any, in fact!) above the unit to do so, let alone exert enough pressure to be able to twist the bulb out. Nor, indeed, was there any room to be able to turn my hand even had I got a good enough grip..
There is no room for play whatsoever up there...
Best I got was squeezing my index and middle finger together each side of the bulb - no grip that way at all.

Job done now anyway...

Des. . .

[960 rookie]

So I guess I can infer from you folks that to actually add an ambient temp display to a 960 that does not currently have one requires removal of the cluster, which also requires removal of the dash.....both of which sound like a large pain in the backside. Is that a fair statement? If so, I wonder if it's worth it...

[CTCNetwork]

Hi,

Originally Posted by 960 rookie

So I guess I can infer from you folks that to actually add an ambient temp display to a 960 that does not currently have one requires removal of the cluster, which also requires removal of the dash.....both of which sound like a large pain in the backside. Is that a fair statement? If so, I wonder if it's worth it...

Don't have to remove the whole dash, what you need to be able to do is remove the instrument cluster.

However, if your 960/90 has that nice wood trim surrounding the switches then that has to come off (carefully, of course) to allow you to be able to pull out the cluster. Then fitting the display box to the cluster is easy (remove blanking plate, fit temperature display, do up the two screws and you're done)...

But I'd make sure the bulb is working before putting it all back!!!

Des. . .

[SashaG]

Originally Posted by 960 rookie

So I guess I can infer from you folks that to actually add an ambient temp display to a 960 that does not currently have one requires removal of the cluster

Hi,
on my 940 I installed the temp display from underneath. And I didn't use that hidden screw, simply because there was no way I could use a screwdriver in there. But the display stays perfectly in place with juts one screw.

Cheers

[MTerry]

It could be worse. A bulb went out in the climate control panel in my wife's POS GM minivan. We were told that the bulbs are integral to the unit, and to fix the bulb, the entire $350.00 unit had to be replaced. Two more have since gone out and we can't tell what the temp setting is at night. We were also told that the bulbs are integral to the switches ($55.00 apiece) as well, and also can't be changed. So several of them are out too. Difficult to reach is one thing, but impossible to change requires a level of stupidity that only Generally Mismanaged can achieve. There's a reason I only drive foreign cars. (The van was the wife's idea; I wanted a Honda.)

[nutco]

Originally Posted by Sasag

Hi,
on my 940 I installed the temp display from underneath. And I didn't use that hidden screw, simply because there was no way I could use a screwdriver in there. But the display stays perfectly in place with juts one screw.

Cheers

I am about to install the temp gauge in my 97 940 did you manage to find the wire to connect the gauge to ok with the cluster left in, where was it located

[CTCNetwork]

Hi,

Originally Posted by nutco

I am about to install the temp gauge in my 97 940 did you manage to find the wire to connect the gauge to ok with the cluster left in, where was it located

If yo uhave it pre wired in the dash then you should see the connection wrapped in a "sponge" to sttop it rattling.
It has 2 x rows of connections of 4 if I remember.
I assume you also have the sensor itself to fit??

However, taking the dash out in the 940 is a fairly easy task, so you should be able to fir the display pretty easily....

Des. . .

[SashaG]

Originally Posted by nutco

I am about to install the temp gauge in my 97 940 did you manage to find the wire to connect the gauge to ok with the cluster left in, where was it located

Hi,
in my case the connector was taped up pretty high behind the inst. cluster, had a hard time finding it. And the foam wrapped one was the one attached to the display.

Originally Posted by CTCNetwork

However, taking the dash out in the 940 is a fairly easy task

Des, when you open the inst. cluster, do you have to take special care not to let any dust particles get caught on the gauges?
I really hated looking at that on my previous car... Can anyone recommend any stuff to wipe the gauges with?

Cheers,
Sasha