Heater Display Backlights, 2003 Lx.

[fatgut]

Have 2.0 Hdi break model in LX form, has air con not climate control, and backlight gone partially. Had a little look and got so far in (radio out and prised back part of heater display cover)and decided to enquire if anybody has ever done this. Recently spent an age carefully doing same on Laguna only to get as far down as needing to remove a cicuit board to get to bulb! (at which point rang dealer to be informed bulbs are not replaceable) Wondering if is same story on C5 as unit looks a little similar in nature. Any tips gratefully received.

[fatgut]

:lol: Ok, I'll answer myself then! Got the 3 mini light bulbs at citroen dealer and successfully did it. The key to it is to remove the plastic trim around gear stick then that allows access to the 2 little torx bolts which hold the bottom of that big egg shaped piece of plastic that surrounds everything in the centre of the dash(radio, heater etc). Radio has to come out to allow you to get the big egg shaped trim out. Have to pop out the 2 push button switches either side of radio too I seem to remember. Egg shaped trim unclips at sides by prising with screwdriver if necessary with care, then just pulls out easily. The 3 bulbs are accessed from the rear of heater controls, so I had to get the 4 torx bolts out that secure it then release all wiring plugs from back and one control cable at back in order to allow enough slack to then wiggle the heater control panel out of it's aperture. May need to fiddle with the setting of the 2 heater control knobs to allow slack in cable to wiggle heater control unit out, and then to cause the black plastic things to move at the back to expose the outer 2 bulbs if necessary. I had to use a pair or mini pliers to unsrew some of the bulb holders as couldn't grip well enough with fingers. They just unscrew conventional way a quarter turn to release. I took the black plastic front off heater controls as didn't know what I was doing, but absolutely no need to do this. If I need to do the job again I might try using small mirror on stick and see if possible to do without getting heater control unit out at all. Word of warning- one of the bulbs I got from dealer was a dud, so had to re-use the 1 that was still functioning in unit, best to buy an extra then can change the ash-tray one at end of job if not needed, as you will have exposed that one in course of this job. Having done this once, I reckon I could do it in about 30 mins now.Wonder what the dealer would charge for this one?

[fatgut]

I'm so glad I wrote this up because when I came to do it again a couple of months ago I had no idea how to do it, so I did an Internet search and found absolutely nothing until I came across my old post, which I'd totally forgotten about. I can update the info now. It was NOT a half hour job, took over an hour, and it is definitely only possible to do if the heater control panel is removed, and in order to do this the black front (ie the part you actually see with the control knobs on) must be removed too, as it will then allow sufficient room to jiggle it about so it can be pulled out of the aperture to allow access to the bulb holders at the back. It just will not quite fit through the gap otherwise. The black plastic front is only held on by clips that a small screwdriver opened. The heater control cables also definitely must be unclipped at the back of the panel to allow it to come out. Need to use the small dentist mirror to be able to do the job. I was able to just unscrew the bulb holders by hand easily. Putting it all back together is rapid. The key to starting the whole job is removing the gear stick gaiter first in order to then remove the really big piece of plastic trim ( I called it egg shaped but it is not really) which has the centre vents in it, ash tray, radio and heater etc.

[coastline taxis]

good write up. there a proper pain to do aswell.