RE: Replacing OBC lights

["Fadeev, Alex" <Alex.Fadeev@xxxxxxx>]

Tim Stiles <tstiles@domain.elided> asks:
> 
> OK,  I looked for screws, I poked pins in a voodoo doll, and 
> lit a candle at church but my OBC is still firmly implanted
> in my dash. I got the various bulbs I need from the local BMW
> dealer. Can someone tell me how to get it out so I can put
> the new bulbs in?  Cursing at it doesn't seem to work either.
> 1989 M3

Tim,
You are after 4 small Phillips screws behind the plastic center console.

To get to them you could either: 
1). remove the center console panel: 2 medium Phillips screw on top behind
the defogger/hazard switch (or one of the blanks); 2 more under the air
flow/air temp controls. Pull off the air flow lever buttons and the plate
behind them hiding another 4 Phillips screws holding the center console to
the heater control unit. Now the center console panel is ready to slide out
and give you ample access to the OBC.
2). employ child labor to get to the back of the OBC through the glove box
compartment. You will need to remove the plastic separator between the glove
box area and the center console. 

Approach (1) is easier, but more time consuming.
Either way, be prepared to loose some screws as you screw/unscrew them.

With approach (1), have a few spare 1.2W Osram bulbs ($1 from the dealer) on
hand as disturbing the gods of the center console will kill some of these
bulbs in either console elimination or the switches. Check to make sure all
components light up _before_ you put the console back together.

alex f

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