The backlight on the dashboard of the VAZ 2114 disappeared - because of what and how to fix it

The dashboard is an important source of information for the driver about the condition of the vehicle. Without it, the safe operation of the machine is simply impossible, so the panel must be visible around the clock. At night, the backlight helps to see the panel. But she, like any other VAZ 2114 system, can fail. Fortunately, it is quite possible to repair it yourself.

Reasons for disabling the dashboard on the VAZ 2114

Turning off the dashboard backlight does not bode well for either the driver or the vehicle. Because this malfunction is usually followed by others. Therefore, the backlight should be repaired immediately.

Many drivers install LEDs in the backlight instead of standard incandescent bulbs.

It should also be understood that if the lights on the dashboard have gone out, then the problem must be looked for somewhere in the on-board electrical network. This means that you cannot do without a multimeter, a soldering iron and electrical tape. Here are the main reasons for turning off the backlight:

• fuse blown;
• burned out light bulbs (or LEDs - in later VAZ 2114 models, the panel is illuminated by them);
• damaged wiring in the on-board electrical network;
• the common terminal board of the dashboard burned out.

Let's consider these points in more detail.

Blown fuse

80% of backlight shutdowns are due to a blown fuse. It is located in a safety block installed under the steering column of the car. The fuse indicated in the documentation as F10 is usually lit.

In the box, the fuse is located on the right and is designated as F10

It is he who is responsible for the dashboard illumination, the side lights and license plate lighting. On early VAZ 2114 models, the F10 fuse was brown or red.

On early VAZ 2114 models, the F10 fuses were brown

On later cars, green ones began to be installed. It is not difficult to understand that the fuse has blown. It is enough just to examine it. A blown fuse may be slightly blackened or melted, and the conductor inside the case may be broken. A defective fuse is replaced with a new one. This usually solves the problem.

Burnt out light bulbs

Light bulbs in the dashboard work far from ideal conditions. They are regularly subjected to shaking, power surges in the car's electrical network and temperature extremes. All this significantly reduces their service life. Especially if these are not LEDs, but ordinary incandescent lamps, which were equipped with the first VAZ 2114 models. There are a total of 19 bulbs (but this number also varies depending on the year of manufacture of the car, and the number of lamps should be specified in the technical documentation for the car).

Another reason for the burnout of bulbs is their incorrect installation. Most often this is observed on early models of the VAZ 2114, where drivers decide on their own to change outdated incandescent lamps for new LEDs, making some changes to the electrical circuit. It is not so easy to perform this operation without proper qualifications. This is what the sequence for replacing bulbs looks like.

1. The steering column is lowered to the lower position, until it stops. Above it is a dashboard casing with four mounting screws. They are unscrewed with a Phillips screwdriver.
   

   To move the dashboard cover, it is enough to unscrew 5 bolts
2. There are a row of buttons to the right of the panel. There is another screw next to it, hidden by a plastic plug. It is pry off with a knife (or flat screwdriver). The screw is unscrewed.
3. Now you need to remove the car radio from the niche by unscrewing its fastening bolts, and also remove the plastic handles from the heater controls.
4. The dashboard cover is free of fasteners. It should be pulled towards you, extending 15–20 cm. This will be enough to gain access to the rear wall of the instrument cluster.
5. A row of recesses with light bulb sockets is visible on the wall. They are extracted manually. To do this, the cartridge, together with the lamp, is rotated counterclockwise until a characteristic click is heard.
   

   The arrow on the back wall shows a cartridge with a light bulb, it is unscrewed manually
6. Burnt out bulbs are replaced with new ones, then the dashboard is reassembled.

Video: change the bulbs in the dashboard VAZ 2114

HOW TO CHANGE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BULBS. VAZ 2114

Damaged wiring

Wiring problems are the worst case. To deal with this on their own, the driver needs to have serious knowledge of electrical engineering. In particular, he should be able to read automotive wiring diagrams well. Not all motorists can boast of such skills. It is for this reason that it is better to entrust the search for a damaged section of on-board electrical wiring to a qualified auto electrician.

His actions boil down to the following: he determines the key sections of the circuit and sequentially "rings" them with a multimeter until he finds the broken section of the wiring. This work can take several minutes or several hours - it all depends on where exactly the open circuit occurred.

Panel backplane problems

If all of the above measures did not lead to anything, the last option remains: damage to the contact board in the dashboard. This part is a combination of several microcircuits. It is not possible to repair it in a garage without special diagnostic equipment. So the car owner has only one option - to replace the entire board. You can buy it at any auto parts store. It costs about 400 rubles. We list the steps to replace it.

1. First, all the actions mentioned above, in the paragraph on replacing bulbs, are performed.
2. But instead of unscrewing the bulbs, you should unscrew the four bolts at the corners of the rear wall of the dashboard.
3. The back wall is carefully removed along with the board, which is attached to the wall with plastic latches.
   

   The contact board in the dashboard of the VAZ 2114 rests on simple plastic latches
4. The latches are bent with a knife, the damaged board is removed and replaced with a new one. Then the panel is reassembled.

So, the owner of the VAZ 2114 can solve most of the problems with the dashboard illumination on his own. All that is required for this is the ability to use a screwdriver. An exception is the case of damaged wiring. It is strongly recommended to contact an electrician to identify the damaged area. This will save a lot of time and nerves, which, as you know, are not restored.