What does an instrument panel bulb do?

A car’s instrument panel, or dashboard, is usually located directly in front of the driver, behind the steering wheel. It displays important information about the performance of your car, such as the speedometer, fuel gauge, warning lights and your indicator lights. The instrument panel is usually backlit so requires a bulb to be fitted behind it.

It is essential that this instrument panel is working properly at all times as it provides important information to the driver about the performance and operation of the car. The bulb must be working properly to ensure the driver can view this information at night.

Suzuki

The Suzuki Motor Corporation is a Japanese multinational automotive and motorcycle manufacturer, established in 1909, over 100 years ago.

How popular is Suzuki in the United Kingdom?

Possibly better known as a leading motorcycle manufacturer, the cars from this marque are becoming a well-known household name in UK motoring. The Suzuki Swift and Suzuki Vitara have made a real impact on UK drivers, being responsible for over half of the 408k Suzuki models on the roads today.

Good value small city cars and SUV driving

Suzuki’s success has been dependent on their provision of small, well-priced cars that offer excellent value and good fuel economy. They offer a selection of city cars and small hatchbacks, with added hybrid fuel options for green drivers and those who want further economy from their motoring.

It’s possibly the Vitara, Ignis and the SX4 S-Cross SUV and crossover models that are making the most impact for this brand, despite not achieving quite the same impressive sales figures as the Swift.

Suzuki provides great technology for budget brand cars

For cars at their price-point, Suzuki crams in a lot of tech. The Vitara, for example, comes with Suzuki’s Boosterjet turbocharged engine and Allgrip 4-wheel drive system for performance, and a host of additional technology for drivability.

It also incorporates driver assistance features such as a lane departure warning that includes visual signals and a vibrating steering wheel, cruise control and fully integrated smartphone connectivity—features you’d tend to expect to find on much higher priced vehicles.

The Suzuki SHVS hybrid system

In the current climate where ecology and green motoring has become prevalent, the ‘Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki’ advanced driving system reduces CO2 emissions and lowers your running costs. What Suzuki has done here, is create a lighter and smaller system than the standard hybrid arrangement. Combine that with their cars’ lightweight chassis and nimble performance, and the efficiency becomes even more impressive.

How often should an instrument panel bulb need replacing?

Vehicle dashboard lights help monitor the various gauges in a car. Broken instrument panel lights can leave you clueless as to whether your car is experiencing engine problems, such as running low on fuel, overheating or ABS failure, often until it is too late. Having these lights working is especially vital when driving at night. Therefore it’s important that all bulbs are in full working order so you can stay aware and safe on the roads.

The law, vehicle regulations and your MOT

During an MOT, the mechanic will check that the instruments on your vehicle’s dashboard are illuminated sufficiently. If these components, such as the fuel gauge and speedometer, are not sufficiently illuminated that will lead to a minor, however if the instruments are not illuminated at all this will most likely lead to your car failing the MOT.

What happens when we do an instrument panel bulb replacement on your car?

Our certified mechanics will:

• Remove the instrument panel front

• Check all fuses and bulbs connected to the instrument panel

• Replace any faulty fuses or bulbs

• Refit the instrument panel front and test the lights are working

What causes an instrument panel bulb to break?

Like many other car parts over time faults can occur, and occasionally the instrument panel bulbs can break or blow. Additionally, bulbs can stop working due to electrical faults or if a fuse has blown. Because the instrument panel displays important information about the running of your vehicle it’s important to fix any bulbs when they stop working.

What are the signs of a bad instrument panel bulb?

Usually, there a few signs you can look for:

• Your car dashboard isn’t lit

• Dashboard warning lights are flickering or not displaying

• Your indicator dashboard lights aren't flashing

How often should you replace your instrument panel bulb?

Instrument panel bulbs shouldn’t need to be replaced regularly, however like most car parts they can become faulty over time. Broken or faulty bulbs will make it very difficult to observe aspects of your car’s performance as you’re driving and may prevent dashboard warning lights from displaying. This could mean that serious (and potentially dangerous) faults could go undetected, leading to costly repairs down the line.

What happens during an instrument panel bulb replacement?

During the repair our certified mechanics will:

• Remove the instrument panel front

• Check all fuses and bulbs connected to the instrument panel

• Replace any faulty fuses or bulbs

• Refit the instrument panel front and test the lights are working

Can you drive with a broken instrument panel bulb?

Vehicle dashboard lights help monitor the various gauges in a car. Broken instrument panel lights can leave you clueless as to whether your car is experiencing engine problems, such as running low on fuel, overheating or ABS failure, often until it is too late. Having these lights working is especially vital when driving at night. Therefore it’s important that all bulbs are in full working order so you can stay aware and safe on the roads.