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.

Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer.

It is part of the Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance but has had connections with many other vehicle manufacturers throughout its history—as shareholders, part owners, and suppliers of parts and components.

How popular is Mitsubishi in the United Kingdom?

Mitsubishi celebrated 100 years of automotive manufacturing in 2017 and has created a solid position for itself in the UK market with around 350k vehicles on the roads today.

Making a mark in an SUV orientated market

The selection of Mitsubishi models does feature the Mirage hatchback and the L200 pickup, but the rest of the range is predominantly SUVs. Even the Mirage has strong SUV overtones.

And why not? They’re sturdy, versatile and roomy enough for families of all sizes, and the Outlander PHEV is perfect for company car drivers with its low fuel bills and plenty of interior space.

Outlander PHEV: The world’s first plug-in hybrid SUV

In 2013 Mitsubishi introduced the world’s first plug-in hybrid SUV. As a company that continues to make significant breakthroughs in driving technology, their work with renewable fuel types is establishing them as a leader in ecological systems.

The Mitsubishi Shogun: the beginnings of the SUV generation

The roots of the Shogun can be traced as far back as 1934 with a prototype for the Japanese Government, but it wasn’t until the Tokyo Motor Show in 1973 that Mitsubishi presented their first commercial prototype.

The Shogun was launched in 1982, and along with other 4x4 originals: predominantly by Land Rover, Jeep and the Toyota Land Cruiser, it helped boost the popularity of rugged go-anywhere motoring into the mainstream.

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.