I have a few questions about the interior lighting in my car. I have a 98 C230, and a bulb in the display went out. As it's very dim, even before the light went out, I want to modify it a bit.

The instrument cluster:
1. Can I change the backlight color of my clock/temp/tach/odometer?
2. Is it safe to paint my needles?
3. What should I clean the internal reflectors with?
4. Anyone have the part numbers for the 3W and 1.2W bulbs?
5. Are the bulbs all 12V

The gear shift
1. Can I change the color of the gear indicators?
2. Are they seperate bulbs for each gear, or just 1 illuminating the entire row?
3. Do the window and trunk release switches have seperate bulbs?
4. What are the specs for the bulbs that illuminate the gear indicator and window buttons?

The radio and ACC:
1. Can I brighten the display on these?
2. Can I change the color?
3. What are the specs for the bulbs they use on these?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance. I have searched meny forums and these are the only questions I could not find answers to.

Ok, let's get down to business here.

1. You can, but the screens are tinted. The bulbs are all white light, but yu can use different colored LED's. They will be tinted by the amber colored screen and the slightly different power consumption of the replacement bulbs will likely cause some electrical issues, but it can be done. Seems to work better on Hondas than MB's.

2.I don't see why not. As long as you don't get paint anywhere near the sensitive internals. It is very difficult to open up a MB instrument cluster. I run an authorized MB repair facility and we replace them rather than repair them. It is considered a sealed unit. You would probably need to use the oven method to open it (just like opening a japanese headlight housing).

3. 3M Plastic cleaner. Good stuff. Works great on the insides on Headlight housings that have condensation stains baked in as well.

4. I guarantee your local MB dealer can have this for you with a three minute phone call.

5. Yes. All consumers in a 12V system are.

The gear shift
1. Yes. Reference #1 above

2. Just one.

3. No

4.I'm not sure what you mean by this

The radio and ACC (good use of proper nomenclature on the ACC BTW)
1. You can, but again, you are changing the load on an electrical system that has enough of its own problems. Not really something I'd recommend, but if the immediate result outweighs the consequence...

2. Reference #1 way up at the top

3. Again, not sure what you mean by this.

Wow PHAEDRUS242! Thanks for the comprehensive answer. That has to be the best response I have ever gotten in a forum. It filled in many, many blanks.

What I meant by:
4. What are the specs for the bulbs that illuminate the gear indicator and window buttons?
was the Wattage and Voltage. I'll ask the dealer if you don't know it off hand when I call for the part numbers.

The only part which I am confused by is if I want to change the actual color of the clock/temp/tach/odometer numbers, I'd have to replace them individually, right? The light buld behind them only serves to light the background, and does not actually generate the numbers. Am I correct in this assumption?

Thanks again for the answers. They are much appreciated.

Yeah, I don't have that info on the wattages off hand, but it is easily looked up by your friendly MB parts consultant.

And yes, the bulbs will need individual replacement. The numbers are there on a liquid crystal, the bulb only backlights them.

Good luck with the project. Post pics.

the light bulb in the instrument cluster includes the illumination of the numbers, the numbers and marks are translucent and the 4 bulbs on the rear cluster serves as lightings for these areas

with regards to the lights on the window switch, its build in and only if you can carefully work on disassembling the switch , then you may be able to access the bulb, its smlall and available even after market brands like narva, philips, osram sylvania etc.