[Gubi]

Procedure

1) Remove the ashtray

2) Remove the two screws on the ARC display and remove the display from the dash. Disconnect the three connectors.

3) Unscrew the two screws on the back and remove the clock.

4) Unscrew the three screws on the back holding the display panel together.

5) Gently separate the white back of the display panel from the black front. You can see the catches around the edges - pry these gently and separate. When you do this, there are two lenses over the master warning light that will probably fall out. Don't lose them.

6) Remove the black piece with the graphics from the white back of the display panel to reveal the circuit boards.

7) There are two boards: the front board with the LEDs and the smaller rear board with the plug connector. These are joined by a short flexible cable. Gently slide them out.

8) The voltage regulator is on the rear board under the big heat sink. The heat sink is riveted to the regulator and then attaches via a post to the circuit board. To remove it, I heated the underside of the board to melt the solder where the post goes through the board. Then I gently pried the post off of the board using a small screwdriver. Once I did this, I desoldered the regulator/heatsink and removed them.

9) I re-used the heat sink by drilling out the rivet. I then used a pop-rivet to attach the heatsink to the new regulator. BE SURE TO MOUNT THE REGULATOR IN THE SAME ORIENTATION or else you'll get the pins backwards. The pinout of the new regulator is exactly the same as the original one.

Edit: I suggest you use thermal grease in step 9 between the heatsink and the regulator

10) Bend the pins and solder the new regulator into place. the heatsink is grounded, so make sure it will not touch the other board when you reassemble everything. The post was there to keep the heatsink from vibrating and cracking the solder, so make sure you use some method to mechanically fasten the heatsink to the board to prevent this. I used tape but will probably try to come up with something better.

11) Reassembly is the reverse of assembly.