I have to describe this from memory which might have a few spider webs in it. Also, there are four models of LeBaron. If you have a convertible, this procedure does not apply.
As I recall, you need to remove the "knee blocker" which is the lower plastic panel under the steering column. Should be two or four screws along the bottom. There might be two screws along the top of that panel, and/or a screw behind a fuse box cover. Once that panel is removed, you should see three or four screws along the bottom of the instrument cluster trim escutcheon. Remove those, then look for four screws along the top that are hidden from view by the dash pad. Pull that trim panel off. It may also be held on with two small pieces of Velcro behind the bottom corners.
The housing is white and there are four Philips screws that must be removed. If you see 1/4" hex-head bolts, those hold the clear cover to the housing. Those do not have to be removed to get the cluster out.
Before you pull the cluster out, there is a shifter indicator cable that must be disconnected. Look on the right side of the steering column, below where the knee blocker was. The cable looks like a piece of fishing line with a metal hook on the end. Lift that hook off the metal tang. The tube that line runs in is hard plastic and ends in a black bracket. There will either be one screw in that bracket, or you need to squeeze it, then pull it off the column. That assembly gets pulled out as you remove the cluster. If you are not sure if you will get it fished back in correctly, tie a long piece of string to the hook, then pull it out. Leave the string in place so it can be used later to pull the cable back in.
When you have the cluster reinstalled, check the position of the shift indicator pointer in all gears. There are two versions that have two different ways to adjust them. The pointers on the older ones have teeth on the bottom that mesh with the teeth on the slide it sits on. You are supposed to start with the pointer set too far to the right. Once everything is assembled, pull the shift lever all the way down to "1". The pointer will get there too soon, then as you continue pulling the lever, the slide will ratchet under the pointer's teeth to the perfect adjustment.
If you start with the pointer too far to the left, the slide is spring-loaded but that spring usually is not strong enough to make the slide ratchet under the pointer to proper adjustment. Typically the shock of bottoming out each time you shift to "park" will eventually convince the pointer to self-adjust, but that could take a few days.
On the newer versions, the pointer's position is adjusted with a small Allen-head screw in the plastic bracket clipped to the steering column. Once adjusted, work the shift lever a few times, then tweak the adjustment as necessary.
What problem are you trying to solve?
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Tuesday, April 3rd, 2018 AT 2:45 PM
