Good Morning my fellow Briskodians, i'm back...and a friend of mine just bought himself a Skoda Octavia, a 2000 model, with a 1.6l 101bhp engine...Unfortunately it's Automatic...because i don't like automatic cars...but let's skip that part...

So the Dashboard meters are Broken-Ish

Rev-Meter

Speedometer

Oil-o- Meter

Gas-o-Meter

They all seem to be dead-ish, but they knock in every once in a while, so my friend took it to a repair shop in iceland (wich is where we live) and yeah...the guy said he'd need to buy a new one....wich wouldn't be very nice since it's like ****ing Expensive...[£870 to be exact]

so what i'm thinking is...could it just be the cables, since the meters just "go off" and then "go on" every once in a while...or does he Really need a new one, cause i'm trying to find him a nice 2nd hand one for maybe about 80-150£

well guys...i need your help

Common problem on the octavia, we have a number of threads on the subject. It is possible to get partial functionality back by removing a fuse. It is possible to fix the current cluster, although it will need to be sent away to do so.

http://briskoda.net/octavia-i/octavia-90-tdi-intermittent-instrument-panel/8552/?highlight=cluster

http://briskoda.net/octavia-i/poll-instrument-panel-fault/142769/

http://briskoda.net/octavia-i/speedo-fuel-gauge/156971/

Common problem on the octavia, we have a number of threads on the subject. It is possible to get partial functionality back by removing a fuse. It is possible to fix the current cluster, although it will need to be sent away to do so.

http://briskoda.net/octavia-i/octavia-90-tdi-intermittent-instrument-panel/8552/?highlight=cluster

http://briskoda.net/octavia-i/poll-instrument-panel-fault/142769/

http://briskoda.net/octavia-i/speedo-fuel-gauge/156971/

do you think removing the 15th fuse (brown 5amp) will fix the problem?

He can try to buy one from this site Octavia I | Interiér | ALPA-Auto - Úpravy seda?ek & prodej originálních dopl?k? voz? ?koda

do you think removing the 15th fuse (brown 5amp) will fix the problem?

Removing fuse 15 will get the instruments working but with the following points. The clock time, and trip computer data is lost when the key is removed. That and the rev counter will not return to zero when the engine is switched off, it will stay in the idle position. The LCD displays will also go blank.

My 1999 1.6 GLxi has been without fuse 15 for well over a year now.

Same problems like not having the audible warning when parked-up with lights on.

But now we are having intermittent problems where all the instruments read zero.

The problem is not too severe as 95% of the time all works fine.

I am however investigating whether to try and fix the problem for good.

Today I have sent off for this item I found on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Repair-Manual-Instrument-Cluster-Skoda-Octavia_W0QQitemZ150408560228QQcmdZViewItemQQptZSach_Fachb%C3%BCcher?hash=item23050c7e64

I'll keep you posted but I would be interested to hear from anyone who has successfully fixed the problem.

Edited 31 January, 201016 yr by slackbladder