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speedo` (instrument cluster) problems - SOLVED


za_killer

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Hi guys, I'm entirely new here on the forum, but I have read a few threads, as I search for clues as of to why my odometer shows entirely wrong numbers. as if some bars on the little lcd display are constant. meaning my car shows a "mirrored 6"-82 instead of, what I think, should be 192k's. I have come to understand that the instrument clusters on these cars are a bit less than reliable. could it be, as with the dial problems, that there are broken solders on some pins on the chip that runs the display? or might it be the display itself being faulty? I see garethj71 mentions the odometer, but I'm not entirely sure what he means by "twisting the metal tabs" 

I found this simple guide on how to possibly correct a lcd display, displaying the wrong things, but I'm not sure if it applies to this one, as I don't know if it got a ribbon cable or whatever its called.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Repair-a-Malfunctioning-LCD/

http://i1322.photobucket.com/albums/u563/StaalSchmitze/20151020_023205_zpstmg6jsxd.jpg hope you can see the pic.

Each digit of an LCD "number" is made up of 7 elements, 3 horizontal and 4 vertical. Your description sounds like one of the individual elements could have failed.

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yes, that is what I think aswell, but if it's internally in the display or connections, i don't know. was hoping this was a common problem, but since I don't find any guides on fixing this specificly, I take it that it might not be that usual.

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There is no ribbon cable to the display, it relies on pressure applied using the metal clips at the back of the circuit board to connect between the display and the PCB. It is possible that simply removing the display and then use some alcohol based cleaner on the board to clean the contacts and reassemble. You could check the state of the components mentioned in the first post but if all is working apart from the LCD, then perhaps leave those till later.

Had a chance to disassemble the unit today, with nerves on edge, afraid to ruin it beyond repair. I't was fairly easy though, and I managed to take it apart and put it back together again without any damage done to it.

I noticed that it had been apart before while I was disassembling, and the odometer circuits had been tampered with, there was some solder on there (see picture in link) 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154207536321490&set=a.10154207536256490.1073741826.531861489&type=3&theater

It seems someone have attempted to repair this before, although with minimal success... but now I know how to take this apart, and I know there are some bad or possibly fried circuits, so thats kind of good.

I tried to clean it a little, but it wasn't exactly dirty either, only had some lenswipes.

I also went to the dealership today, and they couldn't even point me towards a shop that could repair this, so thats nice. allways nice to have to deal with "Møller" they did ask me, however, if I wouldn't rather get a new instrument cluster, for the fine sum of aproxx 450-500£ which is just about 1/2-1/3 of the car's value:P

Ah well, I'll just have to live with it for now:) also, need to calibrate my rev counter and speedometer, as I might have been a bit quick to remove and put em back on... idle is now about 500 :P speed seems decentish.. will have to see tomorrow when I go to work.

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  • 1 month later...

Does anyone know what color is SMD on stock mk1 dashboard which is all in green? Are they white (going through greenish plastic) or are they green? I need to replace few of them and don't know what color to buy.

They are green. The plastic over it is in white color. You need 3528 sized SMD leds.

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  • 2 years later...

Thank-you za killer!

Have just fixed a W reg 1999 tdi with 234k miles.

I am an electronics tech and it was very helpful to find a shortcut to the problem by the symptoms listed on this site.

The voltage stabiliser or regulator, the TLE device, has 5 legs, which are all fairly easy to access for soldering with a narrow tip.

First attempt did not cure the problem however.

It is important to remember to resolder the heatsink tab, which having done, cured it on the second attempt.

This may require a hotter iron and thicker tip than those normally used in Surfarce Mount repair.

thanks again.

LTR

Edited by LoneToteRanger
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  • 4 weeks later...

UP DATE - 

The blighter failed after about 50 miles.

HERE IS THE REAL CURE

Many years ago, I recall a Philips CD Player stock regular fault.

The problem was that the feed-through holes from top side to bottom side of the board would go open-circuit.

If you don't know what a feed-through hole is, there are 4 of them right beside the TLE.

I ran a tiny drill through one of them and then passed a wire, scratching away the solder resist with a fibre pen on the copper area and soldering the wire both sides.

It has been working flawlessly for the last 200 miles.

The feed through holes on the CD player were every bit as intermittent being affected by temperature as the Octavia instrument panel.

But now - success!

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