Coolant warning light, fuel gauge drops, fuse issue?

[markyd23]

Hi folks, my dad has a problem on his fabia, 52 plate. Gets coolant warning and beep and fuel gauge drops to nothing and the trip button doesn't work. When you give the fuse cover a whack things seem ok. All fluid levels are fine and fuses seem ok too. Any ideas?

[Breezy_Pete]

Probably cracked solder joints on the green 32-way connector of the cluster PCB.  Shock of hitting the fuse cover jogs the joints back into conducting, for a while.

You can get enough access to check the back of the PCB without major disassembly of the cluster.

(Ignore the red-circled joints they are for the immobiliser, check them all though for the pins being surrounded by cracked solder; you may be able to see them move if you waggle the connector housing while watching the solder side).

 

 

 

[markyd23]

Brilliant thanks

[Seqmt]

I have exactly the same issue, any joy with this?

[Seqmt]

A massive thank you @Wino! Had the instrument cluster out this evening and after a good inspection, there are a fair few that are cracked so are not picking up signal etc. This explains the fuel gauge dropping and also the immobiliser light coming on intermittently. The fuel gauge worked when I turned the engine on and gave it a good wiggle! Winner!

 

So, how hard is it to re-solder? I haven't used a soldering iron in about 15 years. Any tips and tricks? Or should I get a professional to do it?

[Breezy_Pete]

There's not much to it really. Switch the iron on, wait til its hot enough to melt your solder more or less instantly. Clean the tip on a damp sponge, apply a bit of solder to 'tin' it. Then apply to the dodgy joint, simultaneously feeding in a bit of new solder.

Main thing is to not overdo the solder, and try not to bridge adjacent pins with blobs of it.

 

Youtube probably has plenty of instructional vids.

 

[markyd23]

Thanks will be looking at it this weekend:)

[Seqmt]

Cheers! @Wino