Hello everybody,

Have had a frustrating Sunday morning, trying to get off the plastic surround from around my instrument panel. According to the Haynes manual on page 12.13 section 10, it is just a question of taking out the two screws from the top of the plastic surround, and pulling it out. No amount of tugging and pulling would free it from the bottom. I knew that I would have been better off going to church, rather than dropping the odd cuss word.

I tried every thing, as it appears that the surround is fixed at the bottom in some sort of way. Went off for a pint after that, as I got disheartened with it all.

I am still trying to fix the intermittant speedo, rev counter, petrol gauge, temperature gauge fault on my Octavia 2002 LX. I have given up trying to get the surround out, and so I would like to hear from any one that has done this operation before.

I have also found a web site called BBA-REMAN.COM who has a photograph on the site of my faulty instrument panel, which is listed as a regular fault.

They do repair these instrument panels with a two year warranty given, at a cost of £150 plus VAT and P&P, if they consider that the unit is repairable.

I am not sure of the cost of a new unit from Skoda dealers, and as to whether or not I may get one that will give trouble again.

Has anyone used this repair service, or had problems with a replacement new Skoda panel, from the dealer?

I have found that if I remove fuse 7 which is one of those for the instrument cluster, (and not for the reversing lights as stated in the Haynes manual), the gauges function OK, with the ignition on and while driving, but do not reset to zero when the ignition is switched off again. But the next time that the ignition key is turned to the 'on' position the gauges all judder back to zero, and then function normally. I suppose that I could always fit a relay across fuse 7 to reset the gauges to zero during switch off, or shell out loads of cash for a repair or replacement unit. I wish that Skoda would label fuse panels as this is not good engineering practice. Incidentally the lights on warning buzzer no longer functions, when the fault is present.

Oh well will soon be Christmas, and perhaps 'er in doors' will put a new top of the range Skoda in my stocking. Not Bl**dy likely.

Regards to all

Soviet (Swindon)

Hello all, (re-edit 22/11/2006)

Since writing the above, I have realised that the fuse panel as shown in the Haynes manual needs to be viewed from the rear by turning over the page, and in fact the fuse that I removed, was in fact fuse 15, one of two that feeds the instrument panel, and not fuse 7 as stated above. But by doing this gave me back operation of the instruments as decribed above, but I will try to do a complete cure when I get the panel out. For some reason Haynes printed the thing in reverse. Fuse 7 is after all for the reversing lights. Confusing or what?

Ah well 'sheeps heads'

Soviet (Swindon)

Have you also referred to the pictures Turbo_Boss (Isaac) posted in the thread below?

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/post733377.html

2004 prices for instrument clusters varied between

I had the same trouble removing the plastic surround. If it's never been removed before you have to pull it VERY hard. The only screws are the 2 at the top you've mentioned, the bottom is just a push-in clip.

I'll second that! I tried to take mine out last weekend and gave up in the end - I feared breaking the plastic!!

There are 2 clips you need to pull out at the back on the bottom right and left of the instrument panel.

Once you remove the 2 screws pull the instrument panel down from the top and then pull with your fingers behind the bottom left and right - they are very tight fitting so you need to use a bit of force but BE CAREFUL as there are 2 electrical attachments at the back.

I had the same problem as you and went out and bought an instrument panel for

Hello Denis,

Many thanks for your help, and the URL for the thread from Isaac.

I try to thank people that help me, as I am of the age group that still believes in manners, and a 'thank you' costs nothing, but makes me feel a whole lot better.

Thank you again Regards Soviet

Hello EddyH,

I try to thank people that help me, as I am of the age group that still believes in manners, and a 'thank you' costs nothing, but makes me feel a whole lot better.

Thank you again Regards Soviet

Hello Billy,

I will bear your kind offer in mind, if all else fails, and will keep a note of your e-mail address. I certainly would pay you the £30 for the panel, and the postage etc. But I will try to fix mine first, as the stumbling block so far has been getting mine out i.e. removing the plastic surround.

I may be in with a shout, as I am a qualified electronics engineer working as a technical officer for BT.

I am very busy at present, and will have another go over the Xmas annual leave period that I have off from work. Please hang on to the panel if you can, as I may come back to you.

I try to thank people that help me, as I am of the age group that still believes in manners, and a 'thank you' costs nothing, but makes me feel a whole lot better.

Thank you again Regards Soviet (Graham MIET IENG)

I get the feeling you're doing something wrong as it is literaly a 2 minute job to release the panel. Have you taken off the plastic covers covering the screws and taken the screws right out using the special star type screwdriver? Even if you find it difficult to release the 2 bottom clips the panel should easily be pulled down from the top leaving just the 2 bottom clips attached and it rests on the stearing column.

Also, if you've got the time you might be as well checking out your local scrap dealers yourself and see if they've got one first - at least you wouldn't have to pay pp. There must be plenty around as a lot of taxi drivers use Octavias.

I get the feeling you're doing something wrong as it is literaly a 2 minute job to release the panel. Have you taken off the plastic covers covering the screws and taken the screws right out using the special star type screwdriver? Even if you find it difficult to release the 2 bottom clips the panel should easily be pulled down from the top leaving just the 2 bottom clips attached and it rests on the stearing column.

Also, if you've got the time you might be as well checking out your local scrap dealers yourself and see if they've got one first - at least you wouldn't have to pay pp. There must be plenty around as a lot of taxi drivers use Octavias.

Hello Billy,

I don't think that I am doing any thing incorrectly, as it should be such a simple proceedure, which I agree with you should take all of about two minutes.

Yes I did remove the plastic covers from the screws, and then removed them with the star type screw driver, but was unable to detach the the plastic at the bottom where the clips are. Possibly some one had had a go previously, and glued the thing, may be, or it is as tight as a 'ducks wat not'.

I am quite a large fellow, with lots of muscle, but it would not move. Thanks for your idea about, the local scrap yards, taxi drivers etc, as we have loads of Octavia cabbies in Swindon. I will keep your original e-mail just in case, I can't get the correct panel, and assuming that I also am unable to repair mine.

I was was actually in Scotland for the first time for a 2 day BT training course in Edinbrugh, back in the summer, which is just across the water from Dundee so I seem to recall. This was however a one off, and I am not likely to go back there again.

We stayed at the Old Waverley Hotel, opposite the Sir Walter Scott memorial, by the station there. I really enjoyed it, as the people are really friendly, and I had a glorious time.

I will have another go, and follow the instructions in your previous e-mail, and will share with 'all' any fault that I find, on the board itself, or the two connectors which go to it.

I will not give up, the challenge.

Thank you for the reply.

Regards Soviet

Well, I have remove this cover myself too and is very easy...........I really dont undertand what can be your problemo. Check the atached pic with some tips.

Isaac

It's just VERY VERY tight if it's the first time it's been removed, it took ALOT of force to get mine and I did think I was going to break it but it was fine.

Hello Isaac, and thank you for the diagram.

Will have another go at the thing soon, as having thought about it, I may have been trying to pull up from the bottom, instead of out towards me. Your diagram seems to point to this being the case.

Will let you know if I crack the problemo.

Regards

Soviet

A little help goes a long way with some people, as it does here at Briskoda.

Hello Isaac, and thank you for the diagram.

Will have another go at the thing soon, as having thought about it, I may have been trying to pull up from the bottom, instead of out towards me. Your diagram seems to point to this being the case.

Will let you know if I crack the problemo.

Regards

Soviet

Hey Soviet, maybe is a good idea to have your digital camera so you can take some pics in order to help others.

Good luck,

Isaac