And you are now immortalized in the DIY sticky above. Thanks.

 

Nice write-up. Now, how do I get the instrument panel out? I have this problem and really want it fixed. Thanks.

 

Very good. The only worrying thing is that is seems as if a lot of the gold plating on the contact pins are off? That may be the reason for the bad contact.

 

Only VDO would have the answer to that I guess.

 

great article

I have taken the liberty of posting the link to some fellow sufferers at the MBOA. I'm sure they will be grateful.

 

Franasia: Are there Error Messages after re-connecting cluster?

I've been searching this subject and am concerned about this. Some have reported either Error messages after reconnecting the cluster and some others have reported losing the even more important center display.

I am so wanting to do this over the weekend. Just a little scared over what I've read.

ANYONE done it yet? Experiences appreciated.

Thanks all...I've also posted this on W208 board

 

I've been searching this subject and am concerned about this. Some have reported either Error messages after reconnecting the cluster and some others have reported losing the even more important center display.

I am so wanting to do this over the weekend. Just a little scared over what I've read.

ANYONE done it yet? Experiences appreciated.

Thanks all...I've also posted this on W208 board

I appreciate the great job at the macro overview regarding the ribbon repair. They helped me with my bulb replacement issues, however after an in depth investigation I have found and I have been led to believe that replacement ribbon cables are available for MY VDO 1999TD display. I have no idea about availability of other makes and models.

If I ever have a pixel issue with my VDO display and need ribbon cables, I would rather replace new cables rather than putzing around.

Ribbon cables are also available for the climate control pixel issues.

All is clear.

 

Never heard of anyone getting an error message. Why would they? All you are doing is pulling 2 connectors and playing with 2 ribbons. Pretty simple fix, if it is the ribbons.

On mine, the temp was fixed, but the gear select has pixel problems, so it is going to get shipped out for repair.

 

I have duff displays in the E430: do I deduce that taking the cluster out won't fix the pixellation weirdness in the shift display? I fixed the Forester's clock (which is a tiny surface-mount resistor you have to re-solder) so I'm fairly good with bits - is there a similar DIY for pixel repairs?

 

help, i am stuck

i got the cluster out very easily using the tools from ohlord.
the pixels are better now, not perfect.
however when i replace the cluster, the 2 corner triangular pieces that have the check engine message etc are misaligned. they also just fell out when i opened the cluster. how can i get them to stay in place and aligned. glue?

thanks for any help
paul

 

Line them up

and a drop of super glue,just a drop in case you need to pry it off and get it perfect if not perfect the first time.
ohlord:bowdown:

 

thanks ohlord. you always help.
i used very thin strips of scotch tape and it worked. super glue would not have allowed any adjustment but the scotch tape did.

 

Just a thought here... if you noticed, each of the triangles have a tiny round hole on the bottom... and the cluster housing has a notch (looks like a "pimple") so that when you snap in the the housings together, the hole on the triangle should be placed right on top of that "pimple"... this is what holds the triangle in place... properly

 

if doing all this doesn't fix the issue, do you just buy a new part? jh, you've mentioned sending it out, can the part be repaired, or do you mean sending the car out to have this issue fixed? i'm sure I can get in there and replace the part if it needs replacing; i'm having this issue too and will try the DIY first though. kinda worried that if I'm not able to get it back together I won't be able to drive it though...

 

BBA Remanufacturing repairs them, they charge $225.00 plus $20 shipping. They are in Taunton, MA.

 

I have used BBA to remanufacture my cluster on my last 420 - they did a great job - cost to remove and replace by the dealer was 100 bucks - it's a very simple process but if you choose not to do it yourself any dealer will do it - I sent it out on Monday overnight Fed EX - it was back in the car on Thursday - excellent service- and at a fraction of what a new cluster would be -

In fact, after seeing it, my dealer asked where I had it done and now uses them as an alternative to a new one which does cost upward of $1000US -

You can find BBA re man by going to Google - great service and a lifetime warranty -

Steve

 

i'm hoping they have a bay and take appointments as i can't send the part out and go without the car for a few days...$225, that doesn't get you a new part??

thanks for the info i may have to go that route!

on the diy, does anyone have a particular foam block part that works better than another? not sure which to buy.

 

No, $225 wouldn't even touch it! The list price is about $1,000.00. You right in that you wouldn't be able to drive it. Turn around for me was about a week.

 

Dear everyone, I am unable to view the pdf file on page one, it seems the file is corrupted, could someone email the file to me please? I have a 2000 E320 multihand badly needed to be fixed. Thank you so much.

 

FYI, I bought my car from AlphaCars in Acton/Boxborough area of Massachusetts. For Mass. folk, Alpha charges $330 or so to repair it, but they do scheduled appointments and you can leave the car w/ them vs. having to take the odometer out yourself. That's probably what I'll end up doing, and no, of course I don't try to call myself a true DIYer I just can't go without my car for a week or so.

 

i did 2 of them today,total time spent combined was 45min.CAKE!!!

 

Using the DIY or do you have a shop?

 

i read the DIY bro.

 

great DIY! i removed the cluster from my 2001 E430, but upon disassembly i didn't notice any obvious "contact separation"....i thought maybe the shims would be a waste of time. But, after inserting shims (i used wetsuit fabric--neoprene, folded in half) and replacing cluster, it works 99%..only 2 pixels out in the gear-shift indicator "box in left half of clock display. A vast improvement, considering that both temperature and clock looked like chinese before this DIY. It is CAKE!

 

This is a great fix...

Initially, I was a little hesitant at the thought of messing around inside the cluster, but finally decided to go for it. I am so glad that I did. I got all of the pixels back on my outside temp display on my '01 E430, and it looks great. Many thanks for the detailed instructions that were a piece of cake to follow.

Now for the "complication". Since doing this, the needle on my fuel gauge is behaving badly. Initially, it seemed to be stuck at the 1/4 tank mark (the tank was 3/4 full). When I turned off the car, the needle dropped to the bottom and did a stutter for about 5 seconds. I topped off the gas tank, thinking that the change might shock it back to normal, but it did not change. Later, after restarting the car, the gauge was reading 3/4 full (this is just after I had topped off the tank.) The electronic display in the cluster read accurately throughout the process, both before and after topping off the tank.

I'm thinking that either I reassembled something wrong or that maybe my "shim" (small strip from a thin mouse pad) is too thick and pressing too hard on the housing above it that contains the fuel gauge.

Anyone else encounter this problem? I'd welcome any thought on what my next step should be.

 

Needle is rubbing ...

boots,

It's very likely the needle is rubbing against the dial face. It happened to me also. You need to take the cluster out and press on the dial face until it snaps into position. That should do it.

Cheers

 

Thanks. I'll give that a try.

 

After long hesistation I gave it a try yesterday with the result that instead a few pixels before the "repair" now all pixels gone dead . I don't know what caused it. Other displays and gauges function as normal. At the moment I am driving without tachometer, trip-tachometer, clock and temperature

I tried inserting rubber stripe cut from a mouse pad then a pen with the appropriate size.

 

there was another member who had the same issue with his fuel gauge.he said he didnt put the cluster securly together

 

there are some salvaged clusters available on ebay for those whose are beyond repair...i think you can have the dealer or an independent with the "Star diagnose" system (i think that's what it's called) reset the mileage to match your oe.

 

I found and bought one on ebay for $104.- . It is in good condition with no blind dots. The only downside is that with 157K it makes my car 8K miles older . It is not worth having it adjusted by dealer for another 100 bucks, I could not prove my current mileage anyway since the kaput one shows nothing, not one dot.

 

this is part of the reason i'd rather go to a shop that will do this and pay them. not what a die-hard DIYer would say, i know, but since i found a couple places that will do it while i wait vs. sending it in the mail, i think it's worth the investment for those uncomfortable with working on electronic parts.

 

Thanks for the trick, following the procedure in the PDF, I just wanted to post how my cluster (inside) look like. I used smaller block for the temperature, larger one on the clock, because there was the main issue for me.