Instrument cluster repairs (UK)

[Don Turner]

Does anyone know of a company based in the UK who can repair a fault on an
Audi instrument cluster. I've isolated the fault down to either a dry solder
joint somewhere on the PCB or a failing component because the cluster only
works on warm days or when the heater in the cabin is switched on.

There are dozens of vehicle cluster repair companies in the US, but I can't
find a single one in the UK.

Thanks in advance
DT

[dave]

Don,

Try the following, they are based in Liverpool but I think they form
part of a national franchise in the UK.

www.dashboardsnorthwest.co.uk

Dave.



Don Turner wrote:
> Does anyone know of a company based in the UK who can repair a fault on an
> Audi instrument cluster. I've isolated the fault down to either a dry solder
> joint somewhere on the PCB or a failing component because the cluster only
> works on warm days or when the heater in the cabin is switched on.
>
> There are dozens of vehicle cluster repair companies in the US, but I can't
> find a single one in the UK.
>
> Thanks in advance
> DT
>
>

[Don Turner]

> Don,
>
> Try the following, they are based in Liverpool but I think they form part
> of a national franchise in the UK.
>
> www.dashboardsnorthwest.co.uk

Thanks Dave, However they are a mileage correction company. I've called
about 6 of these types of companies in London and the South East (e.g.
dashtoctor, dashtech, speedofixer etc..) and none of them are prepared to
carry out any sort of repair on a cluster, they just fix the mileage. One of
them even suggested that I try a TV repair man as they have good circuit
board experience. Before I do that I would rather start with specialists,
the immobiliser to the car is integrated into the cluster so the worst case
scenario is that the car also gets immobilised if something goes wrong.

Cheers
DT

[Duncanwood]

On Mon, 23 May 2005 22:30:15 +0100, Don Turner <leavemealone@nospam.com>
wrote:

>> Don,
>>
>> Try the following, they are based in Liverpool but I think they form
>> part
>> of a national franchise in the UK.
>>
>> www.dashboardsnorthwest.co.uk
>
> Thanks Dave, However they are a mileage correction company. I've called
> about 6 of these types of companies in London and the South East (e.g.
> dashtoctor, dashtech, speedofixer etc..) and none of them are prepared to
> carry out any sort of repair on a cluster, they just fix the mileage.
> One of
> them even suggested that I try a TV repair man as they have good circuit
> board experience. Before I do that I would rather start with specialists,
> the immobiliser to the car is integrated into the cluster so the worst
> case
> scenario is that the car also gets immobilised if something goes wrong.
>
> Cheers
> DT
>
>

You're probably still better off with a TV repair shop though.

[sofie]

"Duncanwood" <nipnews@dmx512.co.uk> wrote in message
news:op.sq8z5knj4wom51@amy...
> You're probably still better off with a TV repair shop though.
- - - - - -

Absolutely correct. My shop here in the US does a fair amount of these
types of repairs... however, my customers are usually the automotive
repair shops.... you might try your local Audi dealer or a local
independent foreign car repair shop, they probably will already have a
sub-contractor that they have this type of work done for them.
--
Best Regards,
Daniel Sofie
Electronics Supply & Repair
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[Ted Eboy]

"dave" <1966@f2s.com> wrote in message
news:d6tglu$q4d$1@news.freedom2surf.net...
> Don,
>
> Try the following, they are based in Liverpool but I think they form part
> of a national franchise in the UK.
>
> www.dashboardsnorthwest.co.uk
>
> Dave.
>
>
>
> Don Turner wrote:
>> Does anyone know of a company based in the UK who can repair a fault on
>> an Audi instrument cluster. I've isolated the fault down to either a dry
>> solder joint somewhere on the PCB or a failing component because the
>> cluster only works on warm days or when the heater in the cabin is
>> switched on.
>>
>> There are dozens of vehicle cluster repair companies in the US, but I
>> can't find a single one in the UK.
>>
>> Thanks in advance
>> DT

that's a clocking guy not repairer...............somehow now a legal
business............or is it.

[draugaz@iname.com]

Don Turner wrote:

> them even suggested that I try a TV repair man as they have good
circuit
> board experience. Before I do that I would rather start with
specialists,
> the immobiliser to the car is integrated into the cluster so the
worst case
> scenario is that the car also gets immobilised if something goes
wrong.

If they damage your instrument cluster, then yes. But in this case you
will need a new instrument cluster anyway, so immobilizer by itself is
not a problem anymore :)
It is not so easy just to "reset" it without a damage to cluster, as it
is stored in a EEPROM.

In any case, before you give your cluster for repairs, ask them, if
they have a pinout (aka wiring diagrams) for your cluster connectors.
If they don't have it, don't leave your cluster there, as they don't
have a clue.

In general, there are not much things to go wrong there. The complete
instrument cluster is controlled by a single chip from Micronas. This
includes all the "indicator lamps", both LCD's (and the TFT in the
middle), and 4 stepper motors, which are turning the
speedometer/tachometer/temp/fuel indicator needles.
There is also a custom hybrid module of some kind, but I am not sure
what exactly it is for. I would guess, it is the immobilizer.

So, if at least something is "working" (for example, you see the
indicator lamps when you turn the ignition on), it means, that the
problem is probably the power supply for the stepper motors, and it
would be relatively easy to find.

[Bob Minchin]

Ted Eboy wrote in message ...
>
>"dave" <1966@f2s.com> wrote in message
>news:d6tglu$q4d$1@news.freedom2surf.net...
>> Don,
>>
>> Try the following, they are based in Liverpool but I think they form part
>> of a national franchise in the UK.
>>
>> www.dashboardsnorthwest.co.uk
>>
>> Dave.
>>
>>
>>
>> Don Turner wrote:
>>> Does anyone know of a company based in the UK who can repair a fault on
>>> an Audi instrument cluster. I've isolated the fault down to either a dry
>>> solder joint somewhere on the PCB or a failing component because the
>>> cluster only works on warm days or when the heater in the cabin is
>>> switched on.
>>>
>>> There are dozens of vehicle cluster repair companies in the US, but I
>>> can't find a single one in the UK.
>>>
>>> Thanks in advance
>>> DT
>
>that's a clocking guy not repairer...............somehow now a legal
>business............or is it.
>
>

'Clocking'! such a brutal term! Surely not. These companies will have you
believe that they make a living setting replacement odometers to read the
same as the originally fitted units.

Bob

[Coracle]

Where are you located Don?


"Don Turner" <leavemealone@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:42924439$0$24484$da0feed9@news.zen.co.uk...
> Does anyone know of a company based in the UK who can repair a fault on an
> Audi instrument cluster. I've isolated the fault down to either a dry
> solder joint somewhere on the PCB or a failing component because the
> cluster only works on warm days or when the heater in the cabin is
> switched on.
>
> There are dozens of vehicle cluster repair companies in the US, but I
> can't find a single one in the UK.
>
> Thanks in advance
> DT
>

[Don Turner]

> Where are you located Don?

I live in London, UK.

Cheers
Don

[Graham]

X-no-archive: yes
Don Turner wrote:
> Does anyone know of a company based in the UK who can repair a fault on an
> Audi instrument cluster. I've isolated the fault down to either a dry solder
> joint somewhere on the PCB or a failing component because the cluster only
> works on warm days or when the heater in the cabin is switched on.

You don't mention your proficiency with electronics etc, but why not get
a hair dryer and heat up the areas you think are problematic and see
when it starts working. Then use freezer spray to confirm your diagnosis.

Then you can at least track down exactly the area and potentially do the
repair yourself.

[Don Turner]

> Don Turner wrote:
>> Does anyone know of a company based in the UK who can repair a fault on
>> an Audi instrument cluster. I've isolated the fault down to either a dry
>> solder joint somewhere on the PCB or a failing component because the
>> cluster only works on warm days or when the heater in the cabin is
>> switched on.
>
> You don't mention your proficiency with electronics etc, but why not get a
> hair dryer and heat up the areas you think are problematic and see when it
> starts working. Then use freezer spray to confirm your diagnosis.
>
> Then you can at least track down exactly the area and potentially do the
> repair yourself.

Hi,

The wiring loom which goes into the cluster is very short, you literally
have to put the cluster into the dashboard before the connectors will reach
it, so basically I have no room. Someone will need to be able to power it up
on their work bench. I definitely do not have the knowledge or skills to do
that.

Cheers
DT

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Don Turner"
<leavemealone@nospam.com> saying something like:

>Thanks Dave, However they are a mileage correction company. I've called
>about 6 of these types of companies in London and the South East (e.g.
>dashtoctor, dashtech, speedofixer etc..) and none of them are prepared to
>carry out any sort of repair on a cluster, they just fix the mileage.

http://www.speedometer.com/services.html

-> speedometer repairs .uk <- in google.
--

Dave
SE6a

[Antonio Carlini]

Don Turner wrote:
> Does anyone know of a company based in the UK who can repair a fault on an
> Audi instrument cluster. I've isolated the fault down to either a dry solder
> joint somewhere on the PCB or a failing component because the cluster only
> works on warm days or when the heater in the cabin is switched on.

On every car (err ... both:-)) that I've done any cluster
repair work on, the hardest part has been to remove the
cluster in a manner that allows replacement after effecting
the repair!

Assuming that you can get past this stage, fixing a bad
solder joint should be child's play!

I would think that getting the cluster out, playing
with it on the bench and putting it back would be a
good couple of hours work. So you will not see much
change out of £100. Even on my Vectra the dealer
wanted something near that (including VAT) when
the odometer stopped being visible.

83p for a bulb and a few hours cursing turned out
to be a much better idea!

Since I knew that getting the cluster out was going
to be "fun", I picked up a new clock/radio/temp
display panel from a scrappie for about £12 so
that got done at the same time. (The faulty unit
I sold to someone who offers to repair such units
.... so in fact the replacement was about free ...
which is £80 less than the dealer quoted for the
part!).

I don't know how many scrapped Audis of the right
type there might be, or how many revs of the
cluster there might be, but you might find that
to be a reasonable route to go down. Practising
cluster-removal on a scrapped car certainly helped
me optimise the technique when tackling my own
vehicle!

Antonio

[Angus McCoatup©]

"Grimly Curmudgeon" <grimlycurmudgeon683@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:7c4a91la8bpmo8h8gosli31jq1dhao1nlo@4ax.com...
> We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
> drugs began to take hold. I remember "Don Turner"
> <leavemealone@nospam.com> saying something like:
>
> >Thanks Dave, However they are a mileage correction company. I've called
> >about 6 of these types of companies in London and the South East (e.g.
> >dashtoctor, dashtech, speedofixer etc..) and none of them are prepared to
> >carry out any sort of repair on a cluster, they just fix the mileage.
>
> http://www.speedometer.com/services.html
>
> -> speedometer repairs .uk <- in google.

Cool Austin Texas

[Duncan Wood]

On Thu, 26 May 2005 01:06:39 +0100, Antonio Carlini <arcarlini@iee.org>
wrote:

> Don Turner wrote:
>> Does anyone know of a company based in the UK who can repair a fault on
>> an Audi instrument cluster. I've isolated the fault down to either a
>> dry solder joint somewhere on the PCB or a failing component because
>> the cluster only works on warm days or when the heater in the cabin is
>> switched on.
>
> On every car (err ... both:-)) that I've done any cluster
> repair work on, the hardest part has been to remove the
> cluster in a manner that allows replacement after effecting
> the repair!
>
> Assuming that you can get past this stage, fixing a bad
> solder joint should be child's play!
>
> I would think that getting the cluster out, playing
> with it on the bench and putting it back would be a
> good couple of hours work. So you will not see much
> change out of £100. Even on my Vectra the dealer
> wanted something near that (including VAT) when
> the odometer stopped being visible.
>
> 83p for a bulb and a few hours cursing turned out
> to be a much better idea!
>
> Since I knew that getting the cluster out was going
> to be "fun", I picked up a new clock/radio/temp
> display panel from a scrappie for about £12 so
> that got done at the same time. (The faulty unit
> I sold to someone who offers to repair such units
> ... so in fact the replacement was about free ...
> which is £80 less than the dealer quoted for the
> part!).
>
> I don't know how many scrapped Audis of the right
> type there might be, or how many revs of the
> cluster there might be, but you might find that
> to be a reasonable route to go down. Practising
> cluster-removal on a scrapped car certainly helped
> me optimise the technique when tackling my own
> vehicle!
>
> Antonio
>

THe immobilisers in the cluster , which makes it a bit trickier.

[Peter Bell]

In message <429512EE.4000409@iee.org>
Antonio Carlini <arcarlini@iee.org> wrote:

> On every car (err ... both:-)) that I've done any cluster
> repair work on, the hardest part has been to remove the
> cluster in a manner that allows replacement after effecting
> the repair!

Shouldn't be a problem with an Audi - I can take the cluster out of my
RS6 and put it back again in less than ten minutes. Unclip one cover
plate, remove two screws, withdraw cluster, unplug three connectors. As
a Haynes manual would say, 'Refitting is a reversal of the removal
procedure'.

--
Peter Bell (Note Spamtrap - To reply, replace 'invalid' with 'bellfamily')

[Peter Bell]

In message <7c4a91la8bpmo8h8gosli31jq1dhao1nlo@4ax.com>
Grimly Curmudgeon <grimlycurmudgeon683@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Dave
> SE6a

.... as in Reliant Scimitar? Don't see many around these days. I sold
my SE5a in 1990, after ten years ownership, and sometimes wish I hadn't.

--
Peter Bell (Note Spamtrap - To reply, replace 'invalid' with 'bellfamily')

[Don Turner]

"Antonio Carlini" <arcarlini@iee.org> wrote in message
news:429512EE.4000409@iee.org...

> I would think that getting the cluster out, playing
> with it on the bench and putting it back would be a
> good couple of hours work. So you will not see much
> change out of £100. Even on my Vectra the dealer
> wanted something near that (including VAT) when
> the odometer stopped being visible.

I can get the cluster quite easily.. and I have. However when I open it up
I am faced with literally hundreds of solder joints and that is just on one
layer. There are 2 circuit boards stacked one a-top the other ;-(.

As for Audi dealers, they are renowned for their unhelpfulness and
snottiness. I called up to enquire about a repair.. the response is that
they only replace (£800 + VAT and fitting/coding). Furthermore if I did find
one in a scrappie they would not code it to my car because that is against
AUDI UK policy. The cluster is made by Jaeger (Magnetti Marelli) an Italian
company so I contacted their technical dept and so far zilch..

DT

[Watson A.Name - \Watt Sun, the Dark Remover\]

"Grimly Curmudgeon" <grimlycurmudgeon683@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:7c4a91la8bpmo8h8gosli31jq1dhao1nlo@4ax.com...
> We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
> drugs began to take hold. I remember "Don Turner"
> <leavemealone@nospam.com> saying something like:

Barstow is _not_ the edge of the desert!!

BTW, Antarctica is a desert, believe it or not.
http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/oct2001/1003424658.Es.r.html

[snip]
> --
>
> Dave
> SE6a

[SFC]

That's typical of modern dealers. They should be called module replacers or
something. They can't repair anything and have no understanding of there own
product.

SFC

"Don Turner" <leavemealone@nospam.com> schreef in bericht
news:42962285$0$24496$da0feed9@news.zen.co.uk...
> "Antonio Carlini" <arcarlini@iee.org> wrote in message
> news:429512EE.4000409@iee.org...
>
>> I would think that getting the cluster out, playing
>> with it on the bench and putting it back would be a
>> good couple of hours work. So you will not see much
>> change out of £100. Even on my Vectra the dealer
>> wanted something near that (including VAT) when
>> the odometer stopped being visible.
>
> I can get the cluster quite easily.. and I have. However when I open it
> up I am faced with literally hundreds of solder joints and that is just on
> one layer. There are 2 circuit boards stacked one a-top the other ;-(.
>
> As for Audi dealers, they are renowned for their unhelpfulness and
> snottiness. I called up to enquire about a repair.. the response is that
> they only replace (£800 + VAT and fitting/coding). Furthermore if I did
> find one in a scrappie they would not code it to my car because that is
> against AUDI UK policy. The cluster is made by Jaeger (Magnetti Marelli)
> an Italian company so I contacted their technical dept and so far zilch..
>
> DT
>
>
>

[draugaz@iname.com]

SFC wrote:
> That's typical of modern dealers. They should be called module replacers or
> something. They can't repair anything and have no understanding of there own
> product.

Indeed. The problem is, that it is not own product anymore, as it was
designed and built by some third party supplier (VDO, Motometer etc)
which just complies to the given specifications, but does not disclose
the "inner life" of the given component.
So, Audi (or bmw or renault or opel for that matter) are unable to
repair the thing, even if they would like to.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Watson A.Name - \"Watt Sun, the
Dark Remover\"" <NOSPAM@dslextreme.com> saying something like:

>> We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
>> drugs began to take hold. I remember "Don Turner"
>> <leavemealone@nospam.com> saying something like:
>
>Barstow is _not_ the edge of the desert!!

Tell Hunter.

He's dead though.
--

Dave
SE6a

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Peter Bell <peter@invalid.org.uk>
saying something like:

>> Dave
>> SE6a
>
>... as in Reliant Scimitar?

Yep.

> Don't see many around these days. I sold
>my SE5a in 1990, after ten years ownership, and sometimes wish I hadn't.

There's a thriving OC www.scimitarweb.com and the cars are still cheap.

Go on... you know you want to...
--

Dave
SE6a

[loola]

Where are you located Don?


"Don Turner" <leavemealone@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:42924439$0$24484$da0feed9@news.zen.co.uk...
> Does anyone know of a company based in the UK who can repair a fault on an
> Audi instrument cluster. I've isolated the fault down to either a dry
> solder joint somewhere on the PCB or a failing component because the
> cluster only works on warm days or when the heater in the cabin is
> switched on.
>
> There are dozens of vehicle cluster repair companies in the US, but I
> can't find a single one in the UK.
>
> Thanks in advance
> DT
>
Hi Don,
I repair instrument clusters & saab s.i.d. units. If you are still interested then pls email me at.... loola2005@ntlworld.com
Regards
Paul

[CP1234]

I had the same problem with my A3 1.8 SE.
Dash needles and lights didn't come on when cold, gradually flickered/jumped to life as the car warmed up.
Took it to Audi and they stuck it on their computer and said it was 'an electrical fault' in the dashpod instrument cluster (part 8L0920950CX). Part cost £218 + VAT + labour. Old part had to be sent back to Audi or the cost would have been more.
I also had a second problem which started about 2 weeks after the first one... the car alarm would go off 30 seconds after the car was locked even if the interior mobility sensor was disabled. Audi's computer told them this was a faulty Alarm Interior Monitoring Control Unit (part 4B0951173). Part cost £203 + VAT + labour. I have the old part - a small black box containing a PCB with one chip - no visible damage.
I had to have all my keys reprogrammed also.
My repairs came to £800 :-(
-CP

[butstraper]

Few of the Instrument Clusters that repair: Ford Mustang Speedometer and other gauges not working properly, Nissan Frontier - Symptoms: Gauges not working or intermittent, Honda Accord Instrument Cluster - Symptoms: Speedometer and odometer dead or intermittent.

[r.s.logan]

Few of the Instrument Clusters that repair: Ford Mustang Speedometer and other gauges not working properly, Nissan Frontier - Symptoms: Gauges not working or intermittent, Honda Accord Instrument Cluster - Symptoms: Speedometer and odometer dead or intermittent.

Usual poster talking crap .