SUHAIL

I wanted to find out, does the instrument cluster package on a 2000 S500, holds its own memory or is just a display for information stored elsewhere.

Example: If the car has X # of miles and the cluster has to be replaced for some reason, will it still record the orignal info, as milage/ avg mpg etc.?

SUNILP

the mileage data is kept in more than 1 spot. You cannot simply swap clusters. You have to copy the data over.

SUHAIL

Do you know how that may be done, i.e. copy data over

saturnstyl

Once mileage is burned to a cluster it can never be rolled back. Get a new one from a dealer, have it programmed properly, otherwise you will have issues with various warning displays, fuel guage, FSS, etc....
If you cannot read the mileage now, replace the 5 amp fuse that is blown it will likely get you enough light to read the mileage to get the new cluster programmed.

SUHAIL

My car is out of warranty, I do not know how much they cost, but I assume they may not be cheap. A local salvage yard has one with approx the same milage my car has, it is now probably 600-1000 more than my car. Could i make the deal with him drive my car approx another 500-1000 or so miles and then switch. It is just a thought, maybe it wont work! Is it worth a try ?

standman

the memory is in the cluster, I replaced my cluster and it kept the mileage of the new cluster. You have to make sure you buy a cluster with the same model number otherwise you may have to go to dealer and have them reprogram it as some features will not work e.g. telephone, etc.. Also, it will show a defective cluster on it.

Stan

fazooley

Standman is correct. The mileage is infact stored in the cluster. I believe in the new S the information is stored on an eeprom chip where as to the older ones where you could reprogram the dash via the bonnet under the hood. You can buy one from anywhere and send it out to be reprogrammed for like 200.00.

Fazooley

eddieo45

My odometer is messed up too (see below). GDawg suggested buying one on ebay and the ones I found have far fewer miles on them (I've seen them marketed as a way to "lower" the miles on your car!). I don't want to do anything unethical or illegal, but isn't $200 a ton of dough to reset an odo from 53k to 70k? also, how would I be able to tell exactly how many miles are on my car, given the messed up LED's?

FlatRate101

As mentioned by others, numerous settings in the cluster are "version coded" specifically for the equipment,or lack there of, in your particular vehicle...and just because another vehicle is the same year and model does not mean it has the same equipment as yours, any of these things coded incorrectly can cause malfunctions in numerous other systems....It is best to leave cluster replacement to an MBZ dealer who can transfer the coding to the new cluster. I've seen a few very expensive paper weights come from improper coding.

csumt76

On a 2000 220 the miles are only stored in the cluster not in both the cluster
and eis

ScottCLS55

Mbnz dealer is not the best place. They will put it in your service history and they have to tag the door jamb "this odometer was changed" Your lucky a 2000 model is easy to change or program. Look on ebay for people with speedo units, they can reprogram it for you, Junk yard or new(dont give dealer real vin # if you use them, again with the service history crap) 01 and up models have mileage stored in key ignition and the speedometer cluster.

Good luck..

SUNILP

... and EIS

516mbtek

Recomend taking to dealer....swap out the eis and cluster. Version coding will need to be performed on both units. Just had one in the shop, ordered a cluster w/ milage but the old version eis would not communicate..and milage turned into dashes..dont mess around w. this..

516mbtek

Flatrate is right...