Instrument Cluster Failure?
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Instrument Cluster Failure?
The gear display and clock in my 2000 clk230k seems to have sections missing which means it is unreadable, like the pixels arent working.
Is there anything i can do to fix this problem?
I think something is loose or has a bad connection as i can give the display a whack and it will be fine for a while before going off again!
Help!
Is there anything i can do to fix this problem?
I think something is loose or has a bad connection as i can give the display a whack and it will be fine for a while before going off again!
Help!
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2003
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It definitely sounds like a loose connection. I know MB only replaces the entire cluster, but I always say...if someone put it together, I can take it apart. Probably some solder that broke loose or some glue from the lcd lead that has failed. I would definitely give it a try if it were me before I shelled out 700 bucks for a new one. Or...check Ebay...they have clusters on there all the time. Maybe you can pick one up cheap and have it reprogrammed.
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300ce
...........i hope you are correct, because it will save a lot of people a lot of hassle since this is common problem. I also agree with you that MB dealers simply replace things rather than trying to fix them. However, it this is a loose connection, then it is really odd that the loose connection seems a lot of cars and results in the alphabets being truncated rather than going off completely. What I mean is that the entire clock does not go out just half of a particular number, not even the entire number. Besides, when the temprature goes up, the truncated number sometimes re-appears. This happened to me 2 years ago and I asked the same questions you did and was told that there was no other solution than cluster replacement. Luckily my car was under warranty. So if you find a cheaper fix, I and many others will be very interested. Thanks.
Ted
Ted
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From: Las Vegas, NV USA / London, UK
GL320CDI / C63 Edition 507 Coupe (EDP) / E63 S (on order) / G500 / Smart Brabus
There are two flexible printed circuits that go from the board to the LCDs on the left and right sides. The middle display does not use a flexible printed circuit, so it rarely goes bad.
These flexible printed circuits are GLUED to the main board and generally trying to remove the flexible printed circuit to repair it will destroy it, so you need to have a replacement at hand already. Generally what happens is excessive vibration (despite being held down by a piece of foam rubber which is supposed to dampen the vibrations) will cause traces on the flexible printed circuit to break. This usually happens at a weak point, which is right after the PC exits the rubber vibration dampener.
If you can repair the actual PC (esp. after you destroy it when removing it), you are an electronics god. If you can get a replacement PC, you are probably a parts supply god or are on intimate terms with someone from VDO.
If you're adventurous, you can replace the whole flexible PC link with something like wires, but it will require a lot of work because the other end of the flexible PC is attached to the LCD.
-s-
These flexible printed circuits are GLUED to the main board and generally trying to remove the flexible printed circuit to repair it will destroy it, so you need to have a replacement at hand already. Generally what happens is excessive vibration (despite being held down by a piece of foam rubber which is supposed to dampen the vibrations) will cause traces on the flexible printed circuit to break. This usually happens at a weak point, which is right after the PC exits the rubber vibration dampener.
If you can repair the actual PC (esp. after you destroy it when removing it), you are an electronics god. If you can get a replacement PC, you are probably a parts supply god or are on intimate terms with someone from VDO.
If you're adventurous, you can replace the whole flexible PC link with something like wires, but it will require a lot of work because the other end of the flexible PC is attached to the LCD.
-s-
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Joined: Mar 2003
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Well I guess I'm an electronics god because reattaching a PC circuit that is held on by glue is pretty simple (Then again I did work as a electrical technician for many a years in my younger days) All you need is a soldering iron and wax paper. No need to remove it....just re-heat it so that the glue adheres to the board. Maybe I should go into business of repairing clusters...
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Las Vegas, NV USA / London, UK
GL320CDI / C63 Edition 507 Coupe (EDP) / E63 S (on order) / G500 / Smart Brabus
Originally Posted by TresX
Well I guess I'm an electronics god because reattaching a PC circuit that is held on by glue is pretty simple (Then again I did work as a electrical technician for many a years in my younger days) All you need is a soldering iron and wax paper. No need to remove it....just re-heat it so that the glue adheres to the board. Maybe I should go into business of repairing clusters...
I wrote that you are an electronics god if you can REPAIR THE PC (the flexible PC) after you destroy it by removing it. Attaching it or attaching one that has come off is easy... just a spot iron (or you can make-do with a soldering iron). But removing it, finding/fixing the broken traces (which is most of them) by using conductive paint, and reattaching it and having it all work... that's skillz.
Generally the glue doesn't fail because of the foam rubber block holding it in place. But yours might be different. I'm just reporting back my findings on about 15 broken ones, it all tended to be a broken PC.
Give it a try! You have nothing to lose, and you might be able to get it back to life. If you have a donor cluster with another good LCD, you might be able to salvage the flexible PC from that one (one that is not broken is a lot easier to remove without hurting it), with some patience.
-s-
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Well...why would you detach it in the first place. When FPC's are usually damaged, it's usually only a couple of leads not all of them. Why wouldn't you keep it where it is and run some 12 guage or even splices of speaker wire directly from the lcd to the board?
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300ce
My cluster does the same thing but when the car warms up they come back on
.........if what you think is the problem is actually the problem, can you explain why the missing alphabets and numbers dissappear in cold weather and re-appear when the car warms up?
ted
.........if what you think is the problem is actually the problem, can you explain why the missing alphabets and numbers dissappear in cold weather and re-appear when the car warms up?
ted
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,559
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From: Las Vegas, NV USA / London, UK
GL320CDI / C63 Edition 507 Coupe (EDP) / E63 S (on order) / G500 / Smart Brabus
Originally Posted by TresX
Well...why would you detach it in the first place. When FPC's are usually damaged, it's usually only a couple of leads not all of them. Why wouldn't you keep it where it is and run some 12 guage or even splices of speaker wire directly from the lcd to the board?
Take your cluster apart and take a look, so we can be on even footing when we're discussing this. I think you're not completely understanding how the cluster is constructed, and if you take a look, it will be easier than me trying to describe it to you.
-s-
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From: Hotlanta
AMG
Contact these guys...
http://www.beckmanntechnologies.com/
If they can't help you, you need a new cluster.
http://www.beckmanntechnologies.com/
If they can't help you, you need a new cluster.
