Help! Help! Instrument cluster does not function anymore
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 36
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1996 E320
Help! Help! Instrument cluster does not function anymore
The history: because my instrument cluster (IC) had a few blind dots in the display of mileage, clock and outside temperature I tried to repair it with the result that all dots have gone dead. All the needles of the gauges for engine temperature, fuel, speed and rpm still worked fine.
I then replaced it with a used instrument cluster bought on ebay. The new one has no blind dots but all the needles of the gauges for engine temperature, fuel, speed and rpm are inactive, they do not move as you can see in the video at
http://s245.photobucket.com/albums/g...entCluster.flv
which I recorded during a test drive.
I thought the new one might be defective regarding the dial needles and deployed my old one again because better to have all blind dots than no information on speed, engine temparature and fuel gauge.
To my great surprise they are now dead on the own one as well.
My guess is that the malfunction of the dials is now not from the cluster, since it fails on both clusters.
I replaced all the related fuses #4, #6 and #7 from the fuse box under the hood.
Please tell me what could it be that no dial needle moves?
I then replaced it with a used instrument cluster bought on ebay. The new one has no blind dots but all the needles of the gauges for engine temperature, fuel, speed and rpm are inactive, they do not move as you can see in the video at
http://s245.photobucket.com/albums/g...entCluster.flv
which I recorded during a test drive.
I thought the new one might be defective regarding the dial needles and deployed my old one again because better to have all blind dots than no information on speed, engine temparature and fuel gauge.
To my great surprise they are now dead on the own one as well.
My guess is that the malfunction of the dials is now not from the cluster, since it fails on both clusters.
I replaced all the related fuses #4, #6 and #7 from the fuse box under the hood.
Please tell me what could it be that no dial needle moves?
Last edited by texholdem; Mar 8, 2009 at 01:57 PM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
1996 E320
New development: The game below was played upon me 3x this afternoon and evening. In regular interval I started the engine just to check and lo and behold all needles came to life except for speed because the car did not move. Engine temparature went above 40, fuel gauge to almost full (I filled up 30 miles ago) and rmp went up when I pressed the gas pedal.
I wanted to be sure, shut down the engine and restarted ...
The dial needles are all dead again and again after another and another trials.
There might be something like loose contact, since the cluster itself works fine, but what?
Help! Help! Help! I'd appreciate all comments!
I wanted to be sure, shut down the engine and restarted ...
The dial needles are all dead again and again after another and another trials.
There might be something like loose contact, since the cluster itself works fine, but what?
Help! Help! Help! I'd appreciate all comments!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
1996 E320
Thanks Robert, I did it many times, alternatingly with the two clusters, making sure that the plugs are firmly inserted. Same error, every thing (lamps for headlight, direction lights etc..) works fine except the needles.
I reached behind the cluster, wiggled the harnesses to see if there is anything loose with no success.
If I leave the car for some hours then the first time I turn the key to position 2 and start the engine, the needles come to life then dead again at the next trial (turn engine off and restart) without me touching anything, the fun can be repeated after several hours again and again.
I reached behind the cluster, wiggled the harnesses to see if there is anything loose with no success.
If I leave the car for some hours then the first time I turn the key to position 2 and start the engine, the needles come to life then dead again at the next trial (turn engine off and restart) without me touching anything, the fun can be repeated after several hours again and again.
Last edited by texholdem; Mar 9, 2009 at 09:21 PM.
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