Ml55 odometer reset and instrument cluster issues
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 22
Likes: 1
From: Queens , NYC
2003 ML55, 2001 Jaguar XKR, 2004 Jaguar XJR, And several others Domestics
Ml55 odometer reset and instrument cluster issues
Well I posted about this when it first started I believe in 2016, then again in 2017 and now I’m 2018. Maybe someone can help.
For the last few years now every winter my instrument cloister goes crazy. It started with flashing on and off as though it
was resetting itself the first year, beeping and flashing. Then last year it got worse and at one point reset my odometer to 0.
This year at one point my dash lights would not shut off after I turned he key off. And today it would just keep being where
i had to disconnect the battery and reconnect. Then it stopped. When it’s beeping and or flashing the gauges are not working
or may be blipping a little. All of them.
A few days ago I pulled the cluster looked for bad wires anything burnt ir frayed. Nothing. Checked All relays and fuses. All good.
I do not want to get a new dashcuster if that’s not it and not so keen on taking it all apart to look for a bad resistor or something as
it seems that isn’t the kind of issue I’m looking at. It really appears to be a relay type issue but the constant resetting of the dash??
And my odometer resetting to zero? Interestingly last year when this happened it ended up going back to a higher reading at some
point which still wasn’t correct. It’s getting pretty annoying at this point. Besides something being totally screwed I figured I’d ask again
if this has happened to anyone else. My trucks not worth much at this point so bringing it to get diagnosed forman issue such as this
is completely out. Truck runs fine even when this is going on.
So isnthere some some kind of relay related to the dash? Perhaps it’s an ignition switch issue? That’s what I’ll be digging into next.
But I figured I can’t be the only one this has ever happened to and my guidance to save me time would be great.
many thanks
For the last few years now every winter my instrument cloister goes crazy. It started with flashing on and off as though it
was resetting itself the first year, beeping and flashing. Then last year it got worse and at one point reset my odometer to 0.
This year at one point my dash lights would not shut off after I turned he key off. And today it would just keep being where
i had to disconnect the battery and reconnect. Then it stopped. When it’s beeping and or flashing the gauges are not working
or may be blipping a little. All of them.
A few days ago I pulled the cluster looked for bad wires anything burnt ir frayed. Nothing. Checked All relays and fuses. All good.
I do not want to get a new dashcuster if that’s not it and not so keen on taking it all apart to look for a bad resistor or something as
it seems that isn’t the kind of issue I’m looking at. It really appears to be a relay type issue but the constant resetting of the dash??
And my odometer resetting to zero? Interestingly last year when this happened it ended up going back to a higher reading at some
point which still wasn’t correct. It’s getting pretty annoying at this point. Besides something being totally screwed I figured I’d ask again
if this has happened to anyone else. My trucks not worth much at this point so bringing it to get diagnosed forman issue such as this
is completely out. Truck runs fine even when this is going on.
So isnthere some some kind of relay related to the dash? Perhaps it’s an ignition switch issue? That’s what I’ll be digging into next.
But I figured I can’t be the only one this has ever happened to and my guidance to save me time would be great.
many thanks
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 22
Likes: 1
From: Queens , NYC
2003 ML55, 2001 Jaguar XKR, 2004 Jaguar XJR, And several others Domestics
Never any water. Today when I got in the truck before even installing key In ignition I noticed the needles Mo Wong ever so slightly up and down. Like vibrating. That’s the first time I noticed this. Also as mentioned it only happens when cold out.
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 69
Likes: 6
1997 E320
Sounds to me like you may have some cold solder joint issues. The vibrating needles is also a sign of a failing stepper motor in the cluster (or the solder joints causing the faulty motor). I would pull the cluster and closely examine the solder joints for signs of cracking and same for the relays that feed into it. The issue only happens during cold weather since the solder contracts enough due to temperature to cause a bad connection.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 22
Likes: 1
From: Queens , NYC
2003 ML55, 2001 Jaguar XKR, 2004 Jaguar XJR, And several others Domestics
Thanks guys. I’m thinking it’s definitely a cluster issue as now my tach is not working properly along with all these issues. It rises real slow and doesn’t pass 2000 rpm or so. And it’s the each needle that kind of jumps around after I turn off the truck. Think I’ll soirce a used cluster and give it a whirl. I’ll then pull mine apart and see if there is anything I can do. Don’t really want to rip this apart and be completely screwed
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 69
Likes: 6
1997 E320
It sounds like it is the tach stepper motor. Plug an extra cluster in and see if your problems go away, if so, then it's time to make a decision: Do you take your cluster apart and try to locate which motor is failing or do you use the new cluster but your odometer will no longer be correct.
