Author Topic: Instrument Cluster shuts off... (Read 4495 times)

Mopar44o · « **on:** February 01, 2009, 11:45:30 pm »

Ok so fixed the tach it was the alternator.

But today when driving home from work my dash cluster just shut off... Light was on, clock was on but speedo, tach, fuel guage, temp guage all went to zero. If I start the car in netural all is fine they work but as soon as I put it in gear and give it gas they all shut off.

Any clue on this one?

Vincent Waldon · « **Reply #1 on:** February 02, 2009, 07:31:44 am »

I'm guessing this is a MK3 ? If so, these are the usual signs of a cluster on its way to the great junkyard in the sky.

You can try checking for loose connections at the harness on the back of the cluster, and after disassembly a careful visual inspection of the circuit board might reveal a solder joint that has come loose... but it seems that 99% of the time once these clusters go intermittent they go for good.

The clue is the speedo and tach both going out at the same time.

Assuming this is a MK3. :wink:

Mopar44o · « **Reply #2 on:** February 02, 2009, 08:37:59 am »

yah but how come they work when the car is in netural... Even if i get it rolling on the highway and shut it off and turn it back on in netural it will work...

Vincent Waldon · « **Reply #3 on:** February 02, 2009, 09:18:07 am »

I'm assuming you have an automatic transmission ? If so, there are communication lines between the gearshift and the cluster... which, when the cluster is malfunctioning, causes the symptoms to be related to the position of the gearshift.

If you head to the Vortex and search the MK3 forum for cluster problems you'll discover a huge dog's breakfast of bizarre cluster issues... all with the same inevitable conclusion: cluster replaced. There is one gent on the Vortex who has schematics and the specific computer technology required to repair them.

Mopar44o · « **Reply #4 on:** February 02, 2009, 09:32:01 am »

Sorry its a 96 Jetta... 5 speed

Mopar44o · « **Reply #5 on:** February 02, 2009, 10:22:20 am »

Just took it for a quick spin today and it worked fine... I think this maybe the straw that broke the camels back on this heap

Vincent Waldon · « **Reply #6 on:** February 02, 2009, 01:42:44 pm »

Quote from: "Mopar44o"

Sorry its a 96 Jetta... 5 speed

Hmmmm... then that's very very strange !!

Perhaps the demon has been excised... !! ;-)

You'll sometimes see reports of people with funny electrical things related to pulling on the emergency brake cable... and that almost always ends up being a ground issue... usually one of the big grounds at the battery or tranny (in the absence of a proper ground the emergency brake cable is acting as a ground when the cable is tightened). I suppose the shift linkage could be acting as a rogue ground as well.

I'd certainly start by confirming that all your big grounds are in really good shape.

bvolks73 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 03, 2009, 03:53:32 am »

I'm thinking ground too. I just replaced the cluster in my 95 Golf because of coolant light and speedometer issues but I never had everything go out at once. I once had an 81 Rabbit that would quit as soon as I sat in the driver's seat and wouldn't start back up until I got out after I replaced the motor in it. At first I thought it was possessed until I thought about it and discovered a bad motor ground.