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Symptom: Your LCD display inside your instrument cluster is very dim or was dim before, but now you cannot see anything at all on it. So you are left with only the analog dials (needles) to rely on, for information. This prevents you from accessing settings for the car.
This DIY will help you fix this issue. Most of the time, the issue is a transformer located on the main board of cluster, that becomes defective. The remedy is to replace it. Below info will show you every step of the way, from trim removal, taking cluster apart, doing solder rework and putting it all back together.
Pictures are very self-explanatory. I just completed this, after collecting information from multiple sources. Collected so that one can do it all from one place. Hope this helps.
Each pic has instructions for ease of use.
Do yourself a favor, review the entire DIY before you start, so you know what you will need, what you will need to do, etc.
Ordered from this place for $25.90 plus about 23 bucks for shipping. If you plan to replace both transformers (one for LCD, another for analog dials brightness), order two and replace both.
If you are not sure you can tackle this, get someone that can solder.
Good luck.
Last edited by deilenberger; 02-03-2019 at 11:50 PM.
Reason: Fixed photos so they are in order and don't appear side by side
PLEASE NOTE - ALL content in this thread was the work of our user "CLAKA" = the only reason my name appears is I edited the thread so the photos would line up in order. Please thank CLAKA for the amazing DIY!
PLEASE NOTE - ALL content in this thread was the work of our user "CLAKA" = the only reason my name appears is I edited the thread so the photos would line up in order. Please thank CLAKA for the amazing DIY!
PLEASE NOTE - ALL content in this thread was the work of our user "CLAKA" = the only reason my name appears is I edited the thread so the photos would line up in order. Please thank CLAKA for the amazing DIY!
PLEASE NOTE - ALL content in this thread was the work of our user "CLAKA" = the only reason my name appears is I edited the thread so the photos would line up in order. Please thank CLAKA for the amazing DIY!
Hi. I'm home due to the pandemic and came across this thread.
I don't know if OP is still around to reply but, I would strongly advise against touching those gauge needles.
I tried a similar repair on my e38 BMW and, -those things are put on my magic elves. It doesn't matter how new or old the cluster is, if you yank on those things (or pry them carefully) the gauge will never work right again.
One thing not mentioned is how to "re-time" the needle to the shaft. This IS important.
Anyway, instead of just being negative... I was an electronics technician for Sears for 8 years in the 90's and, in cases that warrant it like this, although ugly, it is possible to replace parts from the top if you just destroy the old part.
I haven't done this or anything but with the old part out of the way, you can piggy-back the new part on top with some ingenuity. (spreading the legs out, etc)
Also my issue is not the display but the back light of the whole cluster (for night driving only). The needles still light up red and display works fine.
Last thing, my gong has stopped working. -More of a motivation to look at things back there. I wonder how this is related.
02-03-2019, 01:24 AM
955/957 Cayenne DIY: Instrument cluster lighting repair
