Technical Instrument cluster fault - frightening replacement price!

[RedPeril]

The mileometer in my Punto has stopped working. My online search for a replacement came up with the frightening price of nearly £800 for a replacement of the full instrument cluster.

Can I fix the mileometer? Is a vehicle dismantler the only way forward to source this part?

Any experience, advice or ideas would be great.

 

[porta]

There are a number of folk out there advertising dash repairs…google in your local area

 

[RedPeril]

Thanks for your reply porta. I've sent out a few feelers to repair outfits and vehicle dismantlers.

 

[RedPeril]

Some more information that I've had back is that it may be the LCD which displays the milage data that needs replaciing. Has anyone done this? Is it a part that I can readily get? Is it relativly simple to do?

Any experience of this?

 

[AndyRKett]

the way to go about it is to get a used part from a car with a lower mileage. Then using a program like MES you can correct the mileage on the new dash up, to match the car, but if the mileage on the new cluster is higher you cannot correct it down.

These cars are commonly being broken for parts now so getting one shouldn’t be too hard

 

[RedPeril]

Thanks for your reply Andy. We have a couple of vehicle dismantlers locally so I'll check them out.

Just on this software, following your link I found MultiESUScan at about £130 . Is that it? Once I have it on a computer, I connect the milomter to it via USB or somthing?

​

 

[AndyRKett]

Thanks for your reply Andy. We have a couple of vehicle dismantlers locally so I'll check them out.

Just on this software, following your link I found MultiESUScan at about £130 . Is that it? Once I have it on a computer, I connect the milomter to it via USB or somthing?

​

You can get the software for £50 and you just need the lead to connect to the car which is about £10 on Amazon

 

[The Panda Nut]

The mileometer in my Punto has stopped working. My online search for a replacement came up with the frightening price of nearly £800 for a replacement of the full instrument cluster.

Can I fix the mileometer? Is a vehicle dismantler the only way forward to source this part?

Any experience, advice or ideas would be great.

My Renault Laguna had a voice synthsizer in the dash back in 96, and that too was £800 back then It failed at 12 months and 2weeks from new. Fortuntely I got away with £200 following dealer request for help to Renault C.S. Its outrageous and nothing else. Can we just have simple low gaget cars with high economy with some reliability built in. There are places for digital and electronic gadgets and for touch screens. Cars are NOT the place for them. Too much dust and vibration one day we will re-establish a sensible balance.

I stongly suggest you start googling automotive electronics repair specialists.
I am sure there will be somewhere that can help. Plan B is a second hand unit and get the milage reprogrammed to your cars correct miles.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Thanks for your reply Andy. We have a couple of vehicle dismantlers locally so I'll check them out.

Just on this software, following your link I found MultiESUScan at about £130 . Is that it? Once I have it on a computer, I connect the milomter to it via USB or somthing?

​

MES is software that allows your laptop to see ECU functions and make some adjustments. You can see live information on engine and systems performace. You can re write the milage but you can only re write a distance greater than shown You cannot reduce or rewind the milage, hence the advice that any second hand unit needs to have less miles thant your car so you can adjuist the miles to the corretc distance, If you are keeing teh car for more than a year or two it is well worth the money.

 

[AndyRKett]

This is just the software package on its own ---> https://www.gendan.co.uk/product_FESLCN.html

This doesn't include any plugs or leads but I see now where your price of £130 comes from as thats the price they sell the software and all the plugs and leads for. The thing is you probably don't need half the stuff in that top package as some plugs and leads used are for specific cars and modules. You could Email that company (they are very reputable) and they will tell you exactly which leads and plugs you need for your car so you don't waste money buying things you don't need.

 

[RedPeril]

Thanks Andy. I saw that the £50 version only gives you free updated for 12 months and then you have to buy another licence for another 12 month's updates.

What's the "diagnostic interface" do you know?

I'll give them a call in the morning when they open.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Regarding the updates, as far as I know it's been like that for years. However it'll be the latest download when you buy it and if you don't buy a newer car you don't need to update - I'm still running on the version which I downloaded in the mid 2010s. It doesn't time out etc.

I was having trouble getting the computer to communicate with the interface when I bought mine and Gendan were very helpful and patient giving help to me (as were several people on the forum) Don't hesitate to give Gendan a ring, they are very helpful and not at all pushy - good people.

 

[varesecrazy]

Thanks for your reply Andy. We have a couple of vehicle dismantlers locally so I'll check them out.

Just on this software, following your link I found MultiESUScan at about £130 . Is that it? Once I have it on a computer, I connect the milomter to it via USB or somthing?

​

Or look on the forums Member List for MES

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Or look on the forums Member List for MES

Absolutely Charlie, I got a lot of enthusiastic help from forum members too.

 

[RedPeril]

I've let members know on another thread that I started (and some members' names crop up on both!). However, here is a quick run through of what I ended up doing and what I found out. The overall cost and the time that my car would be off the road were important factors.

Is mileage data only held in the ECU in the instrument cluster? | FIAT Grande Punto

I'm just repairing my instrument cluster to fix a fault in the mileometer (The LCD has failed.) I'm presuming that there is an ECU in the instrument cluster where the vehicle's milage is stored? Is there any other ECU in the vehicle that stores it as well, in effect does the mileage run go...

www.fiatforum.com

• None of my local scrappys had any compatible parts, neither instrument clusters nor LCDs.
• I found an LCD supplier (Minitools) in Italy but current import costs made this not cost effective.
• Sending it away gets you a warranty but costs more than DIY and the car is off the road whilst the repair is being done. I guess a minimum of 5 working days.
• eBay came up with a near exact version of my instrument panel at £62 so I went for that and it had considerably fewer miles on it so I could keep my options open.
• I checked out the MES software and got some input from members on the MES list but it is another £50 to pay out. Might get this software for my laptop at some time for fault diagnosis.
• I have taken the working LCD from the donor instrument cluster and put it into the one from my car. A little bit fiddly with taking the the donor LCD plug out and refitting into my car's cluster but nothing that a bit of patience and a bright work-light won't overcome. My wife's small crochet hook was very good for taking the donor LCD plug out!
• Once the instrument cluster was reinstalled the mileage popped up and showed my mileomter had been busy counting miles even with a dudd LCD.
• As a precaution, I disconnected the battery during operations.
• Members advise that the system for the Fiat Punto Grande at least (and maybe other models) is that mileages are recorded in the instrument cluster the Body Computer and the ECU.
• And I've got the remainder of the instrument cluster for spares.
• Job done for £62 and a few hours of work. I hope that the replacement lasts!

Thanks for all the messages.