Help required - Dying Dash (Long Post, sorry)

[Conrad]

Let me explain the symptoms and then ask the questions...This is a MK2 115 Bravo

Quite frequently my dash suffers from electrical drop outs.

What isn't affected are all warning/info lights (handbrake, mainbean, abs, indicators etc), Fuel guage, Temp guage.

What is affected; Speedo, Rev counter, Milage display

Symptoms: The Speedo dies completely; the Rev counter either dies completely or operates erratically; the LCD milage display is either dim (ie LCD bits are grey, not black, it is still backlit), flashes ramdomly or flickers very quickly, sometimes appearing to flicker in time with the enigine revs.

During these problems the odometer and the trip milage do not update as I drive along.

Questions

I have had the dash out and reseated the two connectors at the back of it (White and Yellow). However, does anyone know what information is passed along which cable?

Could this actually be an ECU fault or ecu connector fault, hence the odometer not changing during the problem and it not 'catching up' with the increased milage when the problem stops?

And finally, does anyone know just where to hit the dash to solve this problem?

Hoping someone out there can help

Conrad

 

[Tom]

The ECU does not know the milage, the odometer just counts up from the speedo pulses which drive the speedo. The ECU just supplied RPM pulses.

The fault will be with the dash.

 

[Conrad]

No idea where to hit the dash to fix it though?

lol

Conrad

 

[Tom]

On the front, with a hammer

 

[Conrad]

Do you happen to know which of the two cables in the back of the dash carries the rpm and speedo signals?

Cheers

Conrad

 

[Tom]

Nope. I'm a Mk1 man

The fact the LCD does funny indicates its a power problem in the dash.

 

[Conrad]

Thanks for the help Tom, see if you can spot my next post...

Conrad

 

[Owen]

Hello Conrad,

Is this a mk 1 or 2 dash ?. there is a common ground and supply voltage running between the guages, speedo and rev counter. Not sure about the mk2 dash, but check the flexi print tracks that run between them and out to the connectors for cracks or loose components or other damage. the resistors and diodes etc are sort of crimped to the flexi print, these can be dodgy, and can be cured by judicuous use of a soldering iron. also check the screws that connect each guage to the print.. loosen and retighten if necessary..

Owen.

 

[Owen]

Hello conrad,

oops, i should have noted the LCD, so its obviously a mk 2...

 

[Conrad]

Cheers Owen,

Thats my job for the weekend sorted then

Thanks

Conrad

 

[Anonymous]

Conrad,

just so that you know, the connector that appears to control everything like yours in my car (1.2 mk 11) is the yellow one, on the right hand side as you sit in the drivers seat.

mine keeps doing the same, just whip the dials out, dissconnect and reconnect this plug and all should be sweet again until next time.....

i keep all the tools needed to do this in the car now

Andy_sx