Technical Mileometer & gear box indicators showing 'garbage' characters

[drfi]

I have a 2002 Marea saloon automatic, roughly 30k miles. The numbers on the mileometer (full mileage + recent trip indicators) disappeared yesterday, and instead there is just a series of digital 'blips'. There is clearly still power to the display (I don't think it’s a duff bulb) but the number values have disappeared and instead I get 'garbage' characters. I tried pressing the button to re-set the trip mileage, but nothing happens.

At the same time the digital listing of the gears has disappeared. Yesterday morning the square indicator showing which gear you are in was still there, just not the actual list of gears. By the afternoon the box indicator was also gone, and nothing displays at all.

It was fine the day before. All the physical displays (speedo, revs, petrol, etc) work fine, and the car is starting OK. I am using an original Fiat blue key – I also tried starting with the red master key, but no change.

Very grateful for any suggestions!

 

[stylers]

Either the LCD display glass itself has poor connections to the pcb, or the instrument cluster memory has become corrupt. for the first problem, try removing the cluster and applying pressure on the circuit board area where the display is. See if that does anything. if not, you could try somebody who does "dash calibrations" aka "mileage correction" or a good auto electrical person. other than that, a replacement cluster I'm afraid.

Owen.

 

[drfi]

Many thanks Owen!

Either the LCD display glass itself has poor connections to the pcb, or the instrument cluster memory has become corrupt. for the first problem, try removing the cluster and applying pressure on the circuit board area where the display is. See if that does anything. if not, you could try somebody who does "dash calibrations" aka "mileage correction" or a good auto electrical person. other than that, a replacement cluster I'm afraid.

Owen.