1995 525 Instrument cluster

[banjomike]

For anyone that may know about servicing/replacing the LED module.
Can this be serviced without removing the steering wheel and airbag?
Is it possible to work around the steering wheel?
I would obviously prefer to not remove the steering wheel and airbag if it isnt necessary.
The Bentley manual says to remove it.
Advise appreciated.
Mike

[darkhorse737]

can be done... if you have the patience to move the plastic piece here & there a bit at a time until it comes out ;-)

once the cluster is out... the LCD is easy to remove n replace :-)

*i suggest u disarm airbag before you start ur work.

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by darkhorse737

can be done... if you have the patience to move the plastic piece here & there a bit at a time until it comes out ;-)

once the cluster is out... the LCD is easy to remove n replace :-)

*i suggest u disarm airbag before you start ur work.

Haven't put the screwdriver to it yet. A couple quick questions...hoping for a shortcut.
Disarm the airbag -- do you mean disconnecting the SRS contact? (under the steering wheel?

Also the instrument cluster problem is intermittant. Sometimes it works fine, sometimes it just goes into freekzone.

Sounds like a rattle going on behind the cluster.
What are the chances that something just worked loose?


Also, an unrelated thing...the passenger side rear window is also intermittant.
Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt. When it doesnt, neither switch will operate the window. I can hear a relay click when attempting to lower the window .. bad motor?

[darkhorse737]

Disarm the airbag -- do you mean disconnecting the SRS contact? (under the steering wheel? <<< easier way... disconnect battery and don't start working until after at least 10mins.

intermittent operation in the cluster could be a loose wire, loose socket, or the IC board deteriorating. rattling behind cluster is actually a positive thing for me... i read that as something loose ;-)

passenger side rear window. only way to do this is remove the panel, and watch the operation of the motor(and it's clutch). check for smoothness of operation as the motor gear travels through the regulator teeth; check for binding and wear at the rails and in the window channeling. if u say it works once in awhile, i wd look at the window guides first. at the bottom of the glass u'll see a channel where a runner moves laterally depending on the height of the glass... grease it if u see it's dry, along with other moving parts and joints.

[shadowpuck]

we had this exact problem on our '93 525. the fix in our case was to swap out the cluster (and transfer the coding plug) with another one i bought at a junkyard. that was a few years ago and everything has worked great since.

i worked on the cluster both with and without the steering wheel/airbag removed. it's definitely doable with the wheel/bag in place, but its MUCH easier without. removing the wheel and airbag adds another 2 minutes to the operation.

if you have the bentley (sounds like you do) then you have all the instructions for removing the wheel/airbag. it's really easy.

[Torque]

It can be pulled out easily without removing the steering wheel. I've done it without taking the wheel off in a car without a tilting wheel ... and yours should have it ... piece of cake.

[banjomike]

Next time...REMOVE THE STEERING WHEEL!!
While trying to rplace the instrument cluster, I broke the fricken acrylic face.
The carrier frontplate acrylic ...
So great!
Anyone happen to know where to look for a replacement?
Plus, The LED is still bad I guess that also needs replacing.
Sometime the readout works, and sometimes it just is garbled.
Any additional insight?
When replacing the LED module, how is the mileage on the odometer set/reset?

For accuracy?