Instrument Cluster

[seanw]

First Time Poster

The instrument cluster seems to have died on my 05 E Class (W211?). No lighting at all and the clock, speedometer and rev counter not working. The problem also seems to have affected the parktronic function and the buttons on the steering wheel. There is some power to the parktronic as it bleeps for a few seconds when car is switched on but just doesn't operate.

I have looked at the fuse booklet in the fuse panel on driver side but don't see anything that covers instrument cluster. I know there are fuses in the engine but don't know what they cover.

There has been a lot of heavy rain here in the last week and I don't know if problem is fuse related or something more serious.

Funnily enough, the front lights also seem to be on, even if the internal switch is off.

Would appreciate any advice, particularly on where I might find fuse. Thanks.

 

[s500colin]

Hello
I had exactly the same problems with my S500 the LED back lighting on the instrument cluster had died Olly at PCS Managed to get it repaired for me if it is not repairable then you have to change the whole unit

 

[mr. shr]

Hi Sean, welcome to the forum (although you wont find my post very welcoming at all).

What you've described sounds very much like what happened to me earlier this year.
Cluster completely dead.
You have a few options:

1) Send the cluster off for repair,
2) Source a used cluster (non-SCN) and see if someone with a STAR machine can code it up,
3) Buy a new cluster and have main dealer do the SCN coding.

I went with option 3 (the dearest!!)

Where are you based?
Do you have Mobilo?

 

[seanw]

Thanks for the feedback. I live in Dublin.

I was fed up paying through the nose for main dealer service so last 2 services were through reputable merc specialist. So I guess I don't have the Mobilo cover.

I called my merc guy and also a main dealer and both said I'd need to bring it in. I'm bringing it to my merc guy on Saturday morning. I'd say he has a STAR machine. What is non-SCN? I can source a second hand cluster from the UK for about £150. Speedometer in miles won't bother me as I imported car from UK. I'd live without it only I need the parktronic (just too lazy after years of being used to it) and petrol guage (just passed Irish MOT equivalent 2 weeks ago until 2013).

Would I be taking too much of a chance sourcing a second hand cluster? My merc guy estimated €600 but won't know til he sees car and main dealer estimated £1200, but again would need to see car. I would have thought the W211 (2005) would be the main factor.

 

[jefrs]

First of all the cluster is fairly easy to pull out.

Secondly the lighting and parktronic fault, combined with loss of power to the cluster makes me think it could be a fault elsewhere, such as the lighting switch, or an earth fault.

Earthing faults (brown wires) do very strange things, and yes they are affected by rain (electricity plus moisture equals corrosion). No earth could mean no cluster power but the electricity finds a route to earth elsewhere, such as putting the front lights on when they're supposed to be off.

Probably best to check you have electrical circuit supplied to the right places (and electricity requires two wires to complete the circuit, live and earth), before spending a lot of money.

 

[mr. shr]

I called Mobilo out when mine went and he checked every fuse. They were all fine.
Connected STAR but it couldn't communicate with the IC and so decided it was dead.

A lot of the car's systems go through the IC, including the steering wheel controls, parktronic and the lights.
Your headlights are coming on as this is a fall-back safety system meaning you still have lights even though the car has a major fault.

It could well be that you've an electrical fault somewhere (as Jefrs says) that is preventing power getting to the cluster. If so you must attempt to find that first.
To see if power is getting to the cluster, remove it and put a meter on the approprate pins in the connector plugs. Let me know if you want to do this, and I'll let you know which pins are live and earth.

FWIW, Mobilo also disconnected my battery for 10 mins, just to see if that would reset things.
Worth trying that first, I guess.

 

[jaymanek]

Mercedes W211 E Class instrument cluster Speedo. - Cluster Repairs UK

 

[mr. shr]

What is non-SCN?

SCN is basically MB's way of making you have any repairs/diagnostics done at an authorised MB dealer (or an indy that pays for the service).

It means that just a STAR machine alone will not program modules, and that you also need direct connection to the factory in Germany where you car's configuration is centrally stored.

Although my 211 is pre-SCN, because I ordered a brand new cluster the original part number for my car had been superceeded with the facelifted version (which requires SCN coding).
So although I was able to fit the cluster myself, I still had to visit the dealer to do the final coding (in order to get the milage etc. to work).

 

[jefrs]

I have found on mine that some of the electrical gremlins are not the expensive units but the connectors to them.

One of the problems is the mandatory use of lead-free solder, which doesn't always amalgamate and readily corrodes. Btw the stuff they put in to replace the lead is possibly even more harmful, e.g. molybdenum and bismuth (mad nanny syndrome ;-), so instead of using better fume extraction/treatment (except yes we do because of the other heavy metal poisons), we now have solder that doesn't work. Tin/lead solder amalgamates (or "metallizes") properly - it dissolves into the surface layer of the metals to be joined, and it may legitimately be used for repair and home/diy use.

It may also be possible to repair the circuit board connections to the instrument cluster.

 

[seanw]

Believe it or not my wife switched on the car this evening and the cluster was working. Based on the clock it seemed to have power for about 7 hours before she switched on. It is displaying all the old info, including the old mileage and a nearly empty tank even though I put petrol in on weekend. However we got a screen display indicating SRS Restraint System Malfunction. I'll bring to my mechanic to sort out - hopefully minor.

When I went to him on weekend he pointed out that there was a pulley making a lot of noise and he said bearings going and need to get replaced - fine by me as it's been a pain for a while now.

Thanks to all for feedback. Will post update after next visit.

 

[seanw]

Apparently the cluster didn't throw up a fault other than no power. Seems to be all cleared now and no problems since.

 

[baldyden]

insrument cluster

common falt on these later models clk ,c e, class same problems as you had cluster repaired by bba remans in kent £170 2year garrentee but bought secondhand one for £60 and had it recoded by indie on star machine to get mileage right sorted problem thanks denis

 

[wrauch]

common falt on these later models clk ,c e, class same problems as you had cluster repaired by bba remans in kent £170 2year garrentee but bought secondhand one for £60 and had it recoded by indie on star machine to get mileage right sorted problem thanks denis

I have the same problem on me E270, 2003.
Who is bba remans in Kent?

 

[oldguy57]

I think it will be BBA Reman Ltd In Rochester -see their website