Speedo issue in a 1995 C180 W202

[Jamesie]

I often find when I pull away from traffic lights, junctions my speedo takes a few seconds to move away from zero. Noticed last night that I was driving at about 25 mph before the needle jumped up from scratch.

I've read various things about this; some people say the problem is due to the paint on the actual speedo sticking, others point to a potential failing the electronics.

Anyone else had this issue?

 

[andy27168]

Hi,
The only reason I have ever heard, causing this to happen was the as you say "sticky needle" never heard of any "electronic" issues causing this, maybe other learned forum members know different.

 

[eGuru]

Had same problem on my previous car, a '95 C250D. Turned out to be a sticky needle.

 

[aziz]

i had problem with speed metr ... and went 2 mb they told me replase the senser...

 

[KillerHERTZ]

I had the exact same thing happen.

Thump the right hand side of the dash cluster with the bottom of your fist a few times, worked every time on my old 95 W202 C180

 

[Jamesie]

Cheers guys! Aside from thumping it, is it a big job to get into the speedo and try and "un-stick" this?

 

[Jamesie]

This is getting worse and worse - particularly over the last few days, I think the intense heat has made the needle get even stickier!

Is there any way to get at the needle without going to the hassle of taking the cluster out? I take it the glass can't be removed separately?

 

[Dec]

You are correct on both counts Jamesie, the heat softens the paint even more. When the cluster is out it splits into 2 halves, see… http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/interior/69253-cluster-plastic-cracking.html#post769640

Dec

 

[Jamesie]

Thanks Dec. Taking the cluster out seems to be a bit of a faff, at least for me. If there was some way I could get a straw under the glass and spray some WD40 (presumably that's OK to use?) through a straw onto the needle that would be ideal. Doesn't look like it though unless I was to break the glass which would be pointless.

 

[Dec]

No, don’t think that the straw will work, it is possible to get WD40 on to the stop pin through the knob hole.
There is enough room to insert a straightened out paper clip through the side of the knob hole, down to the stop pin, if ONE drop of WD40 was put on to the paper clip, it would run down the wire on to the stop pin.

A mad idea, but it would probably work, but I doubt that it would solve the sticky needle problem and has the potential to make a right mess of the cluster.

I think you will have to suffer like the rest of us and take the cluster out.

See also… http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/38012-speedometer-e300-w210.html

Dec

 

[Jamesie]

No, don’t think that the straw will work, it is possible to get WD40 on to the stop pin through the knob hole.
There is enough room to insert a straightened out paper clip through the side of the knob hole, down to the stop pin, if ONE drop of WD40 was put on to the paper clip, it would run down the wire on to the stop pin.

A mad idea, but it would probably work, but I doubt that it would solve the sticky needle problem and has the potential to make a right mess of the cluster.

I think you will have to suffer like the rest of us and take the cluster out.

See also… http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/38012-speedometer-e300-w210.html

Dec

Cheers Dec! Can I ask whether you've tried this one yourself and did it work?!

 

[Dec]

I was only using my imagination, just looking at my own cluster, the knob hole is actually higher than the pin stop, so the oil wouldn’t be able to trickle down the wire so it wouldn’t work at all.

The only cure is to take the cluster out, I broke the glass in mine when the hook slipped, see small picture, the solution to that problem was to buy a complete cluster from a scrap yard, cost £20, I swapped the glass over. (front section, as in picture)

Dec

 

[Jamesie]

I was only using my imagination, just looking at my own cluster, the knob hole is actually higher than the pin stop, so the oil wouldn’t be able to trickle down the wire so it wouldn’t work at all.

Well I'm glad you used your imagination because you enthused me enough to have a go at getting the WD40 straw through the hole and I managed it! It was getting too dark to try and spray though but I'll give it another go tomorrow. Fingers crossed that will be enough to take the stickyness away! Cheers!

 

[Dec]

That looked impossible to me, even when you push the knob inward there doesn’t seem to be enough room for the straw.

It will be interesting to know how it all works out.

Dec

 

[Jamesie]

Thanks again to all who helped on this thread, I thought I'd post a pick just to prove it can be done - see attached.

A couple of sprays on the pin and needle and its back to normal - yes, there is the odd occasion when it doesn't immediately pull away from the pin but overall it is probably better than when I bought it.

Sure, I could probably resolve the problem completely by taking the cluster our and scraping the pin clean, but to me this was a lot less stressful / time consuming and effective enough for now.

It looks a little messy but everything has now dried off and you can't even see where the WD40 sprayed.

 

[Dec]

That looked impossible to me,

Jamesie, I eat my words, I didn’t think it could be done so well done.

Dec

 

[Jamesie]

Jamesie, I eat my words, I didn’t think it could be done so well done.

Dec

Neither did I Dec, until you put the idea in my head - cheers! :bannana: