W639 Vito/Viano instrument cluster replacement/repair

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BTB 500

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Shropshire
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R129 SL500, W639 Vito 120, S205 C300
The instrument cluster on our 2007 Vito has an intermittent fault which is slowly getting worse :(

Momentarily all the dials drop to zero and the warning lights (SRS etc.) come on. The dials come back to life immediately, the cluster 're-boots' and all the trip info. is lost (it's quite funny because the average speed display starts at 200 mph afterwards :D).

Have lived with this for a while but it's happening more often now and sometimes the fuel gauge reads zero afterwards, which is a bit awkward when you have no trip mileage any more either. The gauge reads correctly after turning off and back on.

I had a dealer look at it on the last service (in case it was simply a loose connection from the loom etc.) but they didn't find anything. So I guess the options are ...

1. Replace the cluster. I assume this would (a) be big money and (b) need to be done by someone with the proper coding equipment etc. to preserve the mileage and coding info.

2. Have it repaired - there are various companies around who do this e.g.

Mercedes W639 Vito instrument cluster Speedo. - Cluster Repairs UK

Downside to this would be that I'd have to remove the cluster (I guess this is pretty simple if you have the right tools ... seem to remember it needs a puller of some sort?) and the vehicle would be off the road for much longer while it was sent away.

Any thoughts/comments/observations welcomed!

I'm pretty handy with a soldering iron and managed to find and fix some cracked PCB joints in the aircon control unit of my wife's old Audi ... but I knew I could replace that with one off eBay for £50 if the worst came to the worst! It's interesting that the company above mentions:
  • Intermittent power failure accross complete unit.
So it looks like this isn't uncommon on the 639.
 
The instrument cluster on our 2007 Vito has an intermittent fault which is slowly getting worse :(

Momentarily all the dials drop to zero and the warning lights (SRS etc.) come on. The dials come back to life immediately, the cluster 're-boots' and all the trip info. is lost (it's quite funny because the average speed display starts at 200 mph afterwards :D).

Have lived with this for a while but it's happening more often now and sometimes the fuel gauge reads zero afterwards, which is a bit awkward when you have no trip mileage any more either. The gauge reads correctly after turning off and back on.

I had a dealer look at it on the last service (in case it was simply a loose connection from the loom etc.) but they didn't find anything. So I guess the options are ...

1. Replace the cluster. I assume this would (a) be big money and (b) need to be done by someone with the proper coding equipment etc. to preserve the mileage and coding info.

2. Have it repaired - there are various companies around who do this e.g.

Mercedes W639 Vito instrument cluster Speedo. - Cluster Repairs UK

Downside to this would be that I'd have to remove the cluster (I guess this is pretty simple if you have the right tools ... seem to remember it needs a puller of some sort?) and the vehicle would be off the road for much longer while it was sent away.

Any thoughts/comments/observations welcomed!

I'm pretty handy with a soldering iron and managed to find and fix some cracked PCB joints in the aircon control unit of my wife's old Audi ... but I knew I could replace that with one off eBay for £50 if the worst came to the worst! It's interesting that the company above mentions:
  • Intermittent power failure accross complete unit.
So it looks like this isn't uncommon on the 639.

CLSMark had his CLS cluster repaired maybe message him and ask for company details? I think he got a good deal

Abs
 
In the process of replacing the instrument cluster in our Viano. Easy to remove bend the end of two pieces of rigid wire that will go through the slots on either side and it just pulls out. There is a problem with a used one, I am told, in that it will display its mileage and not yours and it needs coding and resetting to zero. Then the required mileage will be displayed. There is also problem of the plug into the back. Seems it was changed 06/07 when the display was upgraded and will not fit the later displays. Still it seems easy to fit a new plug I am about to try! Wish me luck.
 
Should have added that we had a lot of problems some time ago with the display giving wrong speeds etc. Turned out it was the remote key but it took a long time to diagnose.
 
The instrument cluster on our 2007 Vito has an intermittent fault which is slowly getting worse :(

Momentarily all the dials drop to zero and the warning lights (SRS etc.) come on. The dials come back to life immediately, the cluster 're-boots' and all the trip info. is lost (it's quite funny because the average speed display starts at 200 mph afterwards :D).

Have lived with this for a while but it's happening more often now and sometimes the fuel gauge reads zero afterwards, which is a bit awkward when you have no trip mileage any more either. The gauge reads correctly after turning off and back on.

I had a dealer look at it on the last service (in case it was simply a loose connection from the loom etc.) but they didn't find anything. So I guess the options are ...

1. Replace the cluster. I assume this would (a) be big money and (b) need to be done by someone with the proper coding equipment etc. to preserve the mileage and coding info.

2. Have it repaired - there are various companies around who do this e.g.

Mercedes W639 Vito instrument cluster Speedo. - Cluster Repairs UK

Downside to this would be that I'd have to remove the cluster (I guess this is pretty simple if you have the right tools ... seem to remember it needs a puller of some sort?) and the vehicle would be off the road for much longer while it was sent away.

Any thoughts/comments/observations welcomed!

I'm pretty handy with a soldering iron and managed to find and fix some cracked PCB joints in the aircon control unit of my wife's old Audi ... but I knew I could replace that with one off eBay for £50 if the worst came to the worst! It's interesting that the company above mentions:
  • Intermittent power failure accross complete unit.
So it looks like this isn't uncommon on the 639.

Hi Bill.

I've got spare cluster (the one with yellow LCD).
I'll be happy to lend it to you, to keep you on the road.
It should fit straight in.
PM me if interested.

Mac
 

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