C220 CDI insrument Cluster LCD display gone

[Mikimogo]

Hi all,
Yep me again (I can't keep up with this car) fixed my headlight problem, fixed my wiper problem, fixed my multifunction indicator stalk problem, still got my BAS light problem apparently (thought I'd fixed it but now it's back)but now I've got another problem! The LCD displays in the instrument cluster have gone out all but three little segments. It started last year, a couple of the segments in the time clock, odometer, mileage counter, and the vertical line on the + of the outside temp display kept going off and after a while one by one they would come on again. Through winter they have worked fine but this last couple of months they have been playing up again. I have tried to get the cluster out on many occasions but failed miserably and got the scars to prove it. Yesterday the backlight to the water temp guage went out so I decided today to have another go at getting the cluster out (I could get the right hand side to come out about 1cm but the left was solid)after an hour of pushing from the back and making some of the recommended pullers to try to pull it out I found that just behind the cluster what seemed to be a crash bar so I got a big screwdriver and levered against the crash bar and the cluster and it popped straight out. I checked the bulb in case it had just come loose but no it had gone so as I didn't have a spare I thought I'd try to see if I could see any loose connection on the ribbon to the LCD. I took off the front glass casing and the plastic cover over the printed circuit on the back but I could not see how to get at the ribbon or where it got its power from so I bottled out in case I buggered it up all together so I didn't actually touch the ribbon cable. I decided to put it back together and put it back but not pushing it fully back into the dash until I replaced the blown bulb. I then found that I had got no display at all exept 1 segment on the time clock and 1 segment on the outside temperature display, there was nothing at all on the odometer or mileage counter BUT if I tap on the top of the cluster housing some of the segments on the odometer, mileage counter and the other displays flashed on at the instance that I tapped and went straight out again. It can only be a loose connection I suspect but before I try to completely dismantle it (or bugger it up) I would consult the ORACLE ie MB owners forum as you've saved me many times, so if anyone has delved into the hidden depths of the cluster and lived I would be forever grateful for their help. All the rotary guages work fine it's just the LCD or are the LED's ? Oh and the BAS light has been off for 3 days and now it stays on since I had the dash out.

All the very best,

 

[Mikimogo]

Hello All,
I tried the padding on the ribbon to the LCD's as has been mentioned in other threads on this subject and indeed did get some of the display back although none were complete there were still segments missing and on the clock ribbon there was a crack in the ribbon so I searched the internet for companies that repair this type of fault. There I hit a problem as most of them once they know that you have taken the Instrument Cluster apart will not accept the job. Therefore if you have tried the padding to the clamp DIY I advise you to remove all evidence if you need to send it out for repair. I did however find a company that took it no problem. They were www.cartronix.co.uk (they are in Portsmouth)the guys name is Richard and its the same day turnaround if they get it in the morning and they pay return postage by Special Delivery the cost was £150 to replace all rbibons and 1 LCD and check the cluster through for other looming problems. They provided excellent service and kept me informed all the way through , I sent it on Tuesday and I put it back in the car this morning (Fri) all working great.

 

[television]

So sorry that you got no reply on your first post,,but excellent news that you have it fixed, and the price was not at all bad,,so pleased for you Mick