Outside Temperature display

[merc911]

The numbers on the outside temperature display on my 2001 w210 E200 are not fully illuminated. Im not sure if its an LCD display or if they are illuminated by dash bulbs. Any comments greatfully received

 

[jberks]

If the whole display is out then it will be a bulb. If some dots on that display are on and some aren't so its unreadable then, I'm afraid its the LCD. I have the details of someone who was going to have a look at mine (though I never used him in the end). and it took me over a year to find him as most people wouldn't even look at it. They occasionally come up on ebay but I never found an appropriate one. Failing that, you are into a new cluster at around £600 all in.

 

[merc911]

Thanks for that - I can make out the temp so im not going to bother spending money on it. Dash will have to come out and they dont always go back too well

 

[television]

Sorry to poke my nose in, but it looks as though you can dismantle the cluster and replace the 54288 display module. The steering wheel must be taken off and quite a lot of work, but can be done. there is no back light lamp on its own

Malcolm

 

[jberks]

Sorry to poke my nose in, but it looks as though you can dismantle the cluster and replace the 54288 display module. The steering wheel must be taken off and quite a lot of work, but can be done. there is no back light lamp on its own

Malcolm

Malcolm,
I got the cluster out of my 210 without removing the wheel (and it was the non adjustable one) and it goes back just fine - I didn't even use the MB keys, just pushed out from behind - its really very easy. Each display has it's own back light bulb too, so if it goes black, its the bulb. However, most pixelate and the display varies with the moisture in the air.
If you have a way to replace the display then there is a big market out there. I couldn't find anyone to look at mine when I was looking. I was told that the problem lies in the connection so I stripped the cluster down, hoping to get some contact cleaner to it, but got to the point where I was going to have to disconnect the very fine and fragile looking connector for the centre matrix display to go any further, at which point I decided I'd gone far enough and put it back together. Several people told me that you can't get parts for the VDO displays - is this untrue?
Not an issue for me anymore, but this fault is a real pain and it may help other 'sufferers'.
cheers,
JB

 

[television]

Thank you for your reply JB I thought I had seen some displays and looked up this car E200 and it shows the whole instrument cluster in pieces with part numbers for the separate modules
MB say the wheel has to come off. I agree with you that it is better to push the cluster out from the back (easier in cold weather) That way no chance of breaking the glass.
I think that people say they cant get the parts as they are not geared up for this type of work. Dirty hands and tools don't help plus the tools needed are electronic and not eng; I purely looked for the piece thinking that no one could be expected to buy a new panel. I do know the guys in the states earn a bomb doing this, as for me I am on my last legs and don't need any more money.

Thanks Malcolm

 

[tamrsoft]

A classic problem on the W210. I have the same problem on my clock display in which some segments intermittently work and then intermittently fail. Since the segments work some of the time I assume it's a possible dry joint problem on the display module and I plan to rework the joints on the PC card when I get a moment to remove the instrument head. I have tried calling and sending emails to VDO Seimens about replacement modules, their answer is contact your MB Dealer, I don't think they even have the courtesy to fully read my notes. I feel we should all bombard them with e-mail stating they they ship crap quality units.

 

[television]

VDO make these under licence For MB. they are not allowed to give info as their contract is with MB. They will only give info on their own products.

Malcolm

 

[jberks]

I went through this cycle and had a go at MB too - with the usual complete lack of result. I usually find a conversation with my Collie more productive and this proved to be the case on this issue as he showed far greater understanding of the issues than the automatons at customer services. I did suggest that they have an obligation to provide an exchange/repair service given this is an extremely common fault and that it's probably a simple repair if you know what you are doing. Their reply was that they don't consider this to be a design fault so presumably they are designed to fail.
Unless you are an experienced electronics engineer like televison I would suggest you don't bother. I have a degree in computer science, can build PCs, am quite competent with a screwdriver, multi meter and soldering iron and have stripped down and replaced components in car stereos, Ipaqs etc and it beat me. You can't get to the connector without stripping down some sensitive and expensive looking components on the board. WHen I had to remove the connector for the centre matrix display (lots of exceedingly small pins and fine ribbon cable) I lost my bottle.

I did have an engineer lined up to do it, but it involved popping the cluster and mailing it to Wales. Cost was likely to be < £100 and turnaround less than a week and I was about to do it, but when I told the Mrs I was nipping out to borrow her mums car for the week (she doesn't use it) so I could send the cluster off, she 'persuaded' me to go via the dealer's forecourt. As a result I now have a W211 and my cluster is someone elses problem.
But if anyone wants the chap's details let me know.
cheers
JB.

 

[tamrsoft]

I suspect many of the P/Ns used to construct the unit are not part of an MB contract only the whole assembly and it was the individual P/N that I was trying to procure. If the display component was specifically designed and built for MB then I can understand their reluctance to make it available outside of this contractual agreement. It is not a one-off situation, it is a component quality issue which MB seems happy to accept - just another quality nail in their coffin. Does Lexus have the same problems ?