[erick (Eric)]

Before I go any further with this, just thought I would check if there is any experience out there of this problem.

About a month ago much of my instrument cluster (tacho, speedo, odometer, temperature gauge - and maybe some warning lights - handbrake for one) went off while I was driving. After a few days, I ascertained it was temperature dependent. Temperature rises, they go off. Temperature falls, they come back on. Pre-Summer temps seem to have brought the problem on.

I've searched around the websites and some people have observed the problem, but there were few fixes proposed and none that made sense - eg. connect a 12V wire to one of the screws!

Pulled everything out - unit neatly unplugs from two sockets. Cleaned all contacts in and out in case it was an intermittent power problem. No go.

Have checked on-line for a replacement unit - no luck. I'll have to go around the wreckers. I have no wish to pay the cost of a new replacement! Also, the car is a limited edition with white gauges - probably hard to get.

I'd love to have an extension cable to work with the unit on my front seat - but that is probably impossible to obtain - the plugs and sockets are very unfamiliar to me. I can get the front perspex cover off, but cannot see how to pull the tacho and speedo needles off, so I cannot remove the white plate (for want of a better term - the plate with the numbers) so I can get at the two circuit boards while the unit is plugged in. The needle connection is not straightforward or intuitive - yes I have put big pliers on it and tried to pull it off!

I am able to get the nozzle of a freezer can behind the plates and generally spray the circuits. I am slowly narrowing down the components which, after spraying, seem to come good and allow the instruments to function again. But I am spraying somewhat blind. They seem to be those in the odometer display region - the lower part of the speedo/odometer board.

I have gone over the entire unit and touched up every solder joint - on the rear plastic circuit "board" and in the two circuit boards - one on the back of the tacho gauge and one on the back of the speedo/odometer gauge. Nothing changed after I did that.

So, questions are:-

1. Anyone seen this fault?

2. Anyone have a solution?

3. Any ideas on how to remove the needles?

4. Any ideas on likely components that might be misbehaving? There appears to be ICs, a few discrete transistors, a few crystals, and resistors and capacitors, the last two being very small and flush with the boards' surfaces.

If all else fails, I will just have to find a replacement instrument cluster that works for now - then try to swap out components in mine until I can narrow down the problem. If I can remove the needles, I should be able to make a replacement one look like my current one.

Thanks if you can help.
Eric