Completely dead Speedo cluster- dials, DIS etc all dead.

Hi guys,
I hope someone can give me some ideas here. I just got back from my honeymoon and found that my speedo cluster is dead - only sign of life is a flashing handbrake light.

The car drives fine, radio, aircon etc all work 100%. It's just the speedo cluster looks like the car is turned off.

I ran a VCDS scan which reported some errors: (I'm aware of the fan malfunction and am about the get that fixed)


Saturday,30,April,2011,12:18:14:24995
VCDS Version: Release 908.2
Data version: 20100326



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Chassis Type: 1K0
Scan: 01 03 08 09 15 16 17 19 25 42 44 46 47 52 56 7D

VIN: WAUZZZ8P44A119475 Mileage: 128980km/80144miles

00-Steering Angle Sensor -- Status: OK 0000
01-Engine -- Status: Malfunction 0010
03-ABS Brakes -- Status: OK 0000
08-Auto HVAC -- Status: OK 0000
09-Cent. Elect. -- Status: Malfunction 0010
15-Airbags -- Status: OK 0000
16-Steering wheel -- Status: OK 0000
17-Instruments -- Status: OK 0000
19-CAN Gateway -- Status: Malfunction 0010
25-Immobilizer -- Status: OK 0000
42-Door Elect, Driver -- Status: OK 0000
44-Steering Assist -- Status: OK 0000
46-Central Conv. -- Status: OK 0000
47-Sound System -- Status: OK 0000
52-Door Elect, Pass. -- Status: OK 0000
56-Radio -- Status: Malfunction 0010
7D-Aux. Heat -- Status: OK 0000

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Address 01: Engine Labels: 03G-906-016-BKD.lbl
Part No SW: 03G 906 016 G HW: 028 101 136 4
Component: R4 2,0L EDC 0000SG 5705
Revision: 12345678 Serial number: AUX7Z0CDFN40BP
Coding: 0000072
Shop #: WSC 06435 000 00000

2 Faults Found:
18354 - Control Module 1 for Coolant Fan: Defective
P1946 - 000 - -
Freeze Frame:
RPM: 777 /min
Torque: 22.0 Nm
Speed: 0.0 km/h
Load: 0.0 %
Voltage: 13.98 V
Bin. Bits: 11000100
Temperature: 56.7°C
Duty Cycle: 9.6 %

18617 - Engine Coolant Temp Sensor on Radiator Outlet (G83): Signal too High
P2185 - 000 - - - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
RPM: 1701 /min
Torque: 8.0 Nm
Speed: 61.0 km/h
Load: 7.1 %
Voltage: 13.91 V
Bin. Bits: 11000000
Temperature: 88.2°C
Temperature: 75.6°C

Readiness: 0 0 0 0 0

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Address 03: ABS Brakes Labels: 1K0-907-379-MK60-F.lbl
Part No: 1K0 907 379 K
Component: ESP FRONT MK60 0103
Coding: 0023686
Shop #: WSC 06435 000 00000

No fault code found.

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Address 08: Auto HVAC Labels: 8P0-820-043.lbl
Part No SW: 8P0 820 043 D HW: 8P0 820 043 D
Component: KlimavollautomatH12 0150
Revision: 022432 Serial number: 8P0820043D
Shop #: WSC 00000 000 00000

1 Fault Found:
01177 - Engine Control Unit
013 - Check DTC Memory
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 01101101
Fault Priority: 3
Fault Frequency: 1
Reset counter: 112
Mileage: 128984 km
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2011.04.28
Time: 01:14:47

Freeze Frame:
ON


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Address 09: Cent. Elect. Labels: 8P0-907-279-23-H.lbl
Part No SW: 8P0 907 279 A HW: 8P0 907 279 A*
Component: Bordnetz-SG 1.0 H30 0501
Revision: 00030000 Serial number: 00000000388376
Coding: A1885F00AA141000000000000000000000
Shop #: WSC 00000 000 00000

Part No: 8P2 955 119
Component: Wischer WWS Audi350 0130
Coding: 16711696
Shop #: WSC 00000

9 Faults Found:
02104 - Light Detection Sensor (G399)
010 - Open or Short to Plus
01330 - Central Control Module for Central Convenience (J393)
004 - No Signal/Communication - Intermittent
01331 - Door Control Module; Driver Side (J386)
004 - No Signal/Communication - Intermittent
01335 - Drivers Seat/Mirror Position Control Module (J543)
004 - No Signal/Communication
01332 - Door Control Module; Passenger Side (J387)
004 - No Signal/Communication - Intermittent
01320 - Control Module for Climatronic (J255)
004 - No Signal/Communication - Intermittent
00483 - Control Module for Auxiliary Air Heater
004 - No Signal/Communication - Intermittent
01341 - Control Module in Instrument Panel On Comfort CAN (J285)
004 - No Signal/Communication - Intermittent
00466 - Control Module for Steering Column Electronics (J527)
004 - No Signal/Communication - Intermittent

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Address 15: Airbags Labels: 8P0-959-655-84.lbl
Part No SW: 8P0 959 655 E HW: 8P0 959 655 E
Component: Airbag 8.4EDmin H00 0130
Coding: 0010102
Shop #: WSC 06435 000 00000

No fault code found.

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Address 16: Steering wheel Labels: 1K0-953-549-MY8.lbl
Part No SW: 1K0 953 549 A HW: 1K0 953 549 A
Component: Lenksäulenmodul 012 0030
Coding: 0000012
Shop #: WSC 06435 000 00000

No fault code found.

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Address 17: Instruments Labels: 8P0-920-xxx-17-MY7.lbl
Part No SW: 8P0 920 930 F HW: 8P0 920 930 F
Component: KOMBIINSTR. VDO H25 0110
Revision: D07 Serial number: 224DCD07029694
Coding: 0004803
Shop #: WSC 01333 996 64399

No fault code found.

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Address 19: CAN Gateway Labels: 1K0-907-530.lbl
Part No SW: 1K0 907 530 B HW: 1K0 907 951
Component: Gateway H08 0090
Revision: 08 Serial number: 2400103B179596
Coding: 3D0F0B42070101
Shop #: WSC 06435 000 00000

1 Fault Found:
00381 - Databus Instrument Cluster
014 - Defective - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00101110
Fault Priority: 1
Fault Frequency: 1
Reset counter: 151


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Address 25: Immobilizer Labels: 1K0-920-xxx-25.lbl
Part No SW: 8P0 920 930 F HW: 8P0 920 930 F
Component: KOMBIINSTR. VDO H25 0110
Revision: D07 Serial number: AUX7Z0CDFN40BP
Shop #: WSC 01333 996 12757

No fault code found.

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Address 42: Door Elect, Driver Labels: 8P0-959-801-MIN1.lbl
Part No: 8P0 959 801 A
Component: Tuersteuerger. H10 0010
Coding: 0000016
Shop #: WSC 06435 000 00000

No fault code found.

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Address 44: Steering Assist Labels: 1Kx-909-14x.lbl
Part No: 1K2 909 144 E
Component: EPS_ZFLS Kl.10 1202
Shop #: WSC 00000 000 00000

No fault code found.

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Address 46: Central Conv. Labels: 8P0-959-433.lbl
Part No: 8P0 959 433
Component: KSG H02 0040
Coding: 198800186D280F0FC8DAC67000
Shop #: WSC 01333 996 12757

Part No: 1K0 951 605 A
Component: LIN BACKUP HORN H01 1201

Part No: 1K0 907 719
Component: Neigungssensor 002 0002

Part No: 8P0 951 177
Component: Innenraumueberw.H03 0010

No fault code found.

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Address 47: Sound System Labels: 8Px-035-382.lbl
Part No SW: 8P3 035 382 HW: 8P3 035 382
Component: AB2 SUBWOOFERBOXH23 0100
Revision: 00001 Serial number: 10000001089764
Shop #: WSC 00000 000 00000

No fault code found.

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Address 52: Door Elect, Pass. Labels: 8P0-959-802-MIN1.lbl
Part No: 8P0 959 802 A
Component: Tuersteuerger. H10 0010
Coding: 0000016
Shop #: WSC 06435 000 00000

No fault code found.

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Address 56: Radio Labels: 8P0-035-1xx-56.lbl
Part No SW: 8P0 035 186 HW: 8P0 035 186
Component: concert II EU H53 0060
Revision: 07S Serial number: AUZ2Z3C1742411
Coding: 0001001
Shop #: WSC 06435 000 00000

2 Faults Found:
01317 - Control Module in Instrument Cluster (J285)
004 - No Signal/Communication - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00100100
Fault Priority: 5
Fault Frequency: 3
Reset counter: 145

Freeze Frame:
Bin. Bits: 10

01299 - Diagnostic Interface for Data Bus (J533)
004 - No Signal/Communication - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00100100
Fault Priority: 5
Fault Frequency: 3
Reset counter: 145


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Address 7D: Aux. Heat Labels: 1K0-963-235.lbl
Part No SW: 1K0 963 235 C HW: 1K0 963 235 C
Component: PTC-Element 0404
Revision: 00600000 Serial number:
Shop #: WSC 00000 000 00000

No fault code found.

End ---------------------------------------------------------------------

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!

Adam

Forgot to mention that I had checked all the fuses and they were all fine.
I drove a bit more and the dials and odometer worked intermittently, but the DIS stayed dead.

I checked in the engine bay and found some half-eaten acorns... seems a rat must've had a taste of the wiring loom... GRRR
Hopefully it's not too hard to find the nibbled section ...and that there hasn't been a short that's damaged the cluster

Hahahah I'm gonna get dat rat dat's what I'm gonna do

ok, so my mechanic says there's no damaged wiring i.e. it doesn't look like a rat chewed anything.
He's quoted R5500 (apprx 550 pounds) to get the cluster 'fixed'.

My dad (who was using the car while I was on honeymoon) swears it was 100% (barring a flashing handbrake light) when he last used it. When I got in next, the cluster was dead - warning lights, indicators etc work; but dials and DIS don't. The dials and mileage/date displays did work intermittently for a little while, but they're showing no signs of life now either.

My mechanic said that jump-starting can cause a voltage spike which can cause damage like this.
I'm gonna take it to the dealer to get their opinion.

Anyone have any ideas as to what could cause this?
My only other thought is lightning, but surely this is a stretch because the car body acts as a Faraday cage

Any suggestions/thoughts would be greatly appreciated...

I'll try disconnecting the battery tonight - see if it does anything.
@consilio - I tried to find a consistency with the 'intermittent-ness' but it seems totally random. Was flickering on and off randomly while idling. Not working at all now. Rev counter is stuck on 1000rpm and speedo is stuck at 40kph.

My mechanic wasn't sure what the electrician (?) was gonna do, but he suspected it was damaged circuitry as a result of a power surge after a jump start. Surely the lower voltage elements would be protected from this kind of thing - flat batteries are possible on any car.

I phoned Audi and I've got it booked in for a diagnostics check with them. The technician I spoke to asked if I have a vehicle tracking device (quite common here in South Africa). He said that if the car wasn't driven for a few days and the tracker's battery died, it would use the car's battery. after a few days this could then leave the car's battery too low to support the electronics.

The car started perfectly when I got in (no sign of a low battery), but the Audi guy insisted the 'damage' could already have been done...
He also asked if the battery had been replaced (which it has) with a non-audi (silver calcium) battery.

So hopefully the problem is a result of power going too low, rather than too high, and can be resolved with a 'reset'.

N8 - would love to mate, but the car is actually for sale, so no point in doing that now...

Actually planning on getting a Jeep. Need something that can go off road and tow my dirt bike.

Gonna miss the old girl...

Riiiiiight, so Audi quoted me R17000 (1700 quid) to fix the problem!!! oh - and R650 to tell me about the raping they have planned.

All the monkey on the phone could tell me was that the cluster needs replacing due to - wait for it - "unit failure". WTF is that?

The first mechanic I went to told me that replacing the cluster (with a 2nd hand one) was not worth the mission. The cluster is apparently matched to the chassis number and the keys have to be re-coded. true? N8 - thoughts?

Blue Thunder - I'm pretty sure that's not possible on mine. I've never seen that kind of option and I've played with it loads. It's definitely ******** - the speedo and rev counters are stuck...

Thanks Khufu - good to know.

The manager at the dealership recommend I get in touch with Audi SA and lodge a formal complaint regarding quality. He said it's not reasonable that such a part should fail at this mileage. The SA government has just passed a new Consumer Protection Act, so he said I should make a big deal out of it and they'll probably cave and replace the cluster. Optimistic, but I'll try my luck...

Thanks Nigel. I looked all over the engine bay for any damaged wiring or loose connections and couldn't find anything that looked damaged or loose. Where is the CE board?

hahah regarding the "unit failure" I was being sarcastic I expected them to be able to give me a little more information than "unit failure" when the cost is so high. At least give me a "blown flux capacitor" or "overloaded flange coupling" or something! heh heh heh

The cluster isn't actually completely dead as the topic states (sorry) - the warning lights, indicators etc work, but nothing else.

I'll have a go at disconnecting the cluster and do another scan. Thanks for the info.

They actually only just stopped making the citi golfs. Can't believe they made the same model for 35(ish) years!