East fix for fading LCD on instrument panel!

[dwest218]

This was posted in the A3 forum and just wondering if anyone has trie this with success?

""Dont let the Audi garages fool you, the whole cluster does not need changing. Mine did exactly the same thing, worse on hot days, better on cooler days. Audi also said change the cluster, I thought forget it! I took it out, there's 3 plugs on the back. Turn it over, there's a few torx screws, take those out, and loosen the black clips which hold the clear face to the rest of the cluster.
What happens is the lcd display glass has a thin ribbon cable on its right hand side that powers the display, the bonding/glueing on this ribbon cable comes loose, doesn't make proper contact thats why the lines come and go.
Over the top of the display is a metal cover plate held on by 4 legs bent on the back of the pc board. Straighten these, and it comes off. WORK GENTLY!!!
Then you can remove the lcd glass. Be careful, don't loose the 2 pieces of plastic behind the lcd glass. IT WILL NOT WORK WITHOUT BOTH OF THESE.
Then, either take the lcd panel to a good electronic company to re-bond the ribbon cable for you, or find a place that makes and sells lcd displays.
Don't worry about the codes either, so long as you disconnect the cluster with the ignition off, once you plug it back, everything will work fine.

I did mine myself, just added 2 extra strips of thin rubber strip behind the lcd on either side, and made the metal cover press down slightly harder on the ribbon cable so it makes better contact, and it works perfectly. All in all, an hour or so's work.""

 

[hiltoa]

Worthy of thanks for a top bit of info - I don't personally have any problems with my display (yet) but I know there are lot out there that do.

Surprised there's been no response to this.

 

[Andy.B]

Hmmm really.. im missing 3 lines of my display was concidering going to Audi. But the big question is where do you get the rebonding done? or buy new displays???

 

[jcb]

I have lost the top left corner, just a couple of mm into the display, not a line as such but worth a try

 

[docurley]

Will have to try that nice one I will pass this on.

 

[jsmithee]

This makes perfect sense, as I have a LCD remote control that does exactly the same thing as the display on my A4 if the back is not screwed on ultra tight. I think i will give this a go as the display on mine is unreadable right across from top to bottom on most days. Thanks for the tip, and thanks to the original poster. Does anyone know if you have to take the steering wheel off on a4's to get the cluster out, or can you just adjust the column to do it?

 

[docurley]

This should help

Step 1: Take out the instrument cluster.

Step 2: Disconnect the plugs.

Step 3: Remove the remaining plugs.

Step 4: Remove the cover. Take out the screws and snap open the cover, on face lift you will have two screews holding the back in place as well has the tabs.

Now just put it all back.

 

[jsmithee]

thanks docurley for the pics, it's all back together now, and the display is good, not perfect but that is because my display has some knackered crystals anyway. its as good as when on a good day before (maybe slightly better). i recommend doing this if your display is perfect on a good day, cos after it will be perfect all the time. It took about a hour to do, and instead of putting in thin rubber strips (i had no rubber), i cut out a thin cardboard gasket to fit inside the metal casing for the lcd display, then reassembled and bent the clips back so the display pushed together tighter.

 

[docurley]

Well I did the bit of adding more pressure but no joy on the face lift so I can only think a ribbon is needed.

 

[dwest218]

Hey guys thanks for giving this a try and reporting back. Hopefully someone will report back lots of success! I am going to try this also when I get time but maybe in the meantime I will try to add a picture of what my LCD panel looks like. It is impossible to read in the day and barely readable at night.

 

[docurley]

Some did this on another forum as I did and it worked for him on the older dash.

 

[Andy.B]

Think i might have to give it a go this weekend.. might be able to revive my 3 strips that are dead.

 

[Randomjim]

I think i made a bit of a bawls up of this. I tried applying more pressure put the clocks back in and it didn't really make a difference. But now the immobiliser lights flashing and my car doesn't start. Any ideas?

 

[docurley]

I think i made a bit of a bawls up of this. I tried applying more pressure put the clocks back in and it didn't really make a difference. But now the immobiliser lights flashing and my car doesn't start. Any ideas?

Easy one, you have not seated the plugs in the back correctly, take them off and do it again.

 

[Z82]

Mine displays perfect but every once in a while it goes really btight for a milli second, was driving me nuts as it was so quick it took me ages to suss I wasnt going mad. Anyone come accross that before?

 

[Randomjim]

Easy one, you have not seated the plugs in the back correctly, take them off and do it again.

Phewwwww! You are a legend thanks doc!

 

[docurley]

Phewwwww! You are a legend thanks doc!

The first time I messed with my clocks I did what you did and did not seat the plugs back correctly.

 

[Randomjim]

I think it was the green one, gave it another push an it clicked in. Happy days.

 

[millwrx]

tried this today and it didnt work

 

[Blue_Thunder]

Dragging this one up from the archives.

Just had a go at doing this on mine because of the fading DIS getting on my tits and i've spent the day looking at some perfect B5's!

Well, the results were disappointing... I've now got missing lines as well as the fading.

******!



Will probably have another go sometime soon just incase i've disturbed some of the ribbon cable. In more positive news, I managed to fit my chrome dial rings and they look good.

 

[ian52]

mine is not bad still but you do get the odd line now and again. pretty anoying.

 

[Siena]

The "pressure pad" approach is only a temporary fix.

The LCD will need to be replaced.

 

[s4 osh]

what happens if its not faded and is missing pixels, or is that what you guys count as fading?????? is there any where to get a new setup rather than fixing it???????? there is nowhere round here fixing lcd's or manufacturers

 

[Rogerx]

Fiddly but it does work.