Instrument Cluster (6 dial)

Tubz

Guest
I had some problems with my cluster and had to send it off for repair. They tested it and did a few things but couldn't fix it so now I need to get a new cluster. Does anyone know where I can get one from, ebay is useless for 6 dials so not sure where else. Any help would be awesome. Thanks
 

Badger

Active Member
Dec 2, 2012
2,888
7
Newcastle, Staffs
Swap them for FR 4 dials. 6 dials are crap anyway.

Remember to ensure you get the SKC from any new clocks that you buy so swapping the clusters is easier.
 

Tubz

Guest
What about getting the immob coded to my car? do I 'have' to go to a dealer or can I get it done elsewhere?
 

Badger

Active Member
Dec 2, 2012
2,888
7
Newcastle, Staffs
Anyone with VCDS (VAG-COM) can code your new clusters. You only need the SKC from your old clocks and the new clocks to swap them.

Getting the SKC requires VAG-Tacho unless you have the code already.
 

Tubz

Guest
I don't think I have the code, would've come with the car I assume but I doubt my dad kept it before I bought it off him. I got quoted around 450-500 from a dealer for the cluster, coding and fitting seemed pretty steep but I'm not sure.
 

TDiPat

Active Member
Dec 23, 2013
148
0
Ireland
I used pages on this forum to help me do this fix myself. If you search '6 Dial Dash' or similar and do as much research as you can using those pages you might be able to fix this for the price of a soldering iron. The 'pins' (where one of the electrical blocks plugs into) in the back of the dash appear to be fine, but this is often the problem. This might explain why they couldn't find the fault when you sent it off as they look grand. Had the same (costly) issue myself.
 

Veyron

Active Member
Dec 3, 2009
2,307
3
Birmingham
I bought some cupra clocks to replace mine and went to Bondiblu to code them but we was unable to code them despite getting the new and old codes. we followed the guide on rosstech website but when we put the code in it keeps saying malfunction despite following it correctly.
 

Nath.

The Gentlemans Express
Jan 1, 2006
8,619
16
EASTLEIGH, HAMPSHIRE
I used pages on this forum to help me do this fix myself. If you search '6 Dial Dash' or similar and do as much research as you can using those pages you might be able to fix this for the price of a soldering iron. The 'pins' (where one of the electrical blocks plugs into) in the back of the dash appear to be fine, but this is often the problem. This might explain why they couldn't find the fault when you sent it off as they look grand. Had the same (costly) issue myself.

This...

I've fixed 2 6 dial clocks, in both cases it was a case of re-soldering every pin on the green connector even if it looked good.

Here is a pic of the connections that need soldering. some can be re-soldered without removing the speedo and some can't (as you can see) but the speedo comes off easy as long as you're careful.

picture.php
 
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Nath.

The Gentlemans Express
Jan 1, 2006
8,619
16
EASTLEIGH, HAMPSHIRE
soldering never 100% fixes them, the fuel gauge and temp gauge always show off figures

That's because whoever does the soldering doesn't fit the fuel and temp needles back on in the right place. In an ideal world you would mark the needle positions before you remove them.
 

Tubz

Guest
I had done all that, it didn't work. Sent it off to a cluster repair company but they said that they couldn't fix it so its either new clocks at a dealers or second handers and get them coded
 

Nath.

The Gentlemans Express
Jan 1, 2006
8,619
16
EASTLEIGH, HAMPSHIRE
I had done all that, it didn't work. Sent it off to a cluster repair company but they said that they couldn't fix it so its either new clocks at a dealers or second handers and get them coded

The cluster repair company must be pants. It's only a case of poor solder joints.
 
Mar 19, 2010
1,324
3
I didn't move the joints so that does not make sense, the dashs are faulty and poorly made at factory hence why it was rudded off for the fr models
 

bubbles1

Nurburgring Lover
Dec 28, 2008
490
2
Llandudno
I'm another one with the 6 gauge cluster problem lo!! My speedo won't work after i removed the instrument cluster to blank out the air bag light for the mot .
I'm now using the iphones GPS for my speedo.
I could go for 4 gauge FR set up but not seen any plus setting it up will be a pain.
 

Priezti

Auto-Electrical Monkey!
Feb 11, 2009
119
0
Doncaster
It's not always the soldering at all. My microprocessor had gone, no amount of soldering fixed that one. Fitted a set of 4 dials....sorted
 

TDiPat

Active Member
Dec 23, 2013
148
0
Ireland
Anyone any idea where you pick up a Ibiza fr Tdi 4 dial cluster ? Looked on ebay but only the 1.8 petrol ones available.
Cheers

Have a look round your local breakers yards (or a vag specialist breaker if there's any near you). I found that the phone book is a lot quicker than trawling through the million-and-one hits on google if you're looking a breaker.

On the other hand, you may be able to fix your current cluster if you solder it. Just a thought but could the solder have been disturbed when you took your cluster out? Hence why it didn't work when you put it back in. Also did you take the needles off? Because I believe that they can be pushed back into place too hard making the needle too tight to the face of the cluster. (i.e. if you pulled the needle off and put it back on again making sure it wasn't on too tight, would it work then?)
 
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TDiPat

Active Member
Dec 23, 2013
148
0
Ireland
soldering never 100% fixes them, the fuel gauge and temp gauge always show off figures

I found that if you accidentally moved the needle from its rest position when pulling it from the cluster it would give an incorrect reading even if you pushed it back in at the rest position. You need to hold the loose end with your left hand and pull the connected end with your right hand. For example my revs where reading about 1500rpm too high so I did this left/right hand trick (i.e. I didn't turn the needle round to the rest position, because although the needle wasn't put on correctly, the mechanism showed how far out it was), but then replaced the needle a the rest position. Very hard to explain, hope this makes sense.
 
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