Common thread: Instrument Lighting gone Crazy

[Brett Dikeman]

At 10:01 PM -0500 10/30/02, SuffolkD at aol.com wrote:
>My dash lights and both turn signals display the same problem.
>Although:  My turn signals have now gone out when the lights are on and....
>my brights only work (I suspect headlamps)

Are you positive?

Usually the highbeam indicator lights up, but the highbeams don't
come on(just like how the turn signal indicators start to glow, but
the turn signals themselves work normally.)

>All related to the soldier in the IC?

Yes, most likely.

Contrary to popular belief there's really no need to go resoldering
everything on the board.  Most people will do more harm than good
anyway- I'd go with the Bernie school of thought here, even though
the cluster is a pain in the ass to pull.  Fix the known problem
joint, plug everything in and see if the problem is gone,

Contact cleaner isn't a bad idea either, but Stabiliant 22 is
overpriced and gimmicky; it is only useful on damaged connectors(it
is nothing more than fluid that is slightly conductive, priced to the
point of highway robbery because it became popular with audiophiles,
and then was recommended by VAG.)

If you have actual corrosion on the connectors, Stabiliant 22 won't
do jack- you need something that will treat the corrosion, like
DeOxit(which costs a fraction as much for a giant 5% spray or 50%
pump...instead of a micky-mouse thimble.)

(sorry, Sta 22 is just one of my pet peeves, I think it's overpriced crap :-)

Brett
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