[s-cars] bad dashboard computer display in 2000 S4 - ideas?

[Ron Einblau]

I was having trouble with my 93S4 dash diagnostic display (missing some
items).  I took the cluster out and checked the two little led bulbs in the
display.  One was shorting out.  I removed and soldered in a replacement
bulb and BINGO, no more trouble.  I think Audi uses the bulbs as inline
fuse links to sell more instrument clusters (just my little paranoia).


Good luck.

At 12:33 PM 9/7/2003 -0400, Bob Rossato wrote:
>Did you use any contact cleaner/enhancer such as Stabilant?  Stabilant is
>this weird mystery fluid that can be conductive, yet non-conductive at the
>same time, i.e. it will increase the conductance of two mating pins yet not
>short out with adjacent pins.  I think it even helps regrow hair but what do
>I know.  I'm not an electrical engineer and those guys do some weird things.
>I believe Caig DeOxit is similar.
>
>If that doesn't do the trick there is one other possibility that comes to
>mind.  And this is going to be pure conjecture at this point since I'm not
>familiar at all with the A4/S4  instrument cluster (B5 chassis) but, on the
>'92-'97 100/UrS4 & A6/S6 instrument clusters (C4 chassis) the digital
>displays are typically connected to the circuit board via pad contacts.  So,
>if your 2000 S4 has a similar arrangement your problem may be with the
>continuity at those pads instead of the connectors feeding the circuit
>board.  Remove the IC again and disassemble the cluster to get to the center
>display.  Remove the center display and clean the contact pads on both the
>display and the circuit board.
>
>Bob R.
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: s-car-list-admin at audifans.com
> > [mailto:s-car-list-admin at audifans.com]On Behalf Of Sung, Bryan M.
> > Sent: Saturday, September 06, 2003 11:17 PM
> > To: Robert Myers; s-car-list at audifans.com
> > Subject: RE: [s-cars] bad dashboard computer display in 2000 S4 - ideas?
> >
> >
> > This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
> > --
> > [ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
> > Thanks for the information - unfortunately I took the instrument cluster
> > out and cleaned the contacts (the wire contacts for each of the three
> > connectors), and no dice.  I noticed that the farthest left connector
> > was for the digital displays which control the clock, center panel, and
> > the odometer, and the only one that's screwed up is the center display).
> > I have a feeling that I'm hosed and it's just a defective display
> > overall.  Any further ideas?  If I do have to buy a new display, it
> > looks like I'm going to have to purchase the entire instrument cluster.
> > Have any ideas or know where I can get a deal on one?  I don't relish
> > the idea of spending 700 dollars for Audi to provide me with one...
> > blah.
> >
> > Thanks again for all the help folks...
> > Bryan
>
>
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Ron Einblau
93 S4
Vancouver, B.C.