BMW Instrument Cluster No Longer Working

Even a car described as ‘The ultimate Driving Machine’ will have a variety of electronic and even mechanical issues at various points in its life.  One problem that often occurs in several of the models is the complete failure of the instrument cluster, the only light that remains on is the ABS light.

Of course, it is possible to purchase a new instrument cluster from BMW and have their technicians fit it for you; the cost will be a minimum of $1,000.  Alternatively, before you attempt this route there are a few options which you can try.

Symptoms of Problem

·         The entire cluster dies with the exception of the ABS light.  This leaves you unable to see the instruments or any kind of warning lights. .

·         A secondary symptom is usually discovered when you take it to the garage for repair.  They will plug their diagnostic machine into the car and then find it is no longer able to communicate with the cluster.  This means they will be unable to access any fault codes and tell you what is wrong with the car.

The Fault

There are several possibilities concerning the fault on your vehicle; you may look online where you will be able to read the different problems and issues various other owners have experienced.  The first thing that will become apparent is there is no definitive answer.  The fault can be traced to a fuse, a sensor or simply a failure of the instrument cluster.

The Solution

Perhaps the biggest problem when tackling this issue; is being unsure of where to start with a vehicle that cannot be plugged into a diagnostic machine.  Finding the right solution for the problem will require a more analytical approach:

• Using the appropriate diagnostic tools you will need to troubleshoot each component which is on the same system as the instrument cluster in the car.  As the instrument cluster is the gateway to all the individual electrical control units within the vehicle it can be connected to almost every other component!  This means that you will need to troubleshoot every possible component to rule them out before you can find a definitive cause.

•  There are several cases where the fault can be traced back to the instrument cluster’s defective analog component or a connectivity problem with the four layer printed circuit board.  Component level faults can be difficult to trace and even more difficult to fix without replacing the entire part.

• Some people may advocate purchasing a second hand cluster and swapping it with your working one.  BMW instrument clusters are coded to the car and new ones will have to be re- coded or second-hand ones will not work.  If you opt to skip the expensive re-coding you may find that parts of your system no longer work. 

• It looks like; the best solution is to have your originally coded instrument cluster repaired for the price of the fraction of a new one.

Image by dogshark