Champagne car , Lemonade priced Merc - Thank you MB for this bit of clever design

[Rusty Pelican]

Yet more fuckwittery  with this " fine " German automobile .

On its rather ergonomic dash theres a LCD screen which tells you - well rather a lot actually , time , blood group , total miles , ambient temp , radio station , trip miles , average speed , how many times you farted on the trip and loads of other stuff not to mention the ability to alter stuff like door locks etc.

So its a bit annoying when the feckin thing just went white one morning , made even worst by the fact it got really bright with the engine running .

Info was kind of still there in a yellow fussy hue but basically feckin useless .

So there was options and the first was i had to get it working .

Option one - put a second hand cluster in although this means loosing the total mileage as that info is stored on the main ECU and the cluster - if they dont match then you get a line of dashes on your dash .

Option two , get a second hand cluster reprogrammed 

Option three , get a virgin cluster from MB at the cost of one kidney , an arm , a leg or indeed both 

Option four , get a second hand cluster and try and swap the LCD over and this is the way i went . In the end it cost £25 to fix although the clusters main plug didnt want to reconnect with the cluster after being removed and much cussing followed .

Anyway it now lives again  
Engine off 

Engine running - not exactly clear is it 

Theres seven of these springy clips holding it together 

Once these are unclipped you get this 

Pointers have to come off next

Then the dials

LCD bit plugs in here , 

Lift the black strip and voila ---

It comes out 

I R DONE A FIXORAGE

[RoadworkUK]

I'd quite like to do (attempt) a similar fix for my B5 A4's cluster, which has a dot matrix LCD panel that was outrageously high-tech in 1988 and displays animated warning lights. Or it would if it hadn't gone all hazy and useless – about a decade ago.

[AnnoyingPentium]

4 minutes ago, RoadworkUK said:

I'd quite like to do (attempt) a similar fix for my B5 A4's cluster, which has a dot matrix LCD panel that was outrageously high-tech in 1988 and displays animated warning lights. Or it would if it hadn't gone all hazy and useless – about a decade ago.

The Fabias that have this suffer from that, and dead pixels. Plus the little screen for the auto was just as bad.

[Rusty Pelican]

3 minutes ago, RoadworkUK said:

I'd quite like to do (attempt) a similar fix for my B5 A4's cluster, which has a dot matrix LCD panel that was outrageously high-tech in 1988 and displays animated warning lights. Or it would if it hadn't gone all hazy and useless – about a decade ago.

Give it a go , its only electricery stuff than will either work or catch fire

 

[OM646]

On 2/1/2022 at 8:52 PM, RoadworkUK said:

I'd quite like to do (attempt) a similar fix for my B5 A4's cluster, which has a dot matrix LCD panel that was outrageously high-tech in 1988 and displays animated warning lights. Or it would if it hadn't gone all hazy and useless – about a decade ago.

B5 A4's have it way easier as you can find very cheap replacement LCDs in China 

[loserone]

I think I've pretty much decided I need to have one of these.  Which single marque forums and FB groups should one be joining?

[bangernomics]

I think I've pretty much decided I need to have one of these.  Which single marque forums and FB groups should one be joining?

I’d start with the Samaritans and
Moneysavingexpert.

[loserone]

I'm already here, aren't I? 😂

[Shedking]

Had 3 Merc's as shiters. Had a similar experience to this with all 3, complete money pits at this end of the market from a time when the Germans losing the plot on how to build a car properly all started. Lovely to drive WHEN they work and a total PITA the rest of the time, you will spend more time underneath it than sat inside it and of bankrupt of course. 

My W210 which died of the dreaded black death was the beginning of my epiphany that German cars make dreadful shiters and had a complete change of perspective. My shiters are now simple little things that cost pennies to repair. My stress levels have decreased markedly and my bank balance increased and the skin on my knuckles has grown back. 

Moral of the story, they are lovely to drive, nice to look at and have a certain kudos to own but that's where the positives end and the downsides of ownership begin. 

[Rusty Pelican]

11 hours ago, loserone said:

I think I've pretty much decided I need to have one of these.  Which single marque forums and FB groups should one be joining?

Theres a facebook page for these and a Merc specific forum although that covers every car Merc ever built 

[loserone]

... 👀

[Rusty Pelican]

Well this has got another years ticket but not without a fair list of advisories , rear tyres are Monarch and only 3 years old , not worried about these however the rusty bits are a worry . Think this its last year , run it til the MOT runs oot then its scrap time

 

[Rusty Pelican]

Just done a gearbox reset on this - OOFDAH what a difference - feels like its twanged an extra 30HP from no where

 

[Rusty Pelican]

Well in utter madness ive had yet another MOT done 5 months early so my stepson can use it and i know its safe for him  . Needed two lower control arm thingies and 4 tyres . still it  will live another 12 months at least ( unless said stepson borks it one ) 

[Rusty Pelican]

Back on it . The advisories did say " all rear suspension components corroded " so thought id take a peak . Sure enough its all a bucket of rot , subframes not bad just surface rust but all the control arms , camber arms and all the other arms are rotten looking with nasty lookin bushes fitted - heck its got more arms than Shiva .
So you can get the kits cheapish enough so ive ordered some bits .

There is a massive issue on fitting one though ( well two if you count both sides ) . You see MB decided to fit one bolt tother way around so said bolt wont come out as it hits the bodywork.
Apparently its a subframe drop job --- All for ONE bolt 🤔
No feekin way am i doing that - il hatch a plan - hopefully involving a hacksaw 
Pic isnt the one on my car but it shows the " issue " 

[Rusty Pelican]

Well i sorted it by sawing the head off the bolts , took an hour a side with just a blade and a proper handle for it , A right bastard to get the nuts on tother side but it does prove its do able without dropping the subframe .

Like an idiot i forgot to take a pic with the wheel off so just poked the camera in the general direction .

Also a pic of the lower one ive changed