**Word of warning re DIY Pixel repairs**

[M3 SOY]

I consider myself to be reasonably competent at diy stuff/mods with the car and previously had replaced the laser unit in the Sat Nav drive with no problems at all using the various guides out there.

The pixels in my instrument cluster had gone to pot and me being a smart arse thought I would attempt a repair! Didn't look to challenging from the pictures/guides available, however, boy was I proved wrong!!

I purchased a replacement ribbon from Ebay for £10 and set about the task being incredibly careful (so I thought) not to disturb anything. Anyway, about 4 hours later I was done and put the cluster back in the car. Hey presto, my pixel problems were resolved!! But..........................my speedo, rev counter, fuel and temperature gauges were knackered. None of them worked  >:(

As a result, I sent the cluster away to Cluster Repairs UK who fortunately managed to reinstate it back to full working order. It appears that I managed to damage the servos, although I have no idea how as  I was sure I took so much care.

Moral of the story is, avoid doing anything to your cluster yourself, bite the bullet and send it away because chances are, it will only end badly.

[n1k85]

I second that, I posted a thread last year on here just saying "FAO anyone thinking of attempting a DIY pixel repair....DON'T!!!"

Admittedly I didn't even get as far as you did. The eBay pics make it look an easy job (and I repair iPhones/Laptops regularly with no problems) but they don't tell you that the main part will be repaired with selotape.... and it's such a fiddly job to to, I just abandoned it and had a hole in my dash for a month until I bought my Hualingan head unit!

After I bought it  ::) I also checked the eBay feedback and saw that many of the people who had actually managed a successful repair found that it gradually 'broke' again after a few weeks. Just not worth bothering with IMO.

[AW8]

Maybe I am missing something but post 1 seems to refer to dash cluster & post 2 to nav/comms screen.

[Ubatoid]

Just thought I would add a bit to this old thread having just done this repair......

DONT DO IT !

I am also not adverse to the DIY - again fixed many an Iphone and various bits and pieces, although the walk throughs do make it look relativly simple, you do have to have good nerves when drilling and good eyes and four hands re-assembling the screen part. I have been lucky in that I now only appear to have 1 dead pixel when before the the whole display was shot. But believe me on re-assembly I had resigned myself to it never working and having to spend out on a repair anyway.  think it was more luck than skill.

[Steamyrotter]

It is doable though.

I have done mine myself.

Did have a small issue with the fuel gauge not working but was due to some idiot unplugging the dash with the ignition on..
Disconnected battery waited then reconnect and all back and working.

It does take a bit of courage and a steady hand, and the best way to do it is the method where you do NOT remove the gauge pointers..

just my experience and fiddling.

[Caesium]

I took my E60 cluster apart and changed it from orange backlighting to white, no problem at all.

You may have had a faulty part...

[Ubatoid]

Ok, I've calmed down a bit now and in retrospect I would have another go.

[Caesium]

[quote="Ubatoid"]
Ok, I've calmed down a bit now and in retrospect I would have another go.
[/quote]

Know that feeling