02 V70XC Dash lights

[marvin46917]

While driving today, the dash lights went out. Also, the gas guage, spedometer, and temp guage went dead. You can still see the digital readout for the odometer and clock, but it has no back light so you have to really look to see it. What would have caused this and can it be easily fixed? I am hoping that it is just a loose connection or a blown fuse maybe?

[JRL]

You need a new dash (DIM module, $1300)!
You can try to remove it and clean the contacts but 99% of the time you will need a new dash

[IdahoBob]

OK...deep breath....it does sound like you need a new "DIM", the instrument cluster. I just finished replacing mine, between the time I got out of church, and before it got dark, and even played with the kids & wife some in there. Dealer said it would be $1400, and "no", I couldn't use a used one. The local Volvo 'go to' guy said $400 for a used one... I read some of the threads here, and suitably emboldened I went to the local junk yard (eBay offers are about same price) and got one WITH THE SAME PART NUMBER (this is important) for $75 (yep, $75). The part number on mine ended in "660T"; It's a series of digits following "PN". If you plug in one with the wrong PN it just won't work (did this first, so I know what failure looks like (black screen/no moving needles, looks like outer space, without the stars) - learn from me, walk into the junk yard with yours under your arm - your car will drive without the DIM, but your doors won't lock...go figure). Supposedly, after 5KM (3.1 miles) it will re-program itself to read the mileage of your old one, but I've spent about 20 miles since getting all plugged in, and it's still showing the 20K fewer miles the wrecked car had (have to remember this when planning timign belt change). Read other posts to see how to get the thing out, it's really simple, and the 6 torx screws just happen to be the size of the torx driver in your tool roll (under the spare tire). Don't drop those stinking screws... Oh, one more 'learn from my mistakes'...check the bulbs on the 'new' cluster, and replace any nasty ones; you know that the ones in your old cluster were good, so mix & match to get the best lookign ones goign back into the car! I didn't buy from eBay, because most of the sellers quoted model year, isntead of part number, and it seems that Volvo changed the part number about every 6 months. On my second trip to junk yard I got one that was the same part number, and actually plugged it in and checked it right there in their parking lot.

Best of luck with this.

[IdahoBob]

Oh, one more detail: The 60, 70 & 80 - series vehicles all used the same DIM (instrument cluster) I have an '02 S80, an '02 XC70 and an '04 XC70. Both of the '02's appear to have the same cluster. This DIM change was in the S80, but the replacement part came from an XC70, and the serial numebr was only 16 off from the dead one removed from my S80....same cluster is all 60, 70 and 80 series cars and wagons.

[billr99]

You can use a used one, but there are a load of conditions and caveats to that process. For example, when my DIM went out in my '02 XC I used a junkyard one from an '02 V70. Check on the VolvoXC.com and search on "DIM". I have documented my process there.