Gauge Cluster and Suspension Questions

[dewstain]

Been having a couple of issues with my V70, and I was looking for some advice.

First is the cluster issue. The trip computer screen doesn't display anything. It just lights up, but won't show any of the details.

I took it apart and found it's just a small OLED screen attached to the cluster board with a ribbon cable, does anyone know the part number or a place you can buy that? Or would my best bet be to pick up an entire used cluster?

Also, in reassembling the thing, I must have somehow fried a couple of the bulbs, because the left side of my cluster now has a burnt out bulb or two. Are there any LED replacements for these? I figure I might as well go all LED if they have them, get a nice bright display, and probably never worry about it again.

Read somewhere that a T5 Inverted LED would work, anyone have a link on a place to buy them?



The arrow points to the screen I'm talking about.


Second issue is with the suspension:



I thought it was maybe the spring seat, since those are known to go bad on these cars, but when I opened the hood, there is almost no give at all in the strut mount and it seems to be coming from closer to the wheel. That made me think maybe sway bar bushing, but my research on that has told me that they rarely fail on these cars, and that they're almost impossible to replace without just doing the whole sway bar.

I'm pretty decent when it comes to engine stuff, but for the most part, suspensions are foreign to me, just for the fact that I've never really had issues with them and never tried to work on them.

Any input is helpful. It doesn't seem to do it all the time, it does it more when it's hot and humid out, less in the morning, more in the afternoon, after the car is warmed up, etc.

Pardon my shoddy iPhone camera work. I'm new to the iPhone and haven't yet mastered holding it while filming myself doing something...

[dewstain]

Nothing?

[igel513]

That squeaking sound could be any of the suspension or steering components. Since you're over 113k miles, it's time to change tie rods-inner and outer, ball joints, struts, lower arm bushings, end links. They're known to go bad at this mileage.

[Outdoorguy1963]

After searching the internet, I decided to have my cluster remanufactured. I have a 2002 V70 with 130,000 miles. I saw that buying a used cluster could work, but the numbers ontop of the clusters need to match. I didn't see one on ebay that matched. I tried to reheat the chips. That temporarily worked but then the cluster went out again. I was reluctant to spend the $350 to have it remanufactured. Then one day last week, I was followed by a NJ state police cruiser and I couldn't tell how fast I was going. So I figured before I got a ticket for speeding, let me just fix it. I pulled it out and shipped it to BBA Remanufacturing, bba-reman.com. They have shops around the world. I sent mine to Massachusetts. They fixed it in one day and shipped it back. It works great now. Plus, they have a lifetime warranty on the repair if it breaks again. One thing they said with Volvos, a burnt out bulb could cause the whole cluster to go out. I asked the dealer if this could be the problem before I shipped it, because I knew I had one bulb out. He said no. The replacement bulb was not that expensive. Perhaps I should have replaced the bulb first. I knew BBA would replace the bulbs so I didn't. Maybe that was the only problem. I'll never know. So to help you, try replacing the bulbs first. It could save you a headache. With the cluster out, I could not drive the car or lock/unlock the doors.

I still have the air bag warning light on, as I did before. Any thoughts to clear it?

[chrism]

The SRS warning indication is one of them that can only be cleared through a VIDA/DICE hook-up. If you have a good Volvo independant shop near you they will likely have the equipment and be willing to clear it for less $$$ than the dealer.

If you DON'T have SRS illuminated before removing the cluster, then it might just be that it won't illuminate as long as you don't turn on the ignition while the cluster is disconnected. But that's my own theorizing. I made the mistake of starting the engine to move the car while the cluster was disconnected and sure enough - once the replacement cluster was connected I had an SRS light on. A trip to the independant and $30 fixed me up though.

[matthew1]

I've been using this method to pinpoint suspension noises: I spray one element at a time with a silicone lubricant spray. For instance, the front bushing of the two inboard control arm bushings. Then drive and listen. Repeat until the squeak goes away, and you know it's that element.

The spray silences squeaks only temporarily.