Instrument Cluster Questions for All

Post by **IdahoBob** » 20 Jan 2011, 18:23

Instrument Cluster, 2002 S80 & Others
by IdahoBob » 17 Jan 2011, 21:54

I need some advice from some of you rocket scientists before I spend some $ throwing parts at my instrument cluster:
My 2002 S80 (202K miles, 2.9L non-turbo) (looks like it) has the same cluster as my 2002 XC. The instrument cluster has gone flaky.
Symptoms:
1) Odometer & trip odo are just dead/invisible; nothing in that little box even tries to light up.
2) There are vertical areas through the cluster that are dimmer than the vertical areas between them.
3) The whole enchilada just goes dark and the needles all peg themselves at "0", instantly, intermittantly (more frequently "off" than "on".
4) I can bang on the dash sometimes and get thingies to light up and needles to register, for a few seconds (longer when car is real cold (below freezing outside now)), but only for a fraction of a second when it's warm.
I carefully pulled the cluster out, checked for nicked wires, opened it up to look for obviously broken wires, circuit lines or a fuse maybe. No luck. Checked for loose relays, oxidized fuses, mystery unrelated blown fuses, etc. No luck.
I called the dealers here in Denver. One gave the predictable answer: "We can fix it for about $1400." and told me I couldn't install a used one because the odometer wouldn't be right. The other one said they could sync up a used one for me, but the odometer would continue reading the mileage of the car it came out of, and it would cost me $115.
OK, the questions:
1) Will a used one work, with or w/o dealer help? If the odo is going to be wrong anyway, what are they programming?
2) What years & models will work? Will all 2002's of the same size (S80, XC70, V70, etc.) work? Will other years work?
3) Does this really sound like a dead cluster, or should I be checking something else first?
Thanks, you folks have made owning two 2002 Volvos fun and affordable!

otis44 · Post by **otis44** » 20 Jan 2011, 18:29

There are several recent threads with symptoms the basically the same as yours. I think the consensus is a used one will work, although the mileage may show to be whatever was on the used DIM. I'm not sure if a dealer can program a used module to show the correct mileage of your car and/or if you would even want them to, due to cost. My guess would be the cluster is the same for several model years, although I would try to get the same model or as close to it as possible.

Post by **jimmy57** » 20 Jan 2011, 18:53

The odometer will take the higher of the milage stored in the DIM or the CEM.
A borrowed DIM from a 200K car installed into a car with 140K will write up the miles on the 140K car to 200K within some number of minutes of continuous key on or within something like 3.1 miles. The milage will transfer into a new part from the other milage containing part (DIM-->CEM or CEM-->DIM) but otherwise can't be written.
The DIM (and other modules) that will plug n play do have some VIN or model year groupings that have be stayed within for the used part to work. S80 has a break in mid 99 and then the rest of the P2's have a break in mid 2001. There is a BIG change over which there is no interchangeability between 2004 and 2005.

billr99 · Post by **billr99** » 21 Jan 2011, 07:37

There are four numbers on the DIM that to guarantee success in replacing a bad one with used one must match. Best bet to get that to happen is to look for one from the same model year. My '02 XC DIM went out a couple of months ago and I replaced it with one from a '02 V70. Only real downside is that I lost my trip computer which is a software based option and I gained about 80K kms on the odo. But at least it works and didn't cost me a $1000.

Another possibility that for me at least has some limited success is to re-flow the connection of the CPU to the DIM board. Use a heat gun and hit the CPU with about 350F for 1.5 to 2 minutes. There is a technique to this so do a bit of "googling" and research it before you try it as it is possible to lose the board altogether. Please pay note that this is a hit or miss exercise. When I tried it, it brought the DIM back but it still will drop out every once in awhile. So I ended up going used to get better reliability.

Good Luck,

Bill

smarzig · Post by **smarzig** » 27 Jul 2013, 12:10

or you can do this as i just did.
you can easily send out your cluster to get repaired for under $200. I just did it. Go to Ebay and lookup seller euro-electric. They give you easy instructions on how to pop out your panel, mail it to them and they ship it back fixed 1 2 3. Dont do like I did and wait for years and trying everything under the sun.

There are other sellers that seem more expensive out there.
or can search.
"VOLVO INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REPAIR". If you dont want to use ebay
you can just call them. 866 281 2414.

No I dont work there i just used their service and boy I wish i knew about it earlier

draser · Post by **draser** » 27 Jul 2013, 13:56

There's a huge thread on another forum on this, basically the problem is loose connections in the DIM circuit. The "reflowing" is actually resoldering the IC legs back to the circuit board. It can also involve other components (resistors, etc.) so only resoldering the IC chip may not always be successful. If hot air is used to resolder, an slit adapter is needed to concentrate hot air in a narrow pattern, and that will hit the chip legs to melt the solder. The easier way is using a low wattage soldering iron, Radio Shack or such. This needs done quickly so heat will not spread into the chip.