Amazingly well documented Odometer Fix

[polskamafia mjl]

I never had a problem with only unscrewing the driver side of the dash so I wouldn't necessarily suggest undoing the entire dash...

[livemeyer]

850 Newbie said: "My boost gauge no longer works. The needle popped off unexpectedly, did I put it back on wrong? I guessed that it should sit at the low end of the scale. When I came back and shut the car off, the needle dropped even lower."

Same thing happened to me. The gauge popped off while I was prying up the black face plastic. I didn't see this mentioned in the steps. Should I have removed the brass fitting on the backside? More importantly, now that it is broken (and I'll need to pull the cluster again to fix it, ugh) how do I fix it?

I started the car with the cluster out and noticed a hissing sound so I know that gauge works on vacuum, but the needle didn't want to stay on the shaft very well. I thought perhaps the vacuum pressure is what held the needle on.

Also, does the cluster need to be in the car to read the ECU true mileage? I didn't think so and so didn't try to get my true miles until the cluster was out. I tried getting a response on A7, and tried resetting codes, etc. but was never able to get A7 to respond. Perhaps I'll try again tonight now that everything is back together.

[Ozark Lee]

Should I have removed the brass fitting on the backside? More importantly, now that it is broken (and I'll need to pull the cluster again to fix it, ugh) how do I fix it?

Yes, you should have removed the brass nut. If you caught yourself before you completely took the cluster apart you may be able to recover. I jacked my boost gauge up when I repaired the turbo as well but once the needle popped off I realized what was going on and I was able to straighten the boost gauge assembly and it continues to work. Carefully inspect the boost gauge portion when you get it back apart. It is all mounted on a pair on a pair steel springs and the shaft that the needle goes on is mounted to a shaft in the middle of the steel springs. On mine the shaft popped out of the socket at the base. The needle, of course, goes in the mid position when you put it back together.

Yes, the cluster needs to be plugged in in order to get the actual mileage. A-7 actually reads the instrument cluster, not the ECU.

...Lee

[Brucebo]

Decided to replace the small odometer gear in the '94 850 today. I got my gear from eBay- $10 plus shipping I believe- all total about $12. My speedo worked so I figured that the larger gear was okay...I was right. Anyway, it is important to follow the last part of the instructions and make sure that turning the small gear you just installed also turns the mileage gear inside of the odometer. At first I didn't do this because everything looked lined up. I put everything back together and in the car and it didn't work...ugh...everything back out and apart again. Good news is, once you do it once, it goes really fast the next time. Long story short, I went back to the directions and checked the last part and moved the new gear to make sure the total miles' gear spun too before inserting the pin on the motor- It's also important you don't over-tighten the two screws that hold the motor on. On my first attempt, I may have over-tightened those.

We must be twins separated at birth! I fixed my wife's 850 odometer today. The original little gear had a broken tooth, just like in the pictures. I accounted for the missing tooth, insuring that it wouldn't get stuck in the mechanism. It looked like the gear mated either way, but I put the new gear in, wide side adjacent to the stepper motor, the same way the old one was installed. Everything went back together fine. I reinstalled the console, screwed back down the dashboard, reinstalled the vent louvers, took it for a drive and... odometer NOT MOVING!(*&E#@(*&
I pulled everything back out again (groan) turned the gear around, reinstalled the stepper motor screws (but this time just flush tight as MadeinJapan recommends). Reinstalled the console again and went for a drive. Hallelujah it was now working.

Then I started work on the front struts and stripped spring seat of my S70 ...

-Bruce

[wolfspiritky]

There really is NO DANGER in triggering the passenger side airbag. If you're careful, you need not remove any screws PAST the center vents.

Each time you do the jobs it get easier and quicker. I can remove the cluster in less than 5 minutes now.....

[ligart]

Where are all the pictures?

[matthew1]

https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/2005/0 ... ix-how-to/

[unxetas]

So I finally decided to do this today.. Everything was going well and quick, until I got to the point of removing the clear plastic window/black plastic frame. What the hell.. I've undone 9 screws around the edge (the write up says 9/10..?!) and can't for the life of me figure out whether there's another screw, or if it just needs brute force. The instructions say "slowly work it out", but slowly isn't doing much.. The clear plastic has started to crack in places and even the white main cluster frame is starting to crack as well. There's either a really well hidden screw somewhere, some tabs that I can't figure out, or someone glued this together!

help?

EDIT: ok, figured it out. The "two screws in the back" in the tutorial really look like the screws for the clock unit.. Argh.

[Jim-1995 850]

I am going to fix my odometer at the same time as replacing the dash cover panel due to peeled back passenger side airbag cover. Did anyone totally remove the cover to access the instrument cluster? Any tricks or difficulty?

Thanks, Jim

[confused_al]

I am going to fix my odometer at the same time as replacing the dash cover panel due to peeled back passenger side airbag cover. Did anyone totally remove the cover to access the instrument cluster? Any tricks or difficulty?

Its not a difficult job at all but needs to be patient, especially removing and reinstalling pass airbag. http://volvospeed.com/vs_forum/index.ph ... er-repair/