swapped DIMs and still no go, need input!

[carboncow]

Buddies DIM in 2002 XC70 has had the standard slow and random failure symptoms. First SRS lights and other, next day tach does work, next day no lights on DIM, ect. A few Fonzie smacks fixed it from time to time but now it's offline. I think only the CHECK ENGINE light is visible.

I had a spare DIM from my 2003 XC70. All numbers on the tag match and from what I can tell 2002 & 2003 are known interchangeable. XemodeX even show those two years in the same replacement part pricing. The only thing that didn't work on mine when I retired it was the info display sometimes had ghost characters, sometimes. It was a very picky replacement and I only did it because I found one on ebay for $50. So it "should" be good to go...

Attached is a screenshot of the errors I'm getting from his DIM as well as my DIM on vida dice after resetting the error codes. I can tell something in the DIM is communicating as I see the CEL as well as the headlights turn on when the DIM is disconnected (while in key postion 2).

Now I replaced my DIM a few years ago..and I don't recall if there is any re-adaptive process or special voodoo todo beyond installing it and resetting it in VIDA DICE.

PS: HIs car is salvage title that had front end work done (from a deer), is there any sensor that is up there that could be throwing the SRS or is this classic bad DIM error codes that keep coming back? What about that 0005? Although I think his SRS light was off when he first got it.

Any thoughts?

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[ChaddGostas]

my dash cluster quit working and I replaced the electronic part of my ignition switch, I had to bump the steering wheel to get it all working again before the switch swap.
the tach quitting raises a flag towards that.
if bumping your steering wheel makes it all come back replace the switch.

[carboncow]

Thanks for your comments.

How did the "tach quitting" raise a flag? Were you getting the typical concerns of some features going on and off...or did the entire DIM fail simultaneously?

Your suggestion goes against the common failure trend so I"m trying to see if your symptoms were identical to my buddies. Thanks.

[ChaddGostas]

no lights, no spedo, no tach, nothing worked in the dash, when I bumped my steering wheel, or pulled it out and lightly smashed it in, hard enough to make it bump, everything came back.

[billr99]

Normally a DIM swap with a fully compatible junkyard DIM should be straight-forward. Simple plug-and-play. The only thing that should be required is a SRS clear. Did you try that on this one? When I did mine I just did a wholesale CEL clear after jotting down what codes there were (years worth of stored codes) and all was well.

Good Luck,

Bill