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Faulty Electrics (immobiliser issue)

clouty86

Active Member
Jul 11, 2008
139
0
well my fuel gauge was fine till i took it to bits. then when i got it back together it was reading half full luckily i had just filled it up that day i took dash out so after a lot of playing with where the needl sits i got it right again!!
 

Hargo

Active Member
Apr 28, 2010
32
0
North East
The needles are definitely the trickiest bit about it. Did mine for the 2nd time yesterday ( first time was for the immobiliser 2 years ago, yesterday was to fix fuel and outside temp ). Wish I'd done the lot the first time.

It took me a few attempts to get the needles in the correct position when pushing them back on but got there in the end.
 

snaze1

Active Member
Apr 1, 2011
11
0
Immobiliser problem thanks everyone!

So glad i found this forum and thread!
I am having the immobiliser problem and from reading your comments i can now pretty much narrow down what it is.
Also found the old "push your thumb on the speedo at about 120mph point" trick fantastic as i can now start the bugger every time.
Just wish i had known when i had to sit outside the petrol station swearing for 40 minutes the other day!!!
Am not really confident enough to fix it myself but at least i have a rough idea of what to tell the garage for a change rather than being just a woman at the mercy of money grabbing machanics!

Nicky
x
 

attila_tdi

Active Member
Aug 2, 2009
384
0
Hampshire
Just had mine repaired by PDT in Sunderland (thanks Hargo). After living with no fuel gauge & wonky temp gauge for ages, when the imobiliser started to play up it was time for action. If like me you dont fancy doing it your self then PDT are a nice bunch of chaps and very reasonable. The guy had a theory as why this happens - wiring loom not designed for use with ajustable steering so its too short and puts undue strain on the connector block when the wheel is pulled toward the driver. He said he has got vehicles to start by moving the ajustable column in and out which I suppose is like wiggling the connector block.

Hey will PDT just do the resoldering? I am gutted as I have taken it all out but just cannot get the needles off plus I am crap at soldering. Need to fix this ASAP.

Reading through this sound like a lot of people have had to have the cluster out a few times - i don't want to be doing this and rather get it right first time as its not fun!
 

snaze1

Active Member
Apr 1, 2011
11
0
If i buy a cluster from a breakers yard will i just be able to fit it straight in (Plug & play)?
Nicky
 

bald_eagle

yeah its blue but i like
Mar 25, 2007
528
1
Apologies for my ignorance but is this much of a job?
Nicky
x

no need too appologise :),its a dealer job or someone who really knows what their doing.

Bondiblu a member on here has done some maybe pm him for advise.

soldering is easier and cheaper though.
 
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Hargo

Active Member
Apr 28, 2010
32
0
North East
Plus if you buy a set from a breakers they might not last long until the same thing happens again.

You should be able to get yours re soldered for a similar price to a set of clocks from a salvage yard and then you'll have peace of mind that it's sorted :)
 

trolley

Guest
wouldnt go near the bonnet , the earth your looking for are the ones on top of the gearbox tunnel and at the base of the 'a' posts

Goble, are they on top of the gearbox tunnel or at the base of the A frame? I only ask as I thought they were different places. Also from which side is best to approach, drivers or passenger?
 

dub-ha8

Newbie
Nov 21, 2005
9
0
London
www.vwcaddy.com
Hi

Forgive me but I'm very new to the ibiza..

I've bought a 2003 tdi sport and I've noticed that the temp gauge has worked when it feels like and now the needle sits at the 70 mark with the ignition off and won't retract back to the 50 mark.

With your collective knowledge would this sound like an issue with the temp sender or the clocks.

Thanks in advance.
 
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Bondiblu

Enthusiast
Mar 18, 2007
1,648
1
Cheshire
Hi

Forgive me but I'm very new to the ibiza..

I've bought a 2003 tdi sport and I've noticed that the temp gauge has worked when it feels like and now the needle sits at the 70 mark with the ignition off and won't retract back to the 50 mark.

With your collective knowledge would this sound like an issue with the temp sender or the clocks.

Thanks in advance.

I'd say it's the clocks.
 

jamescupra1

Active Member
May 27, 2012
201
0
When your immobiliser light flashes turn key off push in the speedo at the 100 mark and then try starting the car (works every time) I have this Probley with immobiliser and fuel gauge I'm looking to fix this soon
 

jamescupra1

Active Member
May 27, 2012
201
0
My fuel gauge moves but its goes down until it can't move no more and when I turn it off it returns up to the empty mark is this the sender or clocks?
 

muddyfox470

Guest
I finally got around to doing this last night, took a while to get the cluster unit out, and I snapped the purple retaining clip holding the green connector in after using too much force.

Took my time to solder, majority of them went OK, not too much solder, bar one, tried to tidy it up, then accidentally connected two, then a group of four (pins for the warning lamps 2,3,18,19), so I spent 20 minutes just sorting out the mess, once it was tidied up and I made sure there was no shorting, I put it all back in the car.

It all worked (and car started) thought I might have destroyed something, however although the trip odometer displays i.e. since resetting it, the actual odometer shows nothing (not zero) but there is no display.

I have put the cluster back in so I can use the car, but I am wondering what has happened to the display, the bottom portion displays, so why doesnt the actual car mileage show any more?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

PS. I could definitely not be a surgeon, couldn't believe how shaky I was looking at the tip.
 

Bondiblu

Enthusiast
Mar 18, 2007
1,648
1
Cheshire
I finally got around to doing this last night, took a while to get the cluster unit out, and I snapped the purple retaining clip holding the green connector in after using too much force.

Took my time to solder, majority of them went OK, not too much solder, bar one, tried to tidy it up, then accidentally connected two, then a group of four (pins for the warning lamps 2,3,18,19), so I spent 20 minutes just sorting out the mess, once it was tidied up and I made sure there was no shorting, I put it all back in the car.

It all worked (and car started) thought I might have destroyed something, however although the trip odometer displays i.e. since resetting it, the actual odometer shows nothing (not zero) but there is no display.

I have put the cluster back in so I can use the car, but I am wondering what has happened to the display, the bottom portion displays, so why doesnt the actual car mileage show any more?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

PS. I could definitely not be a surgeon, couldn't believe how shaky I was looking at the tip.

Did you do the job with the plastics in place, or did you remove the plastics and LCDs?
Either way sounds like youve disturbed the contact between the carbon strips and the PCB, or the metal cage around the LCD has come loose.
IMG_0725_zpse49cdce4.jpg
 
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muddyfox470

Guest
I removed all the plastics so I just had the stripped down board. Only things left were the servo's and the connector blocks and everything else soldered onto the board.
 

Bondiblu

Enthusiast
Mar 18, 2007
1,648
1
Cheshire
When re-seating the plastic surround, I've had it where the locating pins are quite tight and it's not quite flush with the PCB. Sounds like you'll need to strip them down again, clean the black contacts on the PCB side and the edge of the carbon connector strips beneath the LCD and make sure all is seated nice and flush. I normally use isopropyl to clean contacts/connectors, hope that helps.
 

muddyfox470

Guest
When re-seating the plastic surround, I've had it where the locating pins are quite tight and it's not quite flush with the PCB. Sounds like you'll need to strip them down again, clean the black contacts on the PCB side and the edge of the carbon connector strips beneath the LCD and make sure all is seated nice and flush. I normally use isopropyl to clean contacts/connectors, hope that helps.

Excellent thank you!
Thankfully I have some isopropyl from when I change over CPUs in my computer.

I also didn't put it fully back together so taking it out again shouldn't cause too many dramas.

Will have a go this evening, thanks for your fast reply, fingers crossed it comes back working! I'm just confused why half the display is working and not the top half.
 

muddyfox470

Guest
When re-seating the plastic surround, I've had it where the locating pins are quite tight and it's not quite flush with the PCB. Sounds like you'll need to strip them down again, clean the black contacts on the PCB side and the edge of the carbon connector strips beneath the LCD and make sure all is seated nice and flush. I normally use isopropyl to clean contacts/connectors, hope that helps.

Took it apart and back together and it is now working, it probably didn't need cleaning but I did anyway, I think when I was putting it back together initially I must have forgotten the one clip behind the LCD, so I think that wasn't fully clipped so it didn't have a good connection so the upper characters did not display but the top ones still did.

Thank goodness, I thought I might have zeroed the odometer!

Thank you for your help!
 
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