HELP!😬 Instrument cluster not working!

06 Sep 2016

Started my car this morning looked down and didn’t have any gauges. Turned car off immediately and turned key back to Run, but not start. Only lights to still function normally were the airbag and abs light. Car runs and drives just fine but no other gauges work or lights! All the outside lights function normally even the turn signals but the cluster doesn’t show it. All windows work, the A/C does NOT work, and the wipers move but now they stop halfway through their swipe. The radio works and the steering wheel functions for the radio work. I don’t know about the cruise control or the power mirrors haven’t tried them yet. But right now I have the battery disconnected and the cluster pulled out and inside in the air conditioning with a fan. After reading some forums I’ve read that humidity can mess up the system and also supposably unplugging the battery for long periods of time sometimes solves it. Otherwise it’s at least $1000 from the stealership for a new cluster plus reprogramming!

Comments

My recommendation would be disconnecting the battery, but seeing as you’ve done that i can only suggest hooking up a diagnostic unit maybe it can show you what’s happening

I have the PA soft 1.4 software I will try it once my computer is done plotting against me and I can reinstall the driver for it. But I might be able to pull up what is wrong once I finish fighting with my computer lol.

Get a cluster from a junk yard

I don’t think it’s that simple

If your wipers and AC are playing up aswell then it seems like an electrical issue not just the cluster.
Disconnected the battery (for a period of time) does help as it takes all the static away from the electronics. It fixed the issue with my old mans door windows .

I just unplugged the battery for 3 hours and plugged back in and the issue is still there

Well I connected the PA soft 1.4 bmw scanner and it wouldn’t read it. Came up with an EWS error (car immobilizer) and now if I try to start it, it just cranks but will not start…..F@&$!!!

Update: I managed to un-immobilize my car and got it to run. I found I can get the turn signal clicker to work if the position of the ignition isn’t in run. But that is the only thing I got to work. The dome light is possessed of the car runs and pulses like a heartbeat every few seconds. So I guess it’s off to the stealership :(

I was in the same boat a few weeks ago. Same issues. I did everything i could and after like a week of research and testing, it was the cluster. I believe you cant just throw in a junkyard part either. I ended up going to a friend who works on bimmers and spent $1200 on the part and $200 for the diagnosis (he spent like 5 hours testing everything else as well) and then another $200 for him to code the miles correctly and what not. A whopping $1600 down the drain just so i can pass my inspection

Yeah mines screwed I can’t even get it to start now

That’s what happened to my brothers E46 prefacelift / I own a facelift and no problems so far. He had to replace the cluster and apparently you cannot just take another one from the junkyard as it has to be programmed and only the new once can be. Now I may be wrong with the explanation but for sure I remember he bought a new one and it was around 500 euro in Germany.

Have you gotten it to start? Is the cluster the only problem?

I came home from class today and tried just for fun and it started!! But still no cluster… At least I don’t have to get a tow truck tomorrow when I take it to the stealer.

At least one problem went away! Do you have any shops that are able to work on bimmers? I try to avoid the stealer. Also ask for the old part so you know they did something lol