I had to open it up again today since the problem returned. I don't have another video, but when plugged, pushing on pins #7,8, and 9 (top row inward - right side when facing the LCD screen), as well as the left most pins bottom row resulted in intermittent pixel flickering. Since it is very difficult to etch at the protective coating without invariably damaging the PCB board component, I took the conservative route of touching the top of each of the 45 pins with a 280 °C soldering iron for 5 seconds. I can see the original solder melt under the protective coating (viewing under the magnifying glass), and for now, that removed the intermittent issue; and after I was done, when I was pushing against the pins in the back, there was no more flickering! I think, the 5th time opening this is the charm - fingers crossed. Having built up this experience with this job, I can get to these pins after 15 minutes; hence I was encouraged to open it up again!
5th time was not the charm; the sixth time was. Here is the last video that finally fixed instrument cluster (addendum video): ruclips.net/video/VIeLri_AI7M/видео.html
I think the repetitive use of the odometer reset button allowed reg board to flex and solder joint to crack. Luckily it is not a broken traces but a solder reflow.
Thanks. I agree. That's how I first noticed the issue since when I used to press the reset button and the pixels would flicker in and out. But honestly the factory soldering job was in my humble opinion sloppy - likely a semi automated process with minimal flux/solder. I was generous with flux/solder and made sure I don't have to do the job again (I followed this up with another video after this in which I soldered all 45 pins). It has been perfect since (fingers crossed)!
Hi Nasri. You should get some kind of award for inhuman persistence. The problem looks to me like its the zebra strip. That thing is flexible and the design depended on that property to bridge the signals from the gold contacts to the LCD planted contacts. When it gets old it looses its sponginess and takes the shape its been held in instead of pushing back on the LCD and contacts. May even shrink in volume, you can see how some of the wrong LCD segments are being activated because the zebra is bridging the wrong connections, diagonally. If it was available, the right repair would be to put in a new rubber zebra strip I would think. The soldered part of the assembly should be solid, but pushing on the PCB near it is moving the zerba connector ever so slightly on the other side. BTW, those rubber strips are also called elastomeric connectors. BTW, are the lights inside the LCD chamber replaceable without disassembling the cluster unit as you have done?
Thank you Gary for your comments. To answer your last question regarding the replacement of the light bulbs within the LCD chamber: Yes. They are super easy to twist off and replace without having to open the cluster. You only need to remove the cluster from the dash. On your discussion of the elastomeric connectors: I also considered this to be the culprit and someone else on one of my videos shared the concept of the rubber potentially slightly shrinking with age/heat (22 years now). Although quite likely to be the case with other clusters, in my case, what finally fixed this issue is the complete soldering of the 45 pins in the back (specifically pin #7 and the few around it); please see also this final video: ruclips.net/video/VIeLri_AI7M/видео.html
I had to open it up again today since the problem returned. I don't have another video, but when plugged, pushing on pins #7,8, and 9 (top row inward - right side when facing the LCD screen), as well as the left most pins bottom row resulted in intermittent pixel flickering. Since it is very difficult to etch at the protective coating without invariably damaging the PCB board component, I took the conservative route of touching the top of each of the 45 pins with a 280 °C soldering iron for 5 seconds. I can see the original solder melt under the protective coating (viewing under the magnifying glass), and for now, that removed the intermittent issue; and after I was done, when I was pushing against the pins in the back, there was no more flickering! I think, the 5th time opening this is the charm - fingers crossed. Having built up this experience with this job, I can get to these pins after 15 minutes; hence I was encouraged to open it up again!
5th time was not the charm; the sixth time was. Here is the last video that finally fixed instrument cluster (addendum video):
ruclips.net/video/VIeLri_AI7M/видео.html
Thanks for making this video, very informative.
Awesome video bro. Very detailed instruction. Now it’s time for me to fix mine.
I think the repetitive use of the odometer reset button allowed reg board to flex and solder joint to crack. Luckily it is not a broken traces but a solder reflow.
Thanks. I agree. That's how I first noticed the issue since when I used to press the reset button and the pixels would flicker in and out. But honestly the factory soldering job was in my humble opinion sloppy - likely a semi automated process with minimal flux/solder. I was generous with flux/solder and made sure I don't have to do the job again (I followed this up with another video after this in which I soldered all 45 pins). It has been perfect since (fingers crossed)!
Hi Nasri. You should get some kind of award for inhuman persistence. The problem looks to me like its the zebra strip. That thing is flexible and the design depended on that property to bridge the signals from the gold contacts to the LCD planted contacts. When it gets old it looses its sponginess and takes the shape its been held in instead of pushing back on the LCD and contacts. May even shrink in volume, you can see how some of the wrong LCD segments are being activated because the zebra is bridging the wrong connections, diagonally. If it was available, the right repair would be to put in a new rubber zebra strip I would think.
The soldered part of the assembly should be solid, but pushing on the PCB near it is moving the zerba connector ever so slightly on the other side. BTW, those rubber strips are also called elastomeric connectors.
BTW, are the lights inside the LCD chamber replaceable without disassembling the cluster unit as you have done?
Thank you Gary for your comments. To answer your last question regarding the replacement of the light bulbs within the LCD chamber: Yes. They are super easy to twist off and replace without having to open the cluster. You only need to remove the cluster from the dash.
On your discussion of the elastomeric connectors: I also considered this to be the culprit and someone else on one of my videos shared the concept of the rubber potentially slightly shrinking with age/heat (22 years now). Although quite likely to be the case with other clusters, in my case, what finally fixed this issue is the complete soldering of the 45 pins in the back (specifically pin #7 and the few around it); please see also this final video:
ruclips.net/video/VIeLri_AI7M/видео.html
Put Diolectric grease in the connector and send it 😎👍