M3 Gauges playing up -HELP!!!

Post Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:32 am

Hi All.

As above I have some erratic activity going on in my intrusment cluster.

The rev counter is completely dead, for about 10 minutes at least. Then it decides it will flicker around like a spastic fool, and then if i rev high it begins to play ball with the odd special moment here and there.

The temp gauge is also dead at start up for about 10 seconds. Then it seems as soon as any resistance at all is received it shoots right up to max and stays there forever.

I have swapped the Si board, I have tried nipping up the copper nuts too. no joy...

Any help appreciated.

Post Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:39 am

You may have swapped the SI board, but was it for a good one?

Post Sat Feb 18, 2012 12:01 pm

Yes. Out of my old car which is pristine.

Post Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:24 pm

How long was the board disconnected from an external battery? Everything you describe is typical of duff NiCd batteries, so take the board out, stick it in the freezer for ten minutes, and measure the voltage.

Post Sat Feb 18, 2012 2:59 pm

i had a simular issue on my M3, the rev counter just stopped working, changed the si board for a working one and still the same, so i sent my cluster to cluster repairs uk and they fixed if for around £100 cheaper than a new set of dials with 3 year warrenty, they said it had burnt circuitry.

Post Sat Feb 18, 2012 7:03 pm

M42 wrote:i had a simular issue on my M3, the rev counter just stopped working, changed the si board for a working one and still the same, so i sent my cluster to cluster repairs uk and they fixed if for around £100 cheaper than a new set of dials with 3 year warrenty, they said it had burnt circuitry.

All the 'circuitry', except for a few trivial bits, is on the SI board, except for the speedo driver, which has its own dedicated daughter board attached to the back of the speedo dial.
I suspect a considerable and easy profit was made here!

Post Sat Feb 18, 2012 8:33 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:How long was the board disconnected from an external battery? Everything you describe is typical of duff NiCd batteries, so take the board out, stick it in the freezer for ten minutes, and measure the voltage.

The battery has only been off for a day on either car. I am using the m3 daily. I have noticed a tiny break in one of the pcb strands. it leads from behind the fuel gauge and flows to a cluster of solders. If you are looking at it with it on your lap its on the left hand side, 3rd strand up from the lowest.

I will get it off tomorrow again and chuck it in the freezer and post my results.

cheers

Post Sun Feb 26, 2012 4:20 pm

Ok. The voltage across the 2x batteries comes out at 1.9 ish and then drops to 1v