Technical Instrument cluster display malfunction after battery change

[arkan99]

Hello folks,

My wife’s car sat on our drive for a while and the battery died. We got it replaced and since then one day we noticed the instrument display was off, if I give it a whack it comes on, flickering on/off, all jumbled and weird.

We didn’t have any issues prior to the battery change.

I guess it could be a coincidence but seems likely that it is related.

Any hints on what I can try to fix it before I fork over cash at a garage?

Thanks!

 

[the green vanper]

Hello,

Rather a coincidence, I'd check if the contacts are clean, as it looks like bad contact to me.

I have no experience on the 500's, but it could be everywhere, starting from the battery, the grounding points, the BCM, the instrument cluster.

FIATs are known for having problems with earthing points and rotting earth cables. It's not visible at first sight.

Could also be a model specific thing.

 

[steveras57]

If you have some jump leads try connecting the black one to the battery neg terminal at one end and a good earth point on the other and see if anything improves if so main earth strap probably needs replacing! if not then the hunt starts here!

 

[John202020]

Try battery off, 30 mins reconnect if this fails to fix new secondhand cluster? Wouldn't keep hitting it,,

 

[the green vanper]

Try battery off, 30 mins reconnect if this fails to fix new secondhand cluster? Wouldn't keep hitting it,,

In general all the electronic modules (ECU, BCM, instrument cluster and especially airbag module etc) are very sensitive to current / voltage fluctuations. No idea how about the 500, but there is a special procedure for disconnecting the battery in the Ducato just to avoid any potential problems. It is described in the owners' handbook.

As for putting another cluster, I assume it would need at least proxy alignment in MES. And probably more, as the instrument cluster is one of the places where the car's mileage is stored.