Im a computer Geek, not a car mechanic; My mechanic took the Guage Cluster Out and Insisted:
I NEED a new one;
Not True and Its a V.E.R.Y. Easy fix.
1.Remove Srews.
2.Unplug the main instument panel power supply plug.
(there may be a few bulb sockets that need to be disconnected, as well).
3. Don't Bother Examining the Contacts, Opposite the Plug In Socket.
4. Heat a Soldering Iron (Buy a Cheap 9.99 Soldering Iron, Solder, Flux) kit
(sold at Radio Shack; You want the thinnest Solder and USE THE FLUX. Not using flux, and/or 'cold soldering' is most likely the reason the solder cracked).
5. The cracks are so tiny you cant see them, all of the time, even under magnifier, so just brush, or dip your finger into flux and smear it over the 8 or 10 pins.
6. Heat one by one until original solder melts on each of the Power Socket Pins.
7. Let Cool, Wipe Clean..
8. Flux all Contacts Again,Flux heavily, heat an extra thin solder on the tip of the iron, not on the circuit board and try to drip a small blob of solder onto each of the your 8 to 10, or so, etc. contacts.
11. Make ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN, no 2 contacts are touching each other; if so, melt the solder off of one or both of the two touching one another.
I am A computer repairman who has made a small, side business, of soldering contacts, on guage clusters, for as many repair shops, in my community,who wish to pass savings onto their customers. I charge $25 per and hope the shop owner passes their savings onto the consumer.
So Far? 95% of the clusters i have soldered, were repaired by this method. Its so reliable: if It doesn't work, there's no charge~!
[email protected], if any questions
×