QuestionQUESTION: Some one told me it can be the printed ckt board in the cluster, and I have to replace the circuit board in the instrument cluster. Then I will need it programmed what do you think? I don’t know the translation of the “printed ckt board in the cluster” can you give me a little explanation? Thank you for your time and patient.
ANSWER: Hi Sergio,
The instrument cluster is a 'board' that holds all the lights/gauges and the electrical connections between them in what looks like metal printed strips. That is the printed circuit board and once you remove the cluster you will see what I mean. There are reports that problems of the theft system which also couple with problem of the instrument cluster are do to poor solder joints between the wires of the red plug-in connector socket where it is joined to the board using solder. Here is how I described the repair a year or so ago:
"The chronic starting problem may be related to the observation of the gauges going out, as both those are dependent upon a connection to the digital data information sharing system (or "bus"). One common report about the vans is that there is a tendency for the circuit board to develop either a crack or simply a poor solder joint at the connection between the wiring harness plug socket of the board and the board itself. Some owners notice that if they tap the top of the dash pad above the cluster that the gauges will come back into play. My approach would be, if that seems to be the behavior, to remove the cluster and use a soldering pencil to reheat the joints between each of the pins on the plug socket and the board so as to assure a tight electrical connection on all.
To remove the cluster you remove the top steering column cover. Then slightly lift the large bezel that covers the cluster, remove the left end cap of the dash, remove the screw at the left end of the cluster bezel and headlamp switch. Then remove the screws that hold the bezel to the instrument panel from each side of the steering column. Then disconnect clip holding cluster bezel to instrument panel from above right vent louver. Then the bezel should separate. Then remove plugs from back and the cluster and bezel will come out. Then you can remove the printed circuit board from the cluster after removing the back panel and removing the electrical connect at the middle of the bottom edge, and remove the screws holding wire connector insulator to the cluster shell and circuit board. Remove the screws holding the circuit board to the shell and the board will come off. Then you can do the solder reheating process on the plug pins. 7 of the 13 pins of the socket are soldered to the board, so re-heat the solder at those connections with a soldering pencil.
If you buy a soldering pencil and electronic type solder at an electronics store you should be able to try this repair yourself, or if you have a friend with electronic experience have him show you how, or even take the board to a TV repair shop and have them check all the solder points and the printed 'traces' for any sign of a crack that could be repaired by 'bridging' over the opening. You will not need to get anything re-programmed, as the cluster doesn't have any memory/computer function to speak of.
So give that a try and let me know if it helps.
Roland
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Roland:
Thank you very much for your interest in my problem, you made me two suggestion, one is to try to disarm the alarm using the passengers door, but it use to fail one time in many moths and it has not happens again so I can’t try this solution, the second one is to re-heat the solder with a pencil solder, this week I’m going to buy it and do the work.
Sergio.
ANSWER: Thanks for the progress report, Sergio. Good luck on this and let me know how it works out.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Roland:
I do the solder reheating process on the plug pins of the socket of the board with a pencil solder, I did it very carefully, I saw the solder but they don’t seem to be cracked, but I re-heated all. I check to have a perfect soldering. I arm the panel and connect all the wires, every thing is working well with one exception, when I turn the ignition switch to on, it activates the locks of all doors locking them, it didn’t happen before, the engine can start and don’t fail, when I ride al 25Km/h the lock activated again as it was before as it is programmed.
Sergio.
AnswerHi Sergio,
It is possible that the door sensing system (the door ajar switch, one on each door) is noticing that one of your doors is not tightly enough shut because of a loose latch. Have a helper push in on each door before you turn the ignition to 'on' to see if by so-doing you can defeat that annoying locking. If you find that door, then move the striker (in the door frame) in-board a little so that when the door latches with it it will be held more tightly closed.
By the way, if you want to defeat the automatic door locking at 25 km/hr here is how to do it:
Close all doors
Place the ignition key in the OFF position for 20 seconds or more
Turn the ignition key to the RUN position and back to the OFF positon four times (without moving the key to the start position)
The check engine light will come on each time the key is in the run position
Press the door lock button to lock the doors
That should disable the automatic locking at 25 kmph, and you can reverse it by doing the same procedure again if you want them to automatically lock.
You could try going through the procedure twice to see too if that corrects the first problem you described of it locking immediately when turned to run.
Roland
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