Bernard,

I have been in touch with the technician (in Sydney) who repaired mine.
Provided the part numbers match the ones in earlier threads, he believes he can repair - approx AU$300 shipped to an Australian address.

If you want to proceed, I can provide repairer contactdetails off-line at a private email address.- subject to approval by the moderator of this site.
Then you and your brother can deal direct.

Please send copy of this email to the moderator for approval.

 

Thanks Road hugger. Just curious, why do I have to send a copy of this to a mod ??

I don't think our exchange rate between South Africa and Australia will be economical...may be cheaper to try source a working 2nd hand unit here.

When I get another chance I will reflow some more connections ...just looking for a smaller iron as I think 15 watts is a bit hot for that board.

Flexing the board seems to have an effect on the temp. guage...just have to find out where the weak point is.

Lovely to have the fuel guage working again

 

Well, after "fixing" the issues previously, only to have them return after a few months. BUT .... we were on the right track.

I subsequently took the circuit board out of the housing and took it to an electronics chap in town.

I asked him to reflow all those 11 pins AGAIN at the top left of the white board shown earlier. ( my soldering iron was not fine enough for a good job)

It took him half an hour ... he looked at a few other things while it was open.

Resolved !

Temp. & Fuel Guages now snap to their last positions when the key is turned. No more fluctuating up and down while driving.

The cost R100..... $6.

 

I have a 1994 C-280. I replaced the instrument panel after a number of months following the purchase. It's been two years since I bought the car.
But today almost all of the warning lights stayed on after I started the engine, and none of the gauges seemed to work--speedometer, tachometer, gas gauge...after a while, the only lights that stayed on were the Check Engine light (another matter), the oil light, the warning light for the gas cap, and the light that indicates the gas tank is empty--it's actually nearly full. What's more, the lights stay on after the engine is shut off. And that was maybe two hours ago I shut off the engine last. (The main panel light came on normally when I had the car's headlights and taillights on)

 

This morning, with daylight, I checked the fuses. I pulled the Instrument Cluster fuse; the lights, which were still on, went out. I returned the fuse and they stayed out. I started the engine and the instruments performed normally. Must be some electronic quirk...

 

C220 W202 Elegance Sedan Australia
Go on the Internet and buy a strip of MICROSCRUB (the stuff telephone techs used to use to clean contacts in the olden days)
Get some CRC CONTACT CLEANER and spray the two sets of plug contacts on the back of the instrument cluster. Then go up and down the lines of pins on both plugs giving them a good clean with the MICROSCRUB - backwards and forwards and any other direction you can think of!
Sorts out stopped gauges.
While you've got the instrument cluster out, get a pack of 3/8" square plastic tube (AUD7.90 Hobby Shop). Cut a short piece (3") and adjust all the globes so they are making correct contact. The angles are all different.
Good luck, Tom.