I have a 2001 S430. The other day the dash went completely blank. I thought it was a fuse, so I changed the broken fuse. The dash came back up, flickered and then went out again.Now only the needles and the message center are lit up, but still flickering. Has anyone else had this problem or know how to fix it? Please Help

 

replace the instrument cluster.

 

how much will that cost

 

lol hate it when that happens the cluster is like 1200 i think

 

wanna save money?

this $1200 instrument cluster can be repaired for about $15. Just like I thought, it is a power switching transistor (N Channel MOSFET). The part number is BUZ102S made by Infineon.

It is the BUZ102S that has fallen off the small power distribution board on the rear of the cluster. There are two large slots on each side of the rear of the cluster. Beneath them are two connectors. Unplug those connectors, then use a small flat head screwdriver to remove the back casing of the cluster. Use a T12 driver to remove the circuit board from the casing. Now you have the board completely removed and and ready to repair.

Important Tech Note
There are three BUZ102S ICs on the board. They all supply power to the instrument cluster and work in parallel. It is important to replace all of them at once. Here's why: When the first IC falls off the board the other two try to compensate by supplying more current. The additional work load causes the transistors to saturate. During this saturation phase, instrument cluster lights flicker on and off. Eventually one of the transistors fails or short circuits. When that happens, the 5A circuit fuse blows. This circuit fuse protects not only the instrument cluster back-lights, but also the guages, the parktronic, the remote truck opener, and the command back lighting. Because you cannot visually tell which transistor has failed, you must replace all three of them at once.

Use a desoldering braid and a 40W soldering iron to remove the ICs. Then carefully solder each new IC to finish the repair. Reassemble the instrument cluster and install. Before testing, locate the 5A protection fuse mentioned above. There should be a fuse diagram sheet with the tool kit located in the trunk of the vehicle. Replace the 5A fuse and test.

 

THIS one can repair it also.

 

Well,
having interest with the difficulties of mercedes clusters, I started working on them and found many solutions to problematic clusters. If anyone is interested email me (clusterfixer@yahoo.com) with your problem and I will let you know if it is possible.

 

The Clusters on 220's are covered under warranty for like 12 years and unlimited miles. No cost to you at all!