# Broken MKIII Gauge Cluster? Tach/Speedo work 50%



## Slocketman (Sep 1, 2003)

Wondering if anyone has seen this before and could give me some insight on it, what might be wrong.
On my 1995 Jetta 2.0L 5speed, sometimes the speedometer and tach work fine, but sometimes one or both don't work. It's about 50/50 working/not working, when it doesn't work the speedometer and tach needle will just stay at 0. When I turn the car off, the speedometer needle will "jump" a few millimeters up and down for a few seconds before resting at 0.
Sometimes they'll not be working from the moment I turn the car on, sometimes they'll go dead while driving. Sometimes they'll start working again while driving, sometimes they'll stay dead for several trips.
No problems with the rest of the cluster, all the other lights and gauges work fine.
Is there any way to fix this, anything I can crack the cluster open and do, or do I just need a new cluster?










_Modified by Slocketman at 7:17 PM 8-26-2009_


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## skolby (Sep 14, 2002)

*Re: Broken MKIII Gauge Cluster? Tach/Speedo work 50% (Slocketman)*

I had the same problem on my MkIII Jetta. I took it in several times, and no one could figure out the problem. Finally, seeing as I might have to get a new cluster anyway I removed it from the dash and opened it up. It turns out some of the solder connections were bad, which caused an intermittent failure. Once I resoldered all of the connections it started working normally again. I hope this helps.


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## Slocketman (Sep 1, 2003)

*Re: Broken MKIII Gauge Cluster? Tach/Speedo work 50% (skolby)*

Thanks skolby, I'll have to try that.


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## slimvdub (Apr 8, 2004)

Just bringing this back from the dead. Tonight I got bored and decided to see if i could fix my 3 bad clusters i have collected. First cluster speedo didnt work. The fix resolder the stepper motor for the gauge. Now it works. Seconed cluster no tach or speedo, I resoldered both stepper motors nothing then resoldered all connections on the black plug everthing works. Third no gauges at all and no power to the gauge lights. The fix resoldered all connections on the black plug. Hope this helps someone out.


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## Tylard (Mar 15, 2008)

What connections are you resoldering? I have my cluster all apart and can't where I need to solder things back up.


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## Eric D (Feb 16, 1999)

Tylard said:


> What connections are you resoldering? I have my cluster all apart and can't where I need to solder things back up.





slimvdub said:


> Just bringing this back from the dead. Tonight I got bored and decided to see if i could fix my 3 bad clusters i have collected. First cluster speedo didnt work. *The fix resolder the stepper motor for the gauge.* Now it works. Seconed cluster no tach or speedo, *I resoldered both stepper motors nothing then resoldered all connections on the black plug everthing works.* Third no gauges at all and no power to the gauge lights. *The fix resoldered all connections on the black plug. *Hope this helps someone out.


Stepper motors and cluster electrical plug.


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## Tylard (Mar 15, 2008)

Not trying to be difficult but where are the stepper motor and electrical plug. 

Here is a picture of what I'm looking at, hopefully to make it easier for you help me out. Sorry about this but any help you can give me whould be awesome. Thanks.



















http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2794782170067348225dVaTIR

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2984842780067348225Cwdbxi


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## Tylard (Mar 15, 2008)




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## VAN CAN (Jul 4, 2010)

had same problem. went to the junkyard, found a vehicle that had low km, took the cluster and wahla! problem solved and now my car has less mileage.:laugh:


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## Tylard (Mar 15, 2008)

Right now I just have a GPS unit that also has a speedo.


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## deletedo1m (Jul 10, 2007)

The clusters going bad is a common mkIII problem. The fact that you can drive the car with the cluster completely removed should say enough.


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