Hi all..

I am new to this forum so please forgive me if I posted my question in the wrong room.

My Audi A4 information display in the instrumentation cluster is broken (LCD is not readable anymore). I decided to get a used cluster from junkyard. It is on its way now..

After searching for more information about replacing the cluster, i learned that the cluster is not interchangeable. If I replaced my original cluster with a used one, the used one will not work. The used cluster needs to be reprogrammed by the dealer to have it working. I am not even sure if the dealer is willing to reprogram used cluster.

To avoid such reprogramming hassle, I was planning to justget the LCD froma used cluster and use it on my original cluster. Anyone know if this is doable? I saw somewhere in the internet that the LCD has ribon cable soldered to the cluster's maincircuit board. The cable also has an embeddedchip, which I think is the LCD driver chip. Does this chip contain the information of the vehicle's VIN or odometer or it is just an LCD driver without any memory? If it is just an LCD driver, I should be able to just remove the LCD and ribbon cable to my original cluster and it should work fine.. Am I right?

Another question,
If I removed my original cluster (disconnect all the wires) and then reconnect it without tempering the device, will my cluster still work or it will lose all the milleage information and require reprogramming?

Sorry for the long post.. I really appreciate everyone's help on this topic

Thanks,
Ardian

 

what car is this for? i know for a b5 the mileage is stored in the cluster and you can just swap them but your milage will be wrong

 

I have the same problem, i just bought a 99 and the lcd doesnt really show up at all after you start it

 

almost ALL B5 owners have this problem. I read somewhere that there's a class action suit against AOA regarding this, don't know if anything will come of it though.

 

It is B5 (2000 Audi A4 1.8T quattro). Do you know where exactly the odometer information is stored in the cluster? Is it in the LCD driver on the ribbon cable of LCD display?

I want to keep my original cluster so I can preserve all my vehicle information and just swap the LCD from the used one. Is this possible without reprogramming the cluster?

Another question...
Have anyone tried to remove and replace the cluster for any reason such as installing the chrome/silver gauges? Will the cluster still works and show the correct vehicle information after replacing? my thought was if you have the original cluster, you can remove and replace without reprograming.

Thanks.

 

You can just swap it out, but the mileage will be from the old car. Not even the dealer can fix that. If you buy a brand new cluster you can vag-com the correct mileage.

 

new is the only way a dealer will touch it but it can be doneand will effect the value of the car

 

Hi2ks4,

when you said swap it, do you mean swap the whole cluster and all of my car information will show up in the used one without reprogramming? or you were referring to just swap the LCD, including the LCD driver chip on the ribbon cable attached to the LCD?

Have you ever tried to just disconnect and connect the original cluster? I am wondering if the information of the odometer/vehicle will stay just by doing this.. I hope the information is not lost just by doing this so I dont have to go the dealer to have it reprogrammed.

I could not believe AUDI let this annoying design defect out of their sight..
thx

 

Hi dave,

yeah.. i do not want to buy a new one.. it cost $$$.. not worth spending the money .. at least for me.

I am just trying to figure out how to fix my LCD on my original cluster when I have a working LCD on a used cluster while preserving my odometer information.

 

forget theodometer reading on the older cars it can be zeroed with VAG which is the correct way without using the dealers ( take a photo of the reading with dates of the change ) which is what the dealer does not that it makes any difference because most buyers are blind lol ( did you ask for proof of millage?? ill bet not ) this happens on new cars, a car was delivered from Germany by road/driven to a said garage in the UK and arrived with 3 miles on the clock ( reg vardy UK ltd ) he got screwedfact