No temperature gauge, fuel gauge, speedometer or screen!

[EmilyBrown1995]

Hi all, 

 

Last week my key stopped working - I got a replacement battery for it, however couldn't get it reprogrammed to the car - on Saturday, my partner took my spare key with a new battery in it and eventually got it programmed to the car. Left it parked up on Sunday (we experienced very heavy rain down in Cornwall) then this morning I started my car and neither my fuel gauge, temperature gauge, speedometer or digital screen are working - see attached files - all the normal warning flights flash up and come off as normal, my car starts and drives fine, the indicator and seat belt warning lights show as normal, however neither of this make any sound!? Radio is working however the time is now wrong on it...? Plugged it into my scanner, no codes returned, checked the fuse box and the fuse for what is apparently for the instrument cluster seems fine? Ran a voltage test with my scanner, 12.2V whilst resting and 14.6V when driving - mechanic at work got fairly low amps from it, though - he tried doing a battery jump, I turned the car on and still none of the dials/gauges are working - he is going to charge the battery for a few hours in the meantime. Can anyone shed any light? I could send the instrument cluster off to ECUTesting but will still cost me more in the long run if that's not the issue... as on their website they describe the symptoms of a bad cluster as being the car cutting out/not being able to start? But mine is starting and driving fine? Not sure if it's worth mentioning but recently the indicator sound has been very intermittent in my car...

 

Any help much appreciated!

 

Em

[cliffcoggin]

Emily.

Two possibilities come to mind:

[1] The instrument panel may be faulty even if the engine stills starts. The only way to be certain is to send it to ECU for testing.

[2] The 12 volt battery may be defective despite showing 12.2 volts. Your mechanic was on to something when he found low amps from it.

Of the two I favour the battery. Winter always highlights deficiencies in battery capacity, so I suggest you get it professionally tested. If a new battery is required ensure you get it coded to the car.

[EmilyBrown1995]

Thanks Cliff - appreciate that! I can see that the battery was replaced in 2018, but it's an aftermarket 'Lion' battery, which I've heard mixed reviews about!

 

Will report back later when I pick it up after it's been charged - would you advise replacing battery first? 🙂

 

Em

[cliffcoggin]

1 hour ago, EmilyBrown1995 said:

Will report back later when I pick it up after it's been charged - would you advise replacing battery first? 🙂

I advise getting the battery tested before spending any serious money it. Any auto electrician will be able to do that at little or no cost. Apparently even Halfords, though I am not a fan of the company.

Bear in mind what I mentioned about coding a new battery to the car, and if the battery fitter does not know what coding is buy the battery from somebody more competant.

I have no experience of Lion brand batteries, but other folk here do, and they condemn them. Buy a well known brand such as Exide or Varta amongst others. It will be more expensive, but worth it in the long run.

Only once you have a proven decent battery is it worth investigating the other electrical faults, if they still exist. You may find they have disappeared.

[Magnet]

Lion battery- bless you.

As I’ve said many times before, this brand would be firmly at the bottom of my desirability list. 
‘Mixed reviews’ is being too kind. Worth bearing in mind that Euro Car Parts are believed to have re-branded them - can’t  remember the new brand name, but something starting with S ? as per their exclusive Starline. 

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[cliffcoggin]

Thanks Gareth. I knew the mention of Lion batteries would pique your interest.