No power to cluster?

C

c3k

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2012
Location
Mocksville NC
TDI
B4 Passat
First off, this isn't a TDI, but actually a '96 VR6 Passat. I'm posting here because the B3/B4 section on Vortex is but a ghost town and I'm sure some of you gurus can aid in this diagnosis.

I'm in the process of restoring a VR6 sedan back into running order. I just finished replacing the head gasket and timing chains and started buttoning everything together. Upon putting a new battery into the car I noticed the cluster was dead. No mileage, or time. Granted, I've only owned the car for a couple months now and I this was the first time I attempted to power it up. My initial assumption was a dead cluster.

No matter, there were 2 other B4 VRs in the junkyard I frequent that had their clusters still. I installed both and much to my surprise, neither of them illuminated either.

I'm very aware of the A3/B4 cluster voltage issues, but it seems incredibly coincidental that all 3 of the clusters at my disposal have succumbed to this failure. Is there any common issue that could prevent my cluster harness from receiving power? I've checked all the grounds around the dash and fuse box connections, however, much to my dismay everything was in order.

-Connor
 
Steve Addy

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
c3k said:
First off, this isn't a TDI, but actually a '96 VR6 Passat. I'm posting here because the B3/B4 section on Vortex is but a ghost town and I'm sure some of you gurus can aid in this diagnosis.

I'm in the process of restoring a VR6 sedan back into running order. I just finished replacing the head gasket and timing chains and started buttoning everything together. Upon putting a new battery into the car I noticed the cluster was dead. No mileage, or time. Granted, I've only owned the car for a couple months now and I this was the first time I attempted to power it up. My initial assumption was a dead cluster.

No matter, there were 2 other B4 VRs in the junkyard I frequent that had their clusters still. I installed both and much to my surprise, neither of them illuminated either.

I'm very aware of the A3/B4 cluster voltage issues, but it seems incredibly coincidental that all 3 of the clusters at my disposal have succumbed to this failure. Is there any common issue that could prevent my cluster harness from receiving power? I've checked all the grounds around the dash and fuse box connections, however, much to my dismay everything was in order.

-Connor
Click to expand...
Yes...it is a ghost town over there. The only thread that gets any action is the stupid stance thread, which is just a showoff thread with people posting pics of their cars after they lowered it to where the main pan is sitting on the ground...or close.

As Abacus mentioned check electrical to the cluster, which comes via harness U1 and U2.

Seve
 
C

c3k

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2012
Location
Mocksville NC
TDI
B4 Passat
Abacus said:
This may help with finding the issue.

Did you check fuse 20 as well?
Click to expand...
Yeah, today I was going to mess with my multimeter to see if that U1/U2 harness is actually getting a signal from the fuse panel.

Fuse 20 checked out perfectly. All other interior electronics work fine, sunroof, windows etc.


Steve Addy said:
Yes...it is a ghost town over there. The only thread that gets any action is the stupid stance thread, which is just a showoff thread with people posting pics of their cars after they lowered it to where the main pan is sitting on the ground...or close.

As Abacus mentioned check electrical to the cluster, which comes via harness U1 and U2.

Steve
Click to expand...
Tell me about it, I'm not into any of that stance nonsense. I nice, reliable daily with some e codes is about as far as I'll go into their "stance world."


I appreciate the help guys, I'll report back later today.
 
Rabbid0281

Rabbid0281

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 15, 2009
Location
Dallas, TX
TDI
96 B4 TDI 1Z sedan. '12 Jetta TDI 6spd. 1982 GTD Jetta Coupe 5spd
I'm here in search of a similar issue on my 96 TDI. My cluster isnt dead, but just mostly non-responsive. The clock and odometer work fine, but the gauges dont. Sometimes I can get my fuel to read, the speedo will climb and peg out, or just freeze, never going back to 0. Tach is non op either. It used to sorta work, but was off by about 500rpm. I have a Torque App and Bluetooth dongle to act as my cluster for now, but it doesnt do fuel.

A friend of mine told me it was a ground that next to the EGT sensor, because she had the same problem on her B4 TDI, but never sent me a picture of where, nor have i been able to get a worthy search result of the location I am looking for, on the internet.
 
C

c3k

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2012
Location
Mocksville NC
TDI
B4 Passat
Alright guys, so while attempting to test my starter and get the engine to turnover, I discovered that my ignition switch is faulty. Think that would have any role in causing all of my cluster woes?

I haven't tested for power yet through the harness, I'll likely do that today when the sun makes an appearance and then again after when my new ignition switch arrives.

-Connor
 
Steve Addy

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
c3k said:
Alright guys, so while attempting to test my starter and get the engine to turnover, I discovered that my ignition switch is faulty. Think that would have any role in causing all of my cluster woes?

I haven't tested for power yet through the harness, I'll likely do that today when the sun makes an appearance and then again after when my new ignition switch arrives.

-Connor
Click to expand...
Yes, it can.
 
Rabbid0281

Rabbid0281

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 15, 2009
Location
Dallas, TX
TDI
96 B4 TDI 1Z sedan. '12 Jetta TDI 6spd. 1982 GTD Jetta Coupe 5spd
Checked the ground she told me to check... appeared OEM and fine. Any other possible things to check? :confused:
 
Rabbid0281

Rabbid0281

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 15, 2009
Location
Dallas, TX
TDI
96 B4 TDI 1Z sedan. '12 Jetta TDI 6spd. 1982 GTD Jetta Coupe 5spd
The wire and leads look brand new (no sign of corrosion), but i havent checked inside the plugs.. I will do that, and check the wires coming from them, as soon as can. thanks
 
Rabbid0281

Rabbid0281

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 15, 2009
Location
Dallas, TX
TDI
96 B4 TDI 1Z sedan. '12 Jetta TDI 6spd. 1982 GTD Jetta Coupe 5spd




This is what it looks like now. No cracks or frays. Nothing loose. It all looks fresh...
 
Digital Corpus

Digital Corpus

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 14, 2008
Location
Ontario, California
TDI
'97 B4 w/ 236K mi body, 46K mi soul
Those two plugs are for the crank position sensor and the lift needle sensor. The ground near them is on the block and 5" below them. The big round plug is nicknamed the Orb of Death, fwiw.
 
Rabbid0281

Rabbid0281

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 15, 2009
Location
Dallas, TX
TDI
96 B4 TDI 1Z sedan. '12 Jetta TDI 6spd. 1982 GTD Jetta Coupe 5spd
Digital Corpus said:
Those two plugs are for the crank position sensor and the lift needle sensor. The ground near them is on the block and 5" below them. The big round plug is nicknamed the Orb of Death, fwiw.
Click to expand...
Haha, good to know. Ty. I figured out one of them went to the knock sensor. I found a guy selling a cluster so im going to pick it up from him and bench test to see if its the harness or just the cluster
 
Digital Corpus

Digital Corpus

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 14, 2008
Location
Ontario, California
TDI
'97 B4 w/ 236K mi body, 46K mi soul
Knock is combustion occurring due to compression before a spark plug firing, in a gasser. In a diesel, combustion is only because of compression, and it's always louder. We have no knock sensor. The lower one of the two is the lift needle sensor responsible for sending info about combustion to the ECU.

The grounds are easy to clean though and fixes most of our electrical problems.
 
Rabbid0281

Rabbid0281

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 15, 2009
Location
Dallas, TX
TDI
96 B4 TDI 1Z sedan. '12 Jetta TDI 6spd. 1982 GTD Jetta Coupe 5spd
It goes to where the knock sensor was on my mk2 jetta...
However is there anything else I could check? Ive already split open the cluster and checked some components. There seems to be 2 dates stamped on each side of the board dating back to 2005. Could that be an indicator of something?
 
B

blacksi

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 3, 2008
Location
Dayton
TDI
Jetta
Holy thread jacks rabbid. I'm in for the same issue as the original poster c3K.

My clock and odometer suddenly stopped working after a very wet week here in ATL 1 day of which I found water on the drivers floor board.
 
Rabbid0281

Rabbid0281

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 15, 2009
Location
Dallas, TX
TDI
96 B4 TDI 1Z sedan. '12 Jetta TDI 6spd. 1982 GTD Jetta Coupe 5spd
Im just really frustrated not knowing how much fuel I have left. I cant deal with that kind of anxiety lol...
 
B

blacksi

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 3, 2008
Location
Dayton
TDI
Jetta
LOL, I hear ya.

I got lucky 4 days of dry weather and running the heat on the way to work evidently dried out whatever got wet. I got in this morning and they were back, Woo Hoo.
 
C

c3k

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2012
Location
Mocksville NC
TDI
B4 Passat
**UPDATE**


I finally got around to replacing the ignition switch on the car today and now there is a new symptom. The engine will not even crank now. There is still no digital cluster display.

I'm currently diagnosing the no crank/start on the VR but I have no idea why my digital reading for all THREE of my B4 VR clusters isn't working.

Is it safe to say that I have 3 burnt out clusters?
 
T

theodore

Active member
Joined
Aug 8, 2017
Location
Spokane, Wa.
TDI
2) 1996 b4 Passat
There is talk about the voltage regulator inside the cluster being the point of failure. I am working on the 97 passat b4 sedan, i have a Florida car here(omg even found seashells in it) I have replaced fusebox, some wire harnesses, ignition switch, clean grounds AND latests discovery! When i left car outside in hot summer, the LCD works(clock and miles)
but when i turn on the key it goes blank. Cluster was from another car working yes.
 
Steve Addy

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
Digital Corpus said:
Pretty sure it’s an indirect request for help
Click to expand...
True, my response was undeserved in this case. I apologize

theodore said:
There is talk about the voltage regulator inside the cluster being the point of failure. I am working on the 97 passat b4 sedan, i have a Florida car here(omg even found seashells in it) I have replaced fusebox, some wire harnesses, ignition switch, clean grounds AND latests discovery! When i left car outside in hot summer, the LCD works(clock and miles)
but when i turn on the key it goes blank. Cluster was from another car working yes.
Click to expand...
Based on your information I have to ask whether you've replaced the ignition switch yet?

Very old ignition switches often only work part of the time or in certain positions. Replacing the switch will bring full functionality back to the circuits controlled by the switch.

Steve
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top