B4 resets Clock to 1:00 and Trip Meter to 0.0 during start sequence

BamaB4S

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2011
Location
AL
TDI
1996 Passat

The following symptoms cropped up several days ago:

Instrument cluster makes an unusual sound for ~3 seconds when turning ignition key to start, the Clock resets to 1:00 and the Trip Meter resets to 0.0 :confused:

Starts easily and all other accessories and signals appear to be functioning as designed. Checked Fuses 10 and 17 with ohmmeter and they are good.

Thank you all in advance for any recommendations that may help to troubleshoot and isolate the culprit to resolve this annoying issue :)
 

RabbitGTI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 20, 1997
Location
Wisconsin
TDI
B4 Passat Sedan
Battery is probably shot. Clean the cables and check voltage drop when starting. If bad, get it out of there before you fry the cluster.
 

jeffk14

Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2007
Location
GA
TDI
1996 Passat
My 96 Passat only does it when the engine is cold and the outside temp is below about 45 degrees F. Battery checks good and it does it EVERY time in cooler weather. Even if I hook up a jump vehicle to make SURE there's no excessive voltage drop.

Mine is a temperature related problem. It NEVER happens in warmer weather. Just another oddity of this weird little bast***.
 

nh nam vet

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2008
Location
Raymond, NH
TDI
2- 97 Passats , 02 Jetta
The culprit is a failed 470uf capacitor on the circuit card of your instrument cluster. TDIClub Member tripl-e exposed this in his 12-02-06 "Instrument cluster Mystery" thread in this forum. Google Chubb's Auto Repair to locate Derek who can fix your instrument cluster.
 

john.jackson9213

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 14, 2007
Location
Miramar, Ca. (Think Top Gun)
TDI
1996 B4V
The culprit is a failed 470uf capacitor on the circuit card of your instrument cluster. TDIClub Member tripl-e exposed this in his 12-02-06 "Instrument cluster Mystery" thread in this forum. Google Chubb's Auto Repair to locate Derek who can fix your instrument cluster.
Yep, pull the cluster and send it to Derek at Chubb's Auto Repair for a very reasonable and excellent repair. Fast turn a round also!!

Best way to contact him is to CALL - see his post and phone number here:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showpost.php?p=5289875&postcount=7
 

vanbcguy

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Location
Vancouver, BC
TDI
'93 Passat - AHU mTDI with GTB1756VK
I replaced the caps in my B3 cluster a few weeks ago as I was having the same symptoms. Been working perfectly ever since! If you don't have experience soldering on a circuit board, in particular removing old components, I'd send it out.

Sent from my LG-H873 using Tapatalk
 

BamaB4S

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2011
Location
AL
TDI
1996 Passat
Thank you forum members so much for chiming in with helpful details.

Battery is getting long in the tooth at 6yrs old so it gets replaced first.
If symptoms remain (most likely will) the 470uf capacitor gets replaced.
 

206danebmx

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Location
Seattle, WA
TDI
2002 jetta TDI wagon
I have the same problem, happens more when its warmer out. New battery did not fix my issue, still need to do this capacitor thing.
 

bikeprof

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2005
Location
Pagosa Springs, Colorado(YEAH!)
TDI
1996 Passat B4 Variant white, 1996 Town & Country 3.8 LXI
Actually...
I had the sAme problem with the reset of the cluster, after many times cleaning and inspection, the fusibl link went out.
That's the huge fuse on drivers side beside the battery, inspect that, probability it's THAT !
 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
You have fusible links from the battery feeds....?

Both my B4s don't have them, nor does the B4 harness that I stripped for my project car.

-Todd
 

BamaB4S

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2011
Location
AL
TDI
1996 Passat
Big fusible link (30A) above battery and contained in clear plastic case is in good shape.
I'm confident the culprit was already identified - 470uf Capacitor on the instrument cluster circuit board.

Already replaced battery and don't mind the trip meter/clock resetting to 0.0/1:00 on every start enough yet to remove instrument cluster, de-solder failed/re-solder new component.
 
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