DIY - Audi B8 S4 DIS Failure (Instrument Cluster Repair)

[Steve_Ep]

Hi Everyone,

I while back I posted a thread asking for help on this issue, and have finally resolved it.

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...mation-Display

Difficulty: 1/5

You have two options: 1) Re-seat the screen, 2) replace screen.

If you need to search for the screen it is made from an Italian company Magneti Marelli. The screen fits the following models and I would suggest searching something like this for the screen:

"Audi A4 8K S4/RS4 and Audi A5/S5/RS5 Magneti Marelli instrument color display"

If you don't feel comfortable dissembling your cluster their is a guy 'Tom' who will fix it for you @Speedo Solutions http://www.speedosolutions.com/

Step 1) - Remove instrument cluster and disassemble (this is very straightforward)

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...etrofit-for-A4

Step 2) Remove the screen and try resetting it first. If this doesn't work then order a new screen (refurbished if you can find one or buy a used cluster and take the screen from it)

Screen removed


Screens metal case


Screen removed from case


Step 3) Reinstall and test that it is working
My date reset to 2009 for some reason. So I updated to 2017 in the MMI settings


Hope this helps anyone who is experiencing the same issue.

[A.C.]

Nice write up!

[a4efforts]

Question: Do you think I could swap in a color screen in place of my red screen? I would prefer that if it is possible. Thanks!

[cspcrx]

nicely done. what did the new screen run you?

[Gunnark100]

Question: Do you think I could swap in a color screen in place of my red screen?

Noup!

[a4efforts]

Noup!

Any reason? Pin connectors, etc?

[a4efforts]

Question: Do you think I could swap in a color screen in place of my red screen? I would prefer that if it is possible. Thanks!

Bump! Curious to know whether this can be done. Thanks!

[JKrups06]

How does one reset the screen? Is it just disconnecting and reconnecting? When your screen goes out do your left side steering wheel controls go out as well?

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[Barrenhammer]

How does one reset the screen? Is it just disconnecting and reconnecting? When your screen goes out do your left side steering wheel controls go out as well?

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That's what happened with mine when it went out. Mine started working again all by itself - but something I noticed is that all the miles I'd driven while it was off were not registered on the odometer.

[JKrups06]

That's what happened with mine when it went out. Mine started working again all by itself - but something I noticed is that all the miles I'd driven while it was off were not registered on the odometer.

I have had this issue for about a year or two. It seems to be mainly affected by the cold weather, as temperature drops my screen goes black. In summer months it comes back (Chicago weather). I have had it go out for a month and now it's been out for almost 3 months. Looking for any help how to fix this. I never had any issues of missing miles on the odometer ... Or I never noticed.

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[Barrenhammer]

I have had this issue for about a year or two. It seems to be mainly affected by the cold weather, as temperature drops my screen goes black. In summer months it comes back (Chicago weather). I have had it go out for a month and now it's been out for almost 3 months. Looking for any help how to fix this. I never had any issues of missing miles on the odometer ... Or I never noticed.

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After driving it a bit and filling up, it seems like my trip reset, but the odo tracked everything as normal. I did buy a replacement screen and a complete used cluster, but my screen came back on the day before the parts were delivered. Go figure.

[Paulsb]

Sorry for commenting on an old thread but can anyone confirm if any b8 screen can be used? In other words could I buy a set of a4 b8 speedo/cluster and just use the screen from it? My car is 2011 b8 s4 - currently with a blank screen. A4 clocks are cheap on eBay (£30 ish).
Many thanks

[Gunnark100]

Sorry for commenting on an old thread but can anyone confirm if any b8 screen can be used? In other words could I buy a set of a4 b8 speedo/cluster and just use the screen from it? My car is 2011 b8 s4 - currently with a blank screen. A4 clocks are cheap on eBay (£30 ish).
Many thanks

Display is same, regardless red or color - buy correct one!

[Paulsb]

Display is same, regardless red or color - buy correct one!

Thanks
Can’t even remember which mine is 🙈. I think it may have displayed some stuff in green etc??
So I need to buy the right one colour wise but it can come from any a4 b8??
Thanks again!

[Gunnark100]

Thanks
Can’t even remember which mine is 🙈. I think it may have displayed some stuff in green etc??
So I need to buy the right one colour wise but it can come from any a4 b8??
Thanks again!

B8 is same s...t, so get color one from A4B8 for example, it will work...you a bit far, otherwise i could send you one, but pointless time waste and shipping!

[Paulsb]

Looking for a colour one online now! Thanks again .
Thanks for the offer of sending but I’m in uk (Scotland) so a bit far lol!
Now it’s time to carefully dismantle a set of clocks!
Also Is there anyway of telling if it’s a colour screen from part numbers etc on back of speedo cluster? Lots of scrap/ junk yards guarantee they work but don’t know if it’s colour!
Thanks again for your help!

[Paulsb]

And another question will the screen from an a5/s5 also fit? Trying to find one close lol! Cheers!

[jewnbug]

You guys sound informative . I’m new to Audi’s and realizing real quick they are very complicated lol. I’ve got a 13 s4 b8.5 . Am I able to just change my current black and white lcd to color ? Or will I need a whole new cluster. And if so what’s the correct cluster code I can use to have the color display. The help would be greatly appreciated.


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[Gunnark100]

You guys sound informative . I’m new to Audi’s and realizing real quick they are very complicated lol. I’ve got a 13 s4 b8.5 . Am I able to just change my current black and white lcd to color ? Or will I need a whole new cluster. And if so what’s the correct cluster code I can use to have the color display. The help would be greatly appreciated.
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You probably have red/black cluster not white/black, for color one you need whole new cluster, partnumber depends what options you have, with or without acc, rest is clear as you have s4.

[jewnbug]

You probably have red/black cluster not white/black, for color one you need whole new cluster, partnumber depends what options you have, with or without acc, rest is clear as you have s4.

What’s acc ? And my cluster lcd screen is in black in white .


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[Gunnark100]

What’s acc ? And my cluster lcd screen is in black in white .


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Aa ok, audi killed ugly red/black display on facelift without nav, so you got black/white. From one ebay ad i cant see screws holding display, but its not the best angle picture. So i guess, logic must be same like with red one, that you need whole color cluster. ACC adaptive cruise control.

[jewnbug]

Aa ok, audi killed ugly red/black display on facelift without nav, so you got black/white. From one ebay ad i cant see screws holding display, but its not the best angle picture. So i guess, logic must be same like with red one, that you need whole color cluster. ACC adaptive cruise control.

My car has cruise control but how can I tell if the clusters on eBay have or not .. or if they are even the color displays . That’s where I’m stuck .


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[Gunnark100]

My car has cruise control but how can I tell if the clusters on eBay have or not .. or if they are even the color displays . That’s where I’m stuck .


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Which cruise you have - adaptive(measuring and keeping distance from car ahead of you) or old style?
8t4 is adaptive one
https://nemigaparts.com/cat_spares/e...q/736u/920000/

[jewnbug]

Which cruise you have - adaptive(measuring and keeping distance from car ahead of you) or old style?
8t4 is adaptive one
https://nemigaparts.com/cat_spares/e...q/736u/920000/

I’ve just got normal cruise control .


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[mikedizzzo]

Anyone able to find a replacement gauge cluster screen? Mine is scratched up.


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[FrankP]

This instrument cluster screen in my 2012 B8 S4 just went dark for me this morning, (was on a 7 hour long pothole ridden drive yesterday). I reset the MMI, screen still dark. Then I read this excellent posting and saw the text about "Re-seating" the screen. I decided to try re-seating the screen without removing it... So I slapped the dash with my palm just over the screen quite hard, and VIOLA! Back to life. I do not know if this will last, but perhaps a healthy whack is a cheap and quick place to start. :)

[evanb]

This instrument cluster screen in my 2012 B8 S4 just went dark for me this morning, (was on a 7 hour long pothole ridden drive yesterday). I reset the MMI, screen still dark. Then I read this excellent posting and saw the text about "Re-seating" the screen. I decided to try re-seating the screen without removing it... So I slapped the dash with my palm just over the screen quite hard, and VIOLA! Back to life. I do not know if this will last, but perhaps a healthy whack is a cheap and quick place to start. :)

Percussive maintenance.

[jessenepywoda]

I had this problem. I think the palm slap fix, road with potholes, cold weather are all evidence of bad solder joints on the PCB.

In my case (2010 a4 mmi high) I took the cluster out, removed the DIS and re-seated the ribbon cable. Reassembled. Screen was still dead.

Then I removed the back cover of the cluster and saw two voltage regulators barely hanging on. I did not take pictures unfortunately but I remember there was a large one, a medium, and several smaller ones. I touched up the large and medium solder joints (little bit of flux with a qtip, dab of new solder, waited 30 seconds in between each pin, clean flux away with rubbing alcohol). I suppose you could reflow the board also but you would have to fully disassemble. I did this without removing anything from the front of the cluster.

Not only did my DIS come back on but it's brighter and the colors more vibrant. Also my trip computers / fuel consumption menu had disappeared, they came back; an "internal communications error" with the radio module code is gone; and I could hear a high pitch noise coming from the little speaker all the time which went away.

If you don't know what a surface mount voltage regulator looks like you probably shouldn't try this but the components look like the image below. Use common sense and disconnect the battery before beginning, disconnect BEM plug, ground yourself, use a decent low wattage soldering iron, etc. Don't overheat anything and don't burn yourself.

[r8ders]

I had this problem. I think the palm slap fix, road with potholes, cold weather are all evidence of bad solder joints on the PCB.

In my case (2010 a4 mmi high) I took the cluster out, removed the DIS and re-seated the ribbon cable. Reassembled. Screen was still dead.

Then I removed the back cover of the cluster and saw two voltage regulators barely hanging on. I did not take pictures unfortunately but I remember there was a large one, a medium, and several smaller ones. I touched up the large and medium solder joints (little bit of flux with a qtip, dab of new solder, waited 30 seconds in between each pin, clean flux away with rubbing alcohol). I suppose you could reflow the board also but you would have to fully disassemble. I did this without removing anything from the front of the cluster.

Not only did my DIS come back on but it's brighter and the colors more vibrant. Also my trip computers / fuel consumption menu had disappeared, they came back; an "internal communications error" with the radio module code is gone; and I could hear a high pitch noise coming from the little speaker all the time which went away.

If you don't know what a surface mount voltage regulator looks like you probably shouldn't try this but the components look like the image below. Use common sense and disconnect the battery before beginning, disconnect BEM plug, ground yourself, use a decent low wattage soldering iron, etc. Don't overheat anything and don't burn yourself.

Thanks for the information. Our car just started to have this issue where the cluster display is intermitted. I'll check for cold solder/insufficient wicking on the joints before having to disassembly the front and reseating the cable.

[hardfive]

a healthy whack is a cheap and quick place to start. :)

This is sage advice for almost all big decisions tbh. The post whack clarity should not be underestimated. Talked my wife into a lot of stuff she would have straight up denied if she lived by this mantra...


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