Needles jumping and lights flickering on A3 dash

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CP1234 - 11 Aug 2006 13:46 GMT

Hi

I have a 2001 (X) Audi A3 1.8 SE and I'm having a problem with the
dashboard lighting and speed, rpm, fuel and temp dials.

Initially from a cold start (despite the warm weather) the needles were
jumping back and forth and the rpm and spedo backlights flicker. The
clock and mileometer displays also flicker. After the car has warmed up
(5 mins approx) the needles and displays return to normal.
This has been happening for 3 days.

Today for the first 10 mins of my journey the needles remained on 0 and
the lights off.
Eventually they flickered for a while and came back to life. First the
display lights return, then the fuel/temp needles returned to normal,
then finally the rpm and speedo dials.

I also noticed that while the dash lights are flickering the radio
continues to work but it's lit display gets dimmer and brighter.

Does anyone know what could be causing this?
A component on it's way out or a lose wire somewhere?

Thanks,
CP

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Lez Pawl - 11 Aug 2006 16:07 GMT

> Hi
>
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> Thanks,
> CP

I would lean towards a poor contact or loose wire.

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CP1234 - 11 Aug 2006 16:27 GMT

Thanks

I wondered about a component slowly dying (capacitor or something)
since it seems ok after it's warmed up. Bumps etc don't have any impact
and I would expect that to make a difference if it was a bad contact or
loose wire.

Do you know if it's easy to take the instrument panel off to check
behind it?

Thanks,
CP

> > Hi
> >
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
>
> I would lean towards a poor contact or loose wire.

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Lez Pawl - 11 Aug 2006 16:40 GMT

> Thanks
>
[quoted text clipped - 36 lines]
>>
>> I would lean towards a poor contact or loose wire.

Even though my diode display is fading (yes, that common Audi prob) I would
not have the **lls to remove it.

I have heard of problems with circuit board tracks where when cold track(s)
are broken yet when warm/hot they join back together.

It might even be a dry/iffy solder joint.

dj
A4 2.4 SE '98

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CP1234 - 31 Aug 2006 21:27 GMT

I've had my car fixed now so this is an update for anyone reading this
posting later.

I took my car to Audi and they said there was an electrical fault with
the Dashpod.
They replaced the entire instrument cluster.
Part cost £218.42 + VAT

Before I got my jumping needles and flickering lights issue resolved my
car gained a second problem... the alarm kept going off 30 seconds
after locking the car. I tried turning off the interior mobility sensor
but this didn't help.
Audi said the only way to prevent the audible alarm going off would be
to remove the fuse because it cannot be disabled.
They stuck the car on their computer and it turned out to be a
defective Alarm Interior Monitoring Control Unit. This required
replacing the control unit and reprogramming all my keys.
Part cost £203.31 + VAT

In total parts + labour + VAT cost me over £800 :-(

I did get to see the removed parts but they then had to send the
instrument cluster back to Audi. I kept the alarm control unit - it's a
small black box with a PCB inside - no visible problems.

Audi also managed to scrape my bumper and wheel arch while my car was
being fixed so it's back in for bodywork repairs!

Hope no-one else has the same fault.

-CP

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