Fixed my Info Centre today - this is how I did it...

From CEM to VEM, from LED to lightbulb and more. If you have an electrical problem, like a broken info-centre, search for answers in this category. This is also the place to be when you expect the problem to be of an electrical nature...

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jimsvolvo480
480 Newbie
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2015 5:52 pm

Fixed my Info Centre today - this is how I did it...

Post by jimsvolvo480 » Fri Apr 03, 2015 9:10 pm

Yet another Info Centre thread, but I managed to fix mine today, so thought I'd post the steps I took to do so, it might then help someone diagnose and possibly repair their own info centre.

Because the fault(s) can be a wide variety of things, I decided to make a process to cover the most likely areas.

My approach was this:

Disconnect Battery - Not just to power down the modules, but so I could safely work on the sparky bits.
Clean battery connectors
Clean up the earth straps / leads / connections
- Negative battery strap
- Earths to wing near battery
- Alternator earths
- Engine block earths
Use contact cleaner on any electrical plug I could find in the engine bay regardless of condition
Check earthing to fuse box (multimeter)
Check all fuses, replace any looking old, tiny squirt of contact cleaner before replacing
Remove all relays and use contact cleaner to clean spades and connectors before refitting
Remove stereo (to illuminate this an issue)
Remove instrument cluster
Clean up Info Centre rotary dial (the pcb comes out of this switch)
Unplug any system from dash loom not required (clock / alarm LED / light switches)
Washed Info Centre PCB in Isopropanol (An old tooth brush helps clean off any contaminants)
Clean ribbon lead and connections
TEST!

All of this went pretty much as planned. I improved on the wing earthing connection though. Longer screw with washers and all earth leads and battery negative copper strap compressed in between. To my surprise most electrical connections were spotless, but rubbed and cleaned them anyway. On the Info Centre PCB one of the ribbon cable solder connections looked a little weak, but I used a hot air gun with directional nozzle just to 're-ball' these joints without issue. Surprisingly the capacitors looked fine, no leaks or bulges, but made sure I cleaned around them just incase as any electrolyte can cause serious electrical issues to any circuit.

So without plugging the stereo and other dash switches / systems not required in, I reconnected the instrument cluster and the battery. Turned the key... and.....

It worked! :D Passes all of its checks / displayed in each section, units change and reset as expected. A fully working Info centre. I then reconnected the switches one at a time, turning off each time, in case it caused an issue. Luckily it stayed working throughout, so refitted everything gave it a final test and all was fine. Most likely fix then was either cleaning / heating the PCB or making a much better earth connection to the wing, because there were no other obvious issues.

I also fixed a couple of other issues today (faulty headlights / fan switch etc). Ive described how in my 480 owners diary here > http://www.volvo-480-europe.org/forum/v ... 23&t=34654 in case it is of use to anyone. I will also be fixing a few other bits and bobs and if I discover anything useful I will post it.

James

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