Info Centre

[frenchfries]

Hi all

I have the feeling that my Info Centre switches itself on only when the engine has reached a certain temperature (after driving for 20 minutes or thereabout). Until then it is just "Off", nothing appears at all. I am trying to identify a pattern but if this is the case what could cause this? Once it works it looks absolutely fine and the controls work.

[jifflemon]

Another reason to send the dashboard off the the wizard Brinkie.....

Sounds like a poor connection.

[frenchfries]

That I will definitely do, I have discussed it with him already. I want to be mobile in order to discover whatever needs changing before removing the dashboard.

I am away on business 5-11 May so this might be the right time to do it, of course I won't be able to meet you good people for the meet on the 6th

[dcwalker]

I'd echo that - poor connection. Might be the pins where the IC PCB goes onto the main PCB - perhaps once the instrument panel gets warm a little expansion is all that's needed to make the contact?

From what I read on here, Brinkie's your man!

David

[AleksanderHugo]

I also have a problem with my info centre, so I will join this thread. Whenever I start the engine, my info centre seems to get a reset in terms of average speed and average fuel consumption. Once the car is running, everything is ok and the averages are being calculated. They are also being shown after the engine is turned off. But then, the next time I start it, they are gone.

Any ideas?

[brinkie]

Sounds like a power loss issue. You could try and clean the connectors, but I would check your battery first.

Has this behaviour changed only recently, or is this something that was already going on when you bought the car?

[Alan 480]

I guess it's fair to say that when teh info centre only has bits of it showing ie half the text / half the fuel level it's toast or is this also iffy connectors?

PS dab hand at removal / refitting so good in fact that the self tappers are 'rattling fit'

and I'm trying NOT to remove the dashboard as at present the speedo is working (most of the time) and it is a tempremental SoB . .. . . .

[dragonflyjewels]

When the left hand side of my info centre display was all I could see, it turned out to be the big bulb for the back light had blown. easy peasy if that's the case

[Alan 480]

When the left hand side of my info centre display was all I could see, it turned out to be the big bulb for the back light had blown. easy peasy if that's the case

aye I know the one you mean, the halogen one that cooks the PCB

afraid it's just random parts of the text which does change as i turn the info centre switch , so I know it's 'sort of working'

[dragonflyjewels]

come in Brinkie, earth to Brinkie......

[brinkie]

I was somewhere where the wine flowed freely and my wife agreed to drive the big Volvo (she doesn't drink and it is her car after all!) so I was not really capable of giving proper answers yesterday (Be careful who you summon anyway )

Info centre issues can be a real pain. My dad is driving the Paris Blue, of which I thought I've put in a fully refurbished instrument cluster, and after a couple of months the info centre was giving erratic behaviour. I took everything out, soldered the pins to the PCB again, cleaned the pins with a glass fibre brush, sprayed contact cleaner into both the male and female connectors. The same applies to the pins connecting the info centre computer to the main board. After these operations, no problems occurred with the info center ever again. It made my dad very proud, and it was a definite return of investment since he paid my study into electronic engineering

Another problem can occur if the contacts inside the info centre display dial are poor. You can open the unit (doesn't need screwing, it's clicked into place) and clean the row of contacts where the white Zebrastrip connects the circuit board to the LCD itself. Sometime, but that is *extremely* rare (after dropping it on the floor for instance) the LCD itself can break, causing incorrect display.

Finally, if you change the halogen info centre bulb, as a preventive measure you can clean the circuit board where it touches the pins of the halogen bulb base. Use a glass fibre brush. If you don't have that, you can also use an old toothbrush and isopropanol. Every car has a tank full of isopropanol in the winter. It is called washing fluid
The reason the board cooks, is that resistance builds up along the contacts and thus heat builds up as well.

[Alan 480]

I was afraid that this would be the probable cause

i even tried swapping over the switches but only to be sure that it really was the dash board out job . . . . .

I do have spare info centre so probably worth swapping it across before I get near the 'zebra' strip, the spare dash is the same instruments (ie rev counter, speedo & info centre) but an older version without the SRS light, I'm pretty sure that they are NOT interchangeable? other wise I'd solder up all the joints and do a one-for-one rather than having to leave the car immobile.
Interesting comment about the solder, I'll look and see if i have some 'old' stuff kicking about. I assume the 'non RoHS' is a lower melting point? (other post in 'how to' section.

PS I've had the dash apart previously as speedo iffy , resorted to adding in a separate connector for the wee blue plug as not easy to get speedo out without damage, well I felt difficulty and had an after market one fitted for a few months (with new pick up added to N/S drive shaft.)

[brinkie]

Yes it is a dashboard out job I'm afraid, though in some cars that is an easy job; the Paris Blue has only 2 screws left in the dashboard, the rest has been broken off

You could try and swap the info centre dial, they are electrically the same throughout the entire production, only the display itself differs (i.e. red stripes for spare fuel instead of all green ones, different typeface).

Dashes without the SRS light will fit perfectly, assuming you have one with green and grey connectors. You only cannot fit the little white connector and see if the SRS has a malfunction, and you gain a hazard light indicator Only the info centre computer may differ, if you have one that came from a different engine the fuel economy readings may be off, and if it's a pre-1991 model the fuel range may be off. (see the FAQ section of this web site)
But as long as the colours of the connectors match, there is no danger in swapping out the clusters!

The insulation of the flat cable attached to the blue speedometer connector deteriorates with age and crumbles under your fingers, but a simple piece of insulation tape will do the job perfectly. Just remember not to expose the wires to the info centre computer which is hovering above the said cable, otherwise your dashboard may start emitting the magic smoke. (Magic smoke is where electronics are running on, if it escapes, the electronics stop working )

[Alan 480]

You could try and swap the info centre dial, they are electrically the same throughout the entire production, only the display itself differs (i.e. red stripes for spare fuel instead of all green ones, different typeface).

Dashes without the SRS light will fit perfectly, assuming you have one with green and grey connectors. You only cannot fit the little white connector and see if the SRS has a malfunction, and you gain a hazard light indicator Only the info centre computer may differ, if you have one that came from a different engine the fuel economy readings may be off,
But as long as the colours of the connectors match, there is no danger in swapping out the clusters!

The insulation of the flat cable attached to the blue speedometer connector deteriorates with age and crumbles under your fingers, but a simple piece of insulation tape will do the job perfectly. Just remember not to expose the wires to the info centre computer which is hovering above the said cable, otherwise your dashboard may start emitting the magic smoke. (Magic smoke is where electronics are running on, if it escapes, the electronics stop working )

Excellent feedback, info worked on/off on the way to work today so I may fix up the old one in the loft (sure it's grey & green) and not worried about the SRS light not appearing!

The mpg has been disconnected for a long time as direct wired the speedo to the sensor

pretty sure the spare is from a 2 litre one as the spare ECU has 2litre written on it and all parts came from one car, and snaffled as much as possible when in breakers yard. mine' a 93 version

ref magic smoke , is that the same smoke the Joseph Lucas supplied in pre 70's UK cars? if so I have a spare jar of it

[brinkie]

You mean one of these?



Joseph Lucas, the Prince of Darkness... unfortunately, he taught the French how to build electrics apparently, I had both a Peugeot 205 and a Matra Murena almost gone up in flames because of a short circuit in an unfused part of the electrics.