Cluster replacement options

[detroitPete]

Today's dilemna...

My gauges went out... everything started popping on and off, sometimes the tach works....sometimes i'm driving along and the 'key in ignition' display will come on', maybe the fasten seatbelt light, that's about it. Was working fine a week ago then it all went down the drain. I pulled it and replaced the caps (I had done this over the summer to fix some other issues but used 85 degree caps). This time I got the 105 degree ones but it didn't make any difference...put it back in the car and it's still out. I get lighting/etc, but that's it..

Anyone know what options I have for this? it's an early 10/88 model with the gray back.... do I send it out for repair, try my luck with a new rear PC board (what part of this thing holds the programming and what can be swapped out?), buy a rebuilt rear board and hope that's where the problem is...?

Ugh, it's been one of those weeks..have my heater core to swap out and now that's on hold with the entire dash apart until i can get my temp gauge working again to get some heat in this thing!

Pete

[dovstar]

Check with people parting out cars for a replacement or go with the pricey rebuilt board.

[detroitPete]

I'm finding some mixed info.. the back of my cluster is gray...can you swap it with later blue or white backed clusters? Found a couple places where people said that was ok (you could swap an early one like mine with the coding plug in the harness with a later one that had the coding plug in the cluster), but other threads that said you shouldn't mix them...but it almost sounded like you couldn't take a car with a newer cluster and swap in an older one.... does anyone know?

[HausBimmer]

You can only retain your information by using another grey backed board and leaving the coding pin in the brown plug on the harness. If you use a later (blue backed) cluster, you need to remove the coding chip from the brown plug as the coding chip is onboard. Did you read about the capacitor replacement thing? Do a search for this subject.

[detroitPete]

Yeah, replaced them twice...

[HausBimmer]

Mine works well, but resets the trip meter every time I shut off the engine - anyone fix this or know how it maintains power/memory for the trip meter?

[Foglght]

I'm about to do a cluster swap, and was curious if there were any special procedures other than literally swapping the part?

Is anything with the key chip involved with the cluster?

Purely PNP?

[SpeedsterBek]

Any cluster from an E32/ E34 should work. Howeer you may have to swap the coding plug if you want to retain the original miles. Do you have a manula or auto?
I think your transmission have to match up with the donor car or otherwise you get trans program error. Or you can just swap parts from one cluster to another.
Check local boards/ junk yards for a used cluster. My local pick n pull yard has tons of old bimmers and they only charge like 30 bucks for it. Pm me if you want one shipped to you.

[Foglght]

I just bought one that has 4k more miles than what I have now that was for a 1995 5-speed 525.

I have a 525 touring that was converted to a manual, so I guess I should be good. Going to try it in a few minutes.

[4500 RPM]

I just bought one that has 4k more miles than what I have now that was for a 1995 5-speed 525.

I have a 525 touring that was converted to a manual, so I guess I should be good. Going to try it in a few minutes.

Swap the coding plug.

[Foglght]

Checked it out, didn't fix the problem. Good news is that the guys that sent me the cluster sent the wrong one. At least I'll get my monies back for it.

[Foglght]

Update:

Definitely the ignition switch. Problem temporarily fixed until I can get a new one.

BTW, my local dealer was LESS expensive than Bimmerparts.com

[zakizzy]

if anybody wants i've got a blue-backed cluster laying around... it works perfectly, EXCEPT the reset button is hard as hell to press. basically, if you want to reset the trip meter, GOOD LUCK!