Video tutorial on how to disassemble a BMW E23 gauge cluster. This particular gauge cluster is from a 1984 733i, a similar disassembly procedure may also apply to other BMW models from this generation. Over time, due to the age of the cluster, there is moisture and dirt present in the air, so eventually any contacts inside become dirty. You gauges may or may not work, I was have some issues with my gauges jumping. Being that this cluster is over 30 years old, it’s hard to say if it’s ever been pulled apart and cleaned. So it’s bound to have some contact issues eventually, especially if the batteries leak on the SI board. Some tips for the unit, for the circuit board with bulbs on the gear selector, those bulbs are soldered to the circuit board. So if you have a failed bulb, the old bulb will need to be desolder and a new replaced will be soldered into place. The bulbs for the cluster illumination at the top, the grey caps twist out, I normally use a standard screwdriver for that. Replacement bulbs are W3W, not 194 which is similar but rated at a higher wattage.

Tools/Supplies Needed:
-phillips screwdriver
-socket and driver
-clean cloths
-electrical contact cleaner
-electrical contact protectant


Procedure:
-start by removing the 8 phillips screws around the outside of the gauge cluster assembly on the rear
-once the screws have been removed, the gauge assembly can be separate from the front case portion
-be careful not to lose those light symbol indicators at the bottom, they just simply sit in place
-removing the speedometer first, try to keep your fingers off the black gauge backing as you do risk leaving fingerprints which can be hard to clean
-put your fingers behind the assembly, leave your thumbs on the center portion, and pull apart
-the gauge sits in place and connects to contacts on the main circuit board
-moving onto the tachometer, this on the other hand needs a couple parts removed first
-pulling out the electrical connector, then remove the black contact clip which needs to be wiggles out of it’s location as it’s a tight fit
-remove the main board, carefully pull it out of it’s location, there will be a wire and two ribbon cables which need to disconnected
-to remove the fuel and temperature gauge assembly, remove the two nuts with washers
-carefully pull it away from the circuit board, again being careful not to damage anything
-I don’t normally recommend prying against the circuit board as you can crack it
-clean up the contacts using a high quality electronics cleaner
-I used special cleaning tips to get into the tight contacts, this helps agitate the surface
-after that I applied an electronic contact protectant to prevent the contacts from becoming corroded and reduce interference between the connections
-go around to various contacts on the board for electrical connectors and clean them using electrical contact cleaner
-again I used an electrics swab soaked in cleaner to go over everything
-after cleaning, I applied a protectant to the contacts, just like before to prevent corrosion and reduce resistant in the connection
-do this for every connection, both on the main board and each individual gauge
-for assembly, this is in reverse of disassembly
-the temperature and fuel gauge needs to be install first with the washers and nuts
-make sure the nuts are snug, do not over tighten them
-clip on the main board to the SI board, the ribbon cables can be a little tricky so take your time
-clip the tachometer and speedometer back into place and finally fastener everything back together