Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Carbine on 18 February 2025, 20:39:22
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'04 3.2 Manual Saloon.
Just had a bunch of work done to repair an issue with the fuel tank.
On the way home the RPM and Speed gauges froze where they were and haven't moved since. Coolant temp and Fuel gauges are not reading at all now. All other instrument panels seem to function normally, including warning lights and back-lighting.
Since this happened I've tried the following with no success:
- Switching ignition on and off.
- Disconnecting battery overnight.
- Removing instrument cluster and ensuring good condition (ribbon style circuit on the rear).
- Checking all fuses are intact and replacing relevant fuses regardless.
- Driving the car for a while.
- Numerous percussive maintenance attempts.
OBD reads RPM on data-feed and car runs as normal.
Any other suggestions? Feeling lost.
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Have you checked the harness connectors in the footwell, particularly the passenger one.
Pretty much all the instrumentation wiring runs through the two multi plugs on the passenger side.
Also double check the grounding points around the boot and the connections to the pump/sender unit. Under the plate in the boot floor... Four screws ;)
Incidentally, what work was done?
And where in West Sussex are you? I have a couple of days free next week and long term experience with TVP Omegas having owned 2 and am not a million miles from the A29/283.
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Are the gauges all at their zero points? That could indicate power issue somewhere, although being ex-plod, that could take some tracking down, as different forces made different mods to each car.
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the fault COULD be to do with any of the above yes but also another possibility ( and an exact replica of what happened to mine was ).......
the instrument cluster contains a pcb inside it which is double layered . the connections between the two layers have "eyelets" for want of a better description that link one side of the board with the other and due to the heat behind the instrument panel these can expand / loose connection.
removing the board isnt too difficult and you should actually see the bad ones . if you are ok with soldering then you can bypass/ link them out .
mine lost speedo,tacho and both guages . they just froze where they were and came back to life when the dash cooled down . first instances was a year apart then it gradually turned into every journey ! repair .. no problems since .
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Have you checked the harness connectors in the footwell, particularly the passenger one.
Pretty much all the instrumentation wiring runs through the two multi plugs on the passenger side.
Also double check the grounding points around the boot and the connections to the pump/sender unit. Under the plate in the boot floor... Four screws ;)
Incidentally, what work was done?
And where in West Sussex are you? I have a couple of days free next week and long term experience with TVP Omegas having owned 2 and am not a million miles from the A29/283.
Thanks for your response. Going to look at doing all this today.
I'm nearby to Pulborough.
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Thanks everyone else for the responses. I am going to go through various bits and update when I've got a result.
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the fault COULD be to do with any of the above yes but also another possibility ( and an exact replica of what happened to mine was ).......
the instrument cluster contains a pcb inside it which is double layered . the connections between the two layers have "eyelets" for want of a better description that link one side of the board with the other and due to the heat behind the instrument panel these can expand / loose connection.
removing the board isnt too difficult and you should actually see the bad ones . if you are ok with soldering then you can bypass/ link them out .
mine lost speedo,tacho and both guages . they just froze where they were and came back to life when the dash cooled down . first instances was a year apart then it gradually turned into every journey ! repair .. no problems since .
That sounds interesting. I will check that. Thanks also.
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Are the gauges all at their zero points? That could indicate power issue somewhere, although being ex-plod, that could take some tracking down, as different forces made different mods to each car.
Only the fuel gauge and coolant temp. RPM and Speed remain pinned where they were whilst driving.
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Checked all the grounds within the engine bay and cleaned them.
Checked the connections in the passenger footwell and removed and reseated them.
I had a look at the flexible circuit board on the rear of the cluster and couldn't see anything that looked broken or wrong.
Issue still persists.
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not the flexible section on the back. its the pcb inside the cluster . eeasy enough to open up ,you dont need to remove any needles .the board is inside and held down by a long silver clip .
( this is what was wrong with mine . thats all i can say. yours obviously may be something different .)o
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Sent the instrument cluster to Autotronics for repair after pulling my hair out for a week. They returned the cluster to me in alleged working order after making a repair on the circuit board, but it still doesn't work. Needles aren't moving at all and remain stuck in place, but now at 0.
Have you checked the harness connectors in the footwell, particularly the passenger one.
Pretty much all the instrumentation wiring runs through the two multi plugs on the passenger side.
Also double check the grounding points around the boot and the connections to the pump/sender unit. Under the plate in the boot floor... Four screws ;)
Incidentally, what work was done?
And where in West Sussex are you? I have a couple of days free next week and long term experience with TVP Omegas having owned 2 and am not a million miles from the A29/283.
Where are those grounding points in the boot you speak of?
Also, if you are still offering I'd be so grateful at this point...
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PM sent :y
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let mr gollum help you if he will. im sure hel check for power to the instruments and find out for you . if its still pointing to a cluster issue il gladly look at the pcb for you ?
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Unfortunately still not working after we had a real good look around the car. Issue perhaps still lies within the instruments themselves, or wiring between instrument and plugs in passenger footwell.
I'm going to attempt to source a replacement instrument panel to verify whether that's the problem.
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i assume you have confirmed earth and the two lives to the instrument connector ?
if so then my money is still on the internal pcb
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if you can confirm fuse 15 is ok and fuse 12. these send live up to the dash from the multi plug connector . you can then confirm continuity to the dash connector . dont turn the ign on without the dash in place as it could set an airbag code ( unless you have the facillty to reset it )
its s pity you are too far away for me ( or you to me)
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if you can confirm fuse 15 is ok and fuse 12. these send live up to the dash from the multi plug connector . you can then confirm continuity to the dash connector . dont turn the ign on without the dash in place as it could set an airbag code ( unless you have the facillty to reset it )
its s pity you are too far away for me ( or you to me)
Yes, shame we are so distant. The fuses are ok.
I'll try to confirm earth and the lives next time I can. Do you know what colours the lives are?
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As said, fuses are ok... Power at the fuse box is something I should have checked :-[ Easily done both at the fuse box and the cluster end. :y
That said the warning lights that all appear to be working... These receive power via F15 and ground out via their respective ECUs. The gauges all receive their signals from four separate sources so for them all fail points straight at the cluster. Although the feed from F12* could be the culprit if there's an issue in that circuit.
Couldn't quite get at the coolant sender to ground it and see if the gauge moved.
*Having said that, F12 also powers the interior lights, TID, Hazards and Central locking and the TID definitely works. So power is getting to the fuse and from it into the dash.
To avoid the potential airbag light issue, a continuity check from F12 to pin 25 on the cluster plug with the ignition off would at least confirm the wire is continuous and a resistance check would confirm it is intact and independent (ie not touching anything it shouldn't).
To save hunting and for reference, it is the only RED wire to the cluster plug. Likewise the ground is the only BROWN wire although, with regards to the ground, the dash lights ALL use the same ground, so any issue here is within the cluster circuitry.
My money is on the cluster, especially as everything else is working.
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that would make sense .
did you examine the cluster pcb ? the bad connections are usually visible as a blackening / swelling around some of the "eyelets" linking the two sided board.
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No, although the cluster is under a lifetime warranty from the firm that 'repaired'. I did tweak the contact flaps and clean them and the plug to no avail.
No immediate signs of arcing on the rear foil.
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not the rear foil ?
ifs the pcb inside the instruments but if theres a "warranty" then thats the way to go . (what they actually repaired if anything is anybodys guess ?)
my offer to sort the pcb still stands if not !
and as mentioned "trying " a different cluster ,even from a different engine size (whatever you can get easiest) will prove that its in your original cluster ! to eliminate the car / wiring !
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Indeed as it's a plug and play test. :y
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PM's replied too :y
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https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296767893528?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=3cHUK2LsSp6&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=HQkiUKOCSAq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
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Thanks all.
I'm hesitant to open up the clocks again as there is a 'Void if removed' sticker now as I have a warranty.
I've made an offer on an instrument panel, so I'm waiting to hear back from that. If my gauges are still faulty I'll send them back to the company for further repair.
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If you need any further assistance with it, just shout :y
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any update on this ?
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Yep!
Today I received a donor instrument cluster in the post. - it works fine in the car, which obviously means the problem lies in the original cluster!
I've got back in contact with the repair company, who are recollecting the cluster to do a better job repairing it this time. Hopefully comes back fully working.
My warranty would be void if I opened it up, so my apologies I can't tell anyone exactly what caused it!
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I was 99.9% certain that would fix it, and it's pretty conclusive for the place that "repaired" it that they clearly didn't.
At least you'll be able to get some use out of the car in the meantime now that Bank Holiday season is upon us. :y
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any progress ?
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It's been with them a few weeks, and a received a message from them saying its been repaired and I should receive it again soon.
I'll see what the result is when it's back.
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Fingers crossed ;)
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In the end the company has successfully fixed it, without the need to use any donor parts. Their communication was awful, but at least its fixed. Though, not to the benefit of the thread, they haven't specified exactly what was wrong!
I imagine likely the inner board, like what cam.in.head suggested.
Thank you all for your assistance with the matter!
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Nice result and fair play to them for stepping up :y
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i would agree that its annoying repair places that say "its fixed" but not tell you what was wrong . maybee theyre afraid wed fix it ourselves next time !
glad its sorted now anyway .