Instrument Cluster digital lights not working!

[Alrahi]

Hi all,

All gauges in cluster work fine in my 05 4.8is (fuel, speedo, rpm, temp) but the lower part all digital lights don’t work including turn signal lights.

Story is funny but irritating too!

There is a dead moscito in my cluster for a long time. I decided to try and open the cluster to remove it but decided to not take the chance to ruin something more important and i didn’t open the cluster.

I connected the three wires back and turned the car back on but the digital lights stopped working 🤬🙂*↕️.

I checked instrument cluster fuses (1,43,45 if I remember correctly) and replaced 3 of them with 5 amps fuses. Still no luck.

I connected my BMW scan tool (foxwell) and found few error codes. I cleared them but still no luck.

Plan is to try this next:
I read something online that says if the new fuses burn again then I need to disconnect the battery then add the fuses with the battery disconnected and then connect the battery again.

Does it need programming or am I missing something? The only thing I did was disconnect the three cluster wires and connected them back 😢 and this is not my first time with bmw cluster did this in other cars.


Appreciate your input (will try to attach obd code later)

[80stech]

You probably damaged or pushed back a connector pin. Triple check your work

[Alrahi]

DME module:
Image 1


Image 2


Instrument Cluster module:
Image 1

[Alrahi]

Originally Posted by 80stech

You probably damaged or pushed back a connector pin. Triple check your work

I doubt that i damaged the pins as it was a very smooth connection and disconnection, but I will check the pins just in case.

[andrewwynn]

Check the solder joints to the connector pins. Symptom of not connected.

[Alrahi]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

Check the solder joints to the connector pins. Symptom of not connected.

I checked the pins they seem to be ok. Pictures below and YouTube link to show that couple of indicators work on position 2 then off.

https://youtube.com/shorts/2NNuiVkEA...mDz9AdGrA2JEWa

[andrewwynn]

The other side of those pins are soldered to the motherboard. Suspect some broken solder joints


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[Alrahi]

I will try to get it open then and check the soldered joints. What about the airbag lights though it lights up on position 2 then goes away (if you see the YouTube link above).

This is starting to be frustrating -fuc*in moscato🤬
Well we learn something everyday

[andrewwynn]

A few different things have their own direct wiring so that's not surprising.

[80stech]

Maybe something is getting shorted because of screws that are too long/in wrong place??
Is there any way you mixed up the connectors??
If the problem only happened after you messed with it then it's likely something you did and are missing.