Be Very Careful Fixing the Instrument Cluster

[btmed]

Mine is a 2001 x5 3.0 and i had the cluster replaced free thru bmwna due to the pixel problem. Cost me $80 for Classic BMW to install and recode for my car. Plus they washed and cleaned the inside before they gave it back. Yes a new cluster can be reprogrammed for your car.

[sasquatch]

Originally Posted by btmed

Mine is a 2001 x5 3.0 and i had the cluster replaced free thru bmwna due to the pixel problem. Cost me $80 for Classic BMW to install and recode for my car. Plus they washed and cleaned the inside before they gave it back. Yes a new cluster can be reprogrammed for your car.

Are you sure they replaced the entire cluster assembly?

I think you missed the point. You have a different situation. You got BMWNA to perform the work, therefore, they are willing and able to do it. If you just walk into the dealership with a second cluster and tell them to swap it and reprogram it they are NOT willing to do it.

Anyway, the local BMW dealership is horrible to deal with.

[HPIA4v2]

Sasquatch, you can buy the cluster from dealer and they charge you one hour labor to migrate all your car info to th enew/virgin cluster.

In any rate you need dealer to do it. I am not aware indie can do it, maybe if they have a full blown GT tools.

Didi you contact BMWNA for "goodwill" before you tried fixing that cluster?

[sasquatch]

Originally Posted by btmed

Mine is a 2001 x5 3.0 and i had the cluster replaced free thru bmwna due to the pixel problem. Cost me $80 for Classic BMW to install and recode for my car. Plus they washed and cleaned the inside before they gave it back. Yes a new cluster can be reprogrammed for your car.

And let me clarify something else which I recently learned. A BRAND NEW cluster from BMW (i.e. never installed in a car) can be programmed and installed to replace the defective one. A junk yard cluster purchased off Ebay or something similar can not be reprogrammed because the VIN is hard coded to the cluster. You can, technically, swap a junk yard cluster but the tamper light will be active and the mileage won't match. Apparently there is no possible way to fix it.

[sasquatch]

Originally Posted by HPIA4v2

Sasquatch, you can buy the cluster from dealer and they charge you one hour labor to migrate all your car info to th enew/virgin cluster.

In any rate you need dealer to do it. I am not aware indie can do it, maybe if they have a full blown GT tools.

Didi you contact BMWNA for "goodwill" before you tried fixing that cluster?

Yes, I did contact BMWNA a while back but they were not willing to help me. Bastards.

I'm afraid to ask how much a new cluster costs.

[HPIA4v2]

Originally Posted by sasquatch

Yes, I did contact BMWNA a while back but they were not willing to help me. Bastards.

I'm afraid to ask how much a new cluster costs.

BMWNA told me it was $650, but that's probably wholesale.

Yeah, BMWNA getting stingy with their "goodwill" during the economy crisis just like any other company I guess.

[sasquatch]

Called the dealer and they say a new cluster is about $650 - $700 depending on the model. Figure another $100 for programming. It might be cheaper and better to just buy a new cluster via the dealer.

[sasquatch]

Just visited the dealer to go over this in some detail. A brand new "uncoded" cluster assembly runs about $621 MSRP plus a $200 core charge. The core charge is universal no matter which dealer you buy it from. There are a few other dealers selling it cheaper. But I digress. They said it will be about $160 to code/program it. So, out of pocket cost after reimbursement for the core is about $781 plus tax.

To have North Hollywood Speedo do the repair will cost about $650. So, I'm inclined to go with the repair knowing it only has a 1 year guarantee.

And the dealer said they can not legally recode a used (salvage yard) cluster once it has been assigned to a particular vehicle. It is considered odometer tampering under the law. The can only code/program NEW clusters or the one that came with the vehicle.

[btmed]

Originaly had told bmwna to send the cluster to moritz in Arlington. Moritz was going to charge me $130. I called around and that's when I found Classic BMW that quoted me $80. Called bmwna back and told them to send it there. Call around if you have a choice in your area.

[sasquatch]

The dead pixels are not the only problem. I damaged the needle motors on all gauges. It needs a new circuit board along with the ribbon cable and needle motors. It isn't a simple fix.

I started this thread to warn others to be very careful when trying to fix the cluster assembly. If you screw up it will cost you $$$.