Dead Instrument Cluster?

[Sarge]

I have an '07 X5 4.8i with a dead instrument cluster.

It's been dead for a couple days now. The car runs, and the whole center stack works (nav, sat radio, climate control, etc all work fine). No blown fuses either.

I called the dealer and they said "Oh that happens. It will probably start working again on its own. That's what the BMW service bulletin says." That's what the freaking survice bulletin says????? NFW! That's what the YUGO service bulletin says, maybe...

WTF? A $70k car and Lucas-quality electronics and that's just 'how it goes'???

The car was recently flat-bedded to the dealer to have the entire windshield washer line replaced (probably froze, cracked and then leaked). Took it to the dealer (100 miles away), they fixed one exterior line leak, but didn't get the interior leak, so the interior was full of about 12 gallons of washer fluid - poured out the back of the tailgate as they loaded it on the flatbed! (yes, two trips, out of service for weeks, entire interior removed, all carpet removed, dried, reinstalled).

Could the washer fluid leak problem have caused the instrument gauge cluster problem?

Otherwise, if there's a simple solution, I'd love to avoid another 400 mile drive to the dealer and back and to the dealer and back (they don't give loaners to 'out of towners').

Thanks for any suggestions!