# Instument cluster acting up and car not starting



## daiced (May 9, 2017)

Hey!
I am the proud owner of a audi tt 2000 which has been in my possession for a couple of months, but 2 weeks ago the instrument cluster started acting up with the esp icon staying on and the entire cluster turning on and off during driving. The dials kind of " restarted" and went to the maximum and then returned to normal several times while driving. When this was going on the car was still drivable and work good otherwise. But then 2 days later i came home and thought to try and remove the battery terminal and then put it back on to see if it would make any difference, since then the car won´t start. It kinda starts up for a second then immediately dies and the instrument cluster is completely frozen.

Has anybody had a similar problem or experience? any clues?


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## Hoggy (May 8, 2002)

Hi, Dash Pod is not communicating with ECU & immobiliser after a few seconding is preventing engine running.
Remove dashpod & check connections either that or connections at ECU.
Hoggy.


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## Davetheconfused (Jul 7, 2015)

I did make mine do this when I first got it.
If disconnecting/reconnecting the battery ALWAYS make sure the keys are outside the car in case it locks itself (unlikely) but MORE importantly ignition off AND doors closed - if the doors are open your dash lights up, reconnecting the battery with doors open means immediate power is sent to your dash, and in my case caused some strange things to happen, until I realised doing it with the doors.open might not be wise.. My dash was faulty before I got the car though and I ended up using BBA Reman for a repair, but as I said I did manage to create the same symptoms you have, before I disturbed any wiring or connectors, so it's worth a try

Assuming your battery is fully charged and your key(s) are coded to the car. Try disconnecting battery again with doors closed ignition off, leave it for a while, I went off and made a cuppa and read the forum for 10-20 mins, then reconnect. It may work it may not.


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## outdoor stevie (Nov 24, 2013)

As above plus can you hear the fuel pump running when you turn the key prior to starting the car you should hear a whine as the pump primes up the system it's under the rear seat drivers side, I used BBA for the dash fix and they were very good others do a good job too so check them out.

Stevie


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## daiced (May 9, 2017)

Hey guys!
Thanks for the replies i've tried disconnecting the battery without any success. I thought i should mention a couple of thing first of all when i checked the fusebox there was a fuse for the instrument cluster that was bad but replacing it made no difference. Secondly the esp indicator stays lit when i turn the key. Lastly i connected my car to vcds today and got some codes for the steering angle sensor. Would that cause the problems that i'm having?


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## briancope (Jan 25, 2014)

The steering angle sensor could well produce the ESP light to come on.

What exact codes are you getting from VCDS and have you cleared them?

A duff battery can produce strange behaviour with the dash pod, my alternator failed and the depleted battery threw a wobbler on the motorway and created all sorts of wonderful things such as the rev counter and speedo maxing out and then dropping to zero.

If you have a multimeter handy then I would check the voltage reading from your battery without the ignition on.

You should get 12.5v or greater with the ignition off. Test it again with the ignition on and see if there is a voltage drain.

Obviously if the car will not start then you cannot check the alternator output, but for reference you should get 14v or greater with the engine running at the battery terminals.

It's worth checking the terminals and fuses on the fuse box that sits with the battery, as this is a known problem area for corrosion and burnt out connections.

Also, after you have reconnected the battery, switch the ignition on (don't start the engine) and leave it for two minutes. You should hear some clicking which initialises some components.

Otherwise, I guess it is 'whip the dashpod out' time.

Keep us posted.


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## Hoggy (May 8, 2002)

Hi, As the dashpod was playing up before you disconnected battery, it's either poor connection at dashpod or dash pod is knackered anyway.As said reconnecting battery with drivers door open could have made matters worse.
If dashpod is not communicating with ECU then immobiliser will stop engine after a few seconds, I'm sure I mentioned this recently. :roll: 
Hoggy.


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## Gtturbo (Jan 7, 2017)

Chip on dash pod faulty,

I bet you if you put the cluster in a warm place for a hour or so put back in car and it'll start. 
If it does this confirms easily the mcu is of the faulty type (effected by heat) and needs replacing.

Where are you located?


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## daiced (May 9, 2017)

Gtturbo said:


> Chip on dash pod faulty,
> 
> I bet you if you put the cluster in a warm place for a hour or so put back in car and it'll start.
> If it does this confirms easily the mcu is of the faulty type (effected by heat) and needs replacing.
> ...


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## daiced (May 9, 2017)

briancope said:


> The steering angle sensor could well produce the ESP light to come on.
> 
> What exact codes are you getting from VCDS and have you cleared them?
> 
> ...


The battery has been tested, charged and i have even connected my other car to "jump start" the audi, but without success. This is what i got from the vcds

Address 03: ABS brakes
2 faults found:
00778- steering angle sensor ( G85) 49-10 no communications- intermittent
00778 - 37-10 Since i use the shareware version this is all i got on this one.

I have checked all the fuses inside the car and the ones on the battery connector are also fine.


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## daiced (May 9, 2017)

So to be more precise the instrument cluster isn't completely dead when i turn the key some symbols light up and then go out while the esp symbol stays on. Although the two small displays on either side show no sign of life, neither does the different gauges. 
I'll take a picture of the instrument cluster tomorrow to show what i mean.


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## Gtturbo (Jan 7, 2017)

I know what you mean as I've fixed one like that before, everything works apart from the displays etc.

It's the same mcu chip that can be faulty from cold weather, bad software etc.

I found one board had corroded around 3 pins of a mcu chip, luckily 2 pins cleaned up okay and 1 had to be jumpered across the board as the track had broke which was tricky being so small but fairly easy.

You can just make out the solder jumper in this picture and the other picture was just proof of fixed, I then put a new screen in once I knew the board was saved.


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## daiced (May 9, 2017)

Hey!
Guys sorry for the late reply my computer has decided to also act up. Anyways i did a complete search with the vagcom and this is what came up:

VCDS-Lite Version: Release 1.2
Wednesday, 06 September 2017, 20:40:39.
Control Module Part Number: 8N8 962 267 
Component and/or Version: Zentralverrieg. D04
Software Coding: 06720
Work Shop Code: WSC 01236
VCID: FE8FFDFBE9EF
4 Faults Found:
01366 - Opened Due to Crash Signal
35-00 - -
00668 - Shareware Version. To Decode all DTCs
07-10 - Please Register/Activate - Intermittent
00955 - Shareware Version. To Decode all DTCs
09-10 - Please Register/Activate - Intermittent
00956 - Key 2
09-10 - Adaptation Limit Surpassed - Intermittent

VCDS-Lite Version: Release 1.2
Wednesday, 06 September 2017, 20:41:03.
Control Module Part Number: 8N0 907 379 D
Component and/or Version: ESP 20 CAN V006 
Software Coding: 23049
Work Shop Code: WSC 01236
VCID: 3D0DBAF72469
2 Faults Found:
00778 - Steering Angle Sensor (G85)
49-10 - No Communications - Intermittent
00778 - Shareware Version. To Decode all DTCs
37-10 - Please Register/Activate - Intermittent
VCDS-Lite Version: Release 1.2
Wednesday, 06 September 2017, 20:41:31.
Control Module Part Number: 8N0 820 043 A
Component and/or Version: TT-KLIMAVOLLAUTOMAT D03
Software Coding: 00040
Work Shop Code: WSC 01236
VCID: 28237BA3DBEB
2 Faults Found:
01206 - Signal for Duration of Ignition Off Time
27-10 - Implausible Signal - Intermittent
01582 - Shareware Version. To Decode all DTCs
30-00 - Please Register/Activate

I wonder if the problem i'm having isn't two separate problem one being the keys need to be "paired" and secondly the eps sensor.


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## daiced (May 9, 2017)

The tt is now at the mechanic and they told me that the instrument cluster is the main problem since they can't communicate with it and after testing all of the wires they came to the conclusion to send the cluster of to Germany for a repair. So in about 2 week i'll know the results.


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## daiced (May 9, 2017)

So i got the car back from the mechanic and well they couldn't fix it, so basically the company in Germany didn't want to touch the cluster because they say someone else has tried to repair it before. So i was thinking is there any way i would be able to swap the cluster and do the coding part with the help of vagcom?


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## briancope (Jan 25, 2014)

Hopefully you did not get a bill to pay from the company in Germany then?

There are some specialists in the UK that repair dashpods, but there are also a number of TT breakers on hand that could supply a replacement dashpod.

It will need coding in for your Immobiliser and key set, not to mention your mileage reading if you want that to be correct, so you need to budget accordingly.

Used dashpods might be at around the £100 mark and coding possibly the same amount again.


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