all dash is dead!!!

[chubbster]

right firstly this is in my mums car which is a 99' 1.4 8v 6n with 23k on the clock. the problem started about 2 weeks ago when she noticed the handbrake light flicking on and off, she took it to the stealers and course they never found a fault and after a check of the brake system sent the car back.

nothing happened and all seemed good until yesterday when the power totally went on the dash. all the needles sit as if the power is not on and the clocks and the comp dont work. when u turn the lights on the cars main lights and heater/elecy windows work but not the dash light. the car went up to the dealer today and once again the problem had resolved itself and they found nothing under diagnostics. any ideas anyone?

help me please i hate being a chauffeur, especially as she claims to know all the short cuts but really knows nothing

[Tahrey1043]

loose earth wire to the panel?

[robert]

I have the exact same problem with my polo.
It's a V reg and the dash died last week.
Any help on this would be great.
It does sound like a loose wire, but where?

[bstardchild]

My money is on the main multiplug falling out - it's on the back of the dash

Drop the steering wheel to lowest setting

Two torx screws in the curved bit above the clocks

Two torx screws in the side bit of the black trim besides the steering wheel

That just pulls free once all four screws are removed

Clocks held in by three more torx screw (or they might be phillips can't remember it's been a few weeks)

Steering wheel to the lowest point

Clocks come semi out by bstarting to turn them upside down and then you can see the plug (s)

Check they are fully home - look for any other wires that might have fallen off the back - there may be a single earth spade

Put it back

[robert]

thanks very much, i will give it a try

[robert]

I tried what you suggested and there was no evdience of a loose multiplug.

However as I was fitting the dash back into place it came back on.

Thanks for the advice. It is much appreciated.

[bstardchild]

I tried what you suggested and there was no evdience of a loose multiplug.

However as I was fitting the dash back into place it came back on.

Thanks for the advice. It is much appreciated.

Then it will go off again - as the multiplug needs to be fully home and the tab pull/lock (that is part of the multiplug) fully inserted to hold it in place

[robert]

The plug at the back of the dash had a small clip which came down and secured the plug into place when it was inserted.

Is this what you mean? I fitted the plug back in and this clip came down and locked the plug.

However, the dash is now dead again after working for two days.

[mysteryboy]

check the fuses???

[warrmr]

could be a fuse but its more likley to be a dodgy connection somewhere.

[robert]

I bought a new dash unit from ebay for £20 and had it put in.

I took the old dash out and tried to take it apart to see if it was salvageable but it wasn't coming apart once I got into the workings of it.

It looks like it probably is some kind of loose connection or soldering but god knows where. I have just bought a multmeter and will try and test it to see where the problem is.

Thanks for all the help guys.