Instrument panel resets every 3 seconds

[bosa]

Thanks Paul,

The garage are getting an electrical specialist in so I am hoping they will trace the connectors back, I am not sure I would be happy doing this myself.  I wasn’t sure whether a dodgy ground connection might be a culprit? 

They are not automatically ordering a replacement cluster and they have the original.

[sparky Paul]

The garage are getting an electrical specialist in so I am hoping they will trace the connectors back, I am not sure I would be happy doing this myself.  I wasn’t sure whether a dodgy ground connection might be a culprit? 

They are not automatically ordering a replacement cluster and they have the original.

Yes, I wasn't suggesting that you dive in, just where I would start. It sounds like the garage are taking a sensible approach, at least they aren't just stabbing in the dark.

Earth straps are always worth checking, and that includes all those in the engine bay, as I think the cluster gets its ground from the wiring loom. Anything which might affect the system voltage can cause some very unusual faults in the Jazz, including a bad cell in the battery itself - and that is definitely worth checking with the onset of cold weather.

If something had been disturbed whilst installing the replacement cluster, hopefully the fault can still be replicated with all the cluster connectors exposed.

[Helloitsme]

Hi, did how did you resolve this in the end? My Jazz has just started to do the same thing.

[bosa]

Hi, did how did you resolve this in the end? My Jazz has just started to do the same thing.

Well the garage tried swapping the original and replacement clusters around and apparently they got one of them working.

During this time I decided to change the car to an estate as our dog wasn’t getting on with the Jazz boot so I traded it and never got the Jazz back.  The last I saw the Jazz it was with a specialist to change the mileage on the cluster to the correct one.

I did have a theory which I never got to test.  Prior to the latest problem we had done several very short journeys due to lockdown and my theory is that the battery was run down or possibly needed replacing.  When the original fault occurred the garage said the battery was flat and needed charging before they handed it back to me.

So maybe charge the battery or test it?

Sorry I can’t be of more help but from what I gathered out of this is that the cluster may have been okay and it was something else.

[Jazzmaster]

I have had a similar problem, which I seem to have sorted (it’s early days yet) by making sure the leads were absolutely tight on the battery terminals. This process involved disconnecting the battery completely, which in hindsight may have helped, but I discovered that the negative clamp wasn’t completely tight. Gently tapping it down to the base of the terminal enabled me to get it really tight and after I did that the instrument panel is now working as normal.

Ric

[Helloitsme]

Thanks both I'll have a look at the battery

[embee]

Battery terminals are usually lead based (or similar solder/tin type alloy, at least on the surface) which tends to tarnish. I always give them a rub with scotchbrite until they look shiny, and do the same to the bores of the clamps (usually brass, sometimes tinned) and then a very light smear of dielectric grease or vaseline before refitting and giving them a bit of a twist to scrub the surfaces, then tighten.

[Westy36]

Battery terminals are usually lead based (or similar solder/tin type alloy, at least on the surface) which tends to tarnish. I always give them a rub with scotchbrite until they look shiny, and do the same to the bores of the clamps (usually brass, sometimes tinned) and then a very light smear of dielectric grease or vaseline before refitting and giving them a bit of a twist to scrub the surfaces, then tighten.

Fantastic advice!  I forgot to clean the bores of the clamps when I fitted a new battery to our Jazz. A job to do soon then! Thanks.

[Lloydyboy]

I have the same problem with my 2004 Jazz.
Only from cold, display will turn on/off every few seconds, can last for maybe 10 min, then stable for rest of journey. Sometimes when stable and I select "manual mode" on steering wheel it will start fluctuating again.
It did this 3 years ago, but when I replaced the 12v battery (car had starting problems) the display fault went away.
The problem has surfaced again, but I have no problem starting. I suspect a voltage regulator in the display is the culprit, but is this a replaceable component. (Wiring diagram shows one, but where is it?)

[Brakballe]

I'm an certified and long experienced electronics technician used to in hine days trace and replace single components en masse.
A good bet is faulty powersupply to the cluster. It might be on the cluster itself, probably.
Basically thats involves look for a dude/dudette that have solid experience in repairing electronics on discrete level. Typical a TV or HiFi repair man. Ogle the solderings all around, especially near connectors and places where they use a heatsink etc. Oogle the capacitors of the "can" type with a cylindrical body if they are bulging etc.
But: Basically, find an old repairman with experience from HiFi amplifiers is a good bet and let him have a lookover.