mk3 vr6 gauge cluster not working!!

[The Concept]

so i have a 98 jetta glx and for some reason the tach stopped working, causing the speedo to not work. everything else works, fuel, temp, miles, clock, ect. ive heard theres something that breaks that can be soldered back on but i have my cluster apart and im not really sure what to look for at this point. any input helps.

thanks

[greenjet]

Same problem here, my tach is boucing too. I think you and me need a new cluster mang.

[LOWMK3VR6]

I have the same problem. I been reading up and clusters go bad after a while on the MK3. I am looking for one to replace it.

[dubbinmk2]

been there done that... i'm on my 4th cluster

[The Concept]

wow 4? lol sounds like its a common issue then.
ive heard that you can program the correct miles on any cluster? true?

[[BOPE]96GTi]

wow 4? lol sounds like its a common issue then.
ive heard that you can program the correct miles on any cluster? true?

VERY CURIOUS...need info now!!! lol Had the stopping thing with the tach too...found if I gave it a bump it would "wake up" until, one day I did it too hard and broke the plastic FAIL!!! Went to a junk yard and found a K2 and took its cluster...I want to set it to the same mileage as mine...idears?

[Masterchief1804]

Damn!! mine just went out and i need to buy one asap because my engine starts shutting off and its annoying...also i hope i can save mine!! i dont want a regular cluster i love the orange race ones

[TimTwin]

When i first bought my car it was doing the same thing. But i pulled the dash one day and found four fuses i believe above the fuse box and pulled them out and cleaned everything up in the dash. And it started working. Maybe theres a loose cable or wire. Its quite irritating though.

[billymace]

There is a guy in canada that fixes them and installs upgrade so they wont screw up again. It has something to do with the speedo not recognizing home position. Anyway tou can email him at a3cluster@hotmail.com his name is BobD.

[The Concept]

thanks ill try to contact him if i dont pick up a different cluster this weekend

[wingzero186]

my entire cluster quit gas tach speedo temp mileage and time nothing works but when I turn off the key the time and mileage display but not when its on even when they are working they dim out till the car starts I did get a code that the speed censer a has a issue could that cause it to quit this is really getting annoying

[bch84326]

I've had the same problem too. Tach bouncing around killin the speedo but the odometer still works. I ended up taking the cluster apart and doing some "tests". I wound up taking a pair of vise grips and put them around the stepper motor for the tach. I then squeezed the motor with moderate pressure without completely breaking it. Ended up working out great for the last 5k miles without a hitch. Not a perfect fix but its nice to have my speedo again until i can get a motor for the tach. seems if either one of the motors cant "seat" themselves on powering the ignition switch they kill the other one. must be a gear starting to let go or something.

[craigwanamaker]

SO your saying that the motors will kill eachother? cause last night the tacho blew up and i tried putting it back together and i guess i didnt anyway then the speedometer didnt work either I'm never gonna try and change the color of my cluster again. If i replace the motors though should it work properly?