instrument cluster dead - RESOLVED
 

All;
My 98 xk8 has a dead cluster. I started car yesterday, couldn't get out of park. looked at dash, a curl of smoke was coming out of tach area. both clusters dark. I used the button to free up park and drove the car home. The only clue I had was the day before the leftmost dash light was out. I lightly tapped on it and it came on. I took cluster out today. Fuse was blown, but bulb was ok. put cluster back, replaced fuse. Started car. Still dead clusters. Fuse still good. I figured something on the circuit board fried. Could not see anything wrong, nor any evidence of burn at the connector. Tech at the dealer said any replacement cluster would have to be reset to this car and he doesn't have the equipment anymore. He said it would likely take hundreds of dollar of diagnostic time to find cause in wiring. Which he thinks likely with lack of apparent damage to the circuit board. He also said he can't test the cluster. It fries me to think that this beautiful car might get screwed because of some dumbass electrical issue. Somebody help!!

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...4c50544c0d.jpg

update; took cluster apart and found burn here

Get a used cluster from another '98 off of eBay. Chances are it will be pre-loaded with the correct software and work, it will just indicate the incorrect mileage. Unlike the ECU the clusters are not tied to the VIN.
I have done it, that is how I know.

Thanx'
White xkr, for quick response. I looked some up on ebay and others. I was told the serial #on the tag on side of cluster should match. Also, if it's a plug and play, I should be able to disconnect cluster and start car. I tried that and now car won't start plugged in or not.

Have you considered fixing it? Looks like just one solder joint. Other option is to solder a shunt wire from that pin to wherever that track goes. Last option is to run this by a module repair service like ASI for an estimate. This way, you would keep your odometer accurate and no programming would be necessary. Just my thoughts...

^^ +1
Possibly a dry joint that has arced and melted the solder around it. It looks like there may be a short to the adjacent ground so that may have taken a fuse out.

If you can wield a soldering iron or know someone who can, try re-making the joint first as a $0 check. I'd be tempted to snip the excess off those two pins also.

Can you see what is on the top of the board in that position?

I tried this on my 2005 XK8 but it didn't work. Same model year and same specification but the car wouldn't start. Came to the conclusion the IP was programmed to the vehicle and repaired mine instead.

Interested to know if you were lucky / I was unlucky or something changed in Instrument Pack programming between the early and late models.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...01f14daa85.jpg


Graham

It worked on my 2001 XKR. I suspect the change tying it to the vehicle occurred with the switch from the 4.0 to the 4.2 in 2003.

All;
I tried unplugging cluster and starting. No joy. Was told by instrument tech that car is trying to read data in cluster and if you swap. Your info can be swapped {cloned} into another matching #unit, But it looks like my power supply is fried or connection to it broken. Don.t know if it can be fixed. If it can't be read, data can't be moved. The serial # on mine is LNC4300. The other choices I've seen, closest is LNC4300AH. Don't know if that makes a diff. The dealer can't test it. The repair shop may not be able to fix or swap it. If they can, it' expensive. Just peachy.

I''m not sure if the car wil run with the IC disconnected.

Check the VCATS label in the trunk. It lists the car's programmable modules.You should see an entry similar to IPK: LNC4300AJ/307. A replacement that has the same code should be a plug & play swop.

I can't see LNC4300AH listed anywhere in JEPC for either the XK8 or contemporary XJ8 (but at least one member here has an XJ with that part #).

I would still let someone take a look at what you have first before spending $$$.

Here's the VCATS:
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...15c160c922.jpg

All;
Thanxs, michaelh for the info. My cluster is labeled LNC4300, but the VCATS label shows LNC4300AH/102. I saw several clusters for sale labeled AH from 98s. Does the 102 make a difference? Most vendors won'
t have this full number unless they looked in trunk of donor car. I'm guessing if I find a so labeled pack, I could have the odometer # transferred?
Thanx,Don

Hi,
The /102 is the firmware revision and must match for a plug & play replacement. Unfortunately, as you have found, it's not marked on the cluster itself. A seller may be able to provide this if you're lucky, otherwise a replacement will need to be programmed by a dealer or indy with the proper Jaguar diagnostic kit.

In the earlier cars (and I don't know when it changed), the odometer information was on a separate board that could be swopped across to the replacement. If that isn't the case with yours then I'm not sure if the mileage can be reprogrammed 'officially'.

A member here has investigated the above swop but I can't remember his user name or find the relevant post :( Will keep looking...


The best route is to have yours repaired if possible then there's no compatibility or mileage issues to deal with. I dont' know if ASI does ICs but worth a call.

Why not take a walk to your nearest electronic shop? The testing and repairing of these type systems is bread and butter to them. I'd bet they could fix it in less than an hour.

Totally agree. A 10 year-old with a solderig iron could probably fix it, as it does just look like a bad joint, as mentioned previously.

All;
Update, I got a matching cluster, and yeah!, it works. Now, I'm going to take the time to get the original one fixed. Thanx, everyone, for your help.
Don