GIII Speedometer Light Replacement (No Steering Wheel Removal)

Hi!

'The indicator light in my instrument cluster has burned out. As far as I know, you have to remove the steering wheel to get the instrument out. Does anyone know of another way to do it? I have a steering wheel with an airbag, so I'm not going to attempt that myself, but the mechanics will probably charge me 50 cents for the bulb and 50 euros for the labor.'

Does anyone have any advice?



Best regards,
MisterX

PS:
http://shop.dieselschrauber.de/product_info.php/products_id/36
Can I use this adapter directly, or do I need the 2x2 adapter for it?

Hi,

The steering wheel can stay in place. Just adjust it all the way down, and it should fit. If I remember correctly, the Phillips head screws for the speedometer cover are located on the top inside, in front of the speedometer. Once you've loosened the cover, you can remove the two screws underneath, tilt the speedometer forward (place a cloth underneath), disconnect the connector from the back, and then you'll have the speedometer in your hand.

I had one of those in my hands just the week before last, and as far as I can tell, the scale illumination should be connected from the back (with a hexagonal socket).

Hmm, maybe I'm mistaken, but I think you're describing a different speedometer...


'While I can adjust the height of my steering wheel, I can't adjust it forward.'

2. Is my speedometer not backlit from behind, but rather illuminated from the front (with that awful green light shining down from above)?


I'll take another look to see if I can find any screws to loosen. Also, could I potentially use this method to replace that annoying clock with a tachometer?


Best regards,
MisterX.

You're right, the GIII only adjusts in height. But that's definitely enough if you lower it all the way down...

The part is very easy to remove. The lamps should then also be visible. They are definitely accessible from the back or from the top rear.

It's not possible to simply replace the tachometer. You have to replace the entire instrument cluster. However, it must be compatible with the engine type, as it cannot be adjusted. The good thing about this car is that you don't have to worry about immobilizers or the CAN-Bus system, unlike with some other models (like the G IV).

You can find those parts in abundance at ihbei. Recently, I also sold one for a 2-liter GTI in this forum.

Okay, thanks. I'll try that out right away...


Can the steering wheel stay in place when I replace the instrument cluster?

'Then I would buy one on eBay, replace the lighting with G IV optics, and then install it. Does this need to be inspected by the TÜV (German technical inspection agency)? Will the mileage change?'


//edit on
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2455665728&category=38729
Would this one work here? Mine only has a speedometer that starts at 20 km/h...
//edit off

Thank you and greetings.
MisterX.

@Roger:
The dashboard of a Volkswagen Golf 3 is illuminated from the front and top, not from the back.

@misterx:
You can remove the entire instrument cluster without disassembling the steering wheel, just as Roger describes.

The mileage is stored in the instrument cluster. If you install a different instrument cluster, it will naturally display the mileage of the new cluster, not the mileage of your vehicle. However, you can occasionally find offers on eBay with the desired mileage.

I don't know if one will fit, especially if it works from 0 km/h instead of 20 km/h, but the seller explicitly states in the auction 'for G3 from year 5.94', so I'm somewhat skeptical. Although I don't know how the KIs technically differ, I still think it should work.

EDIT:
No, 0 km/h and 20 km/h speedometers are not compatible. Explanation in my post below.
/EDIT
Tip: I would consider upgrading to MFA at this opportunity.

misterx wrote:

... PS: http://shop.dieselschrauber.de/product_info.php/products_id/36 Can I use this adapter directly, or do I need the 2x2 adapter for it?

Hello, you should already know which diagnostic connector is installed in your car .
All devices/kits in the shop are compatible with the 16-pin OBD2 connector.

The adapter to 2x2 is simply an OBD2 socket with 2 matching connectors for the older diagnostic port, robustly cast and with strain relief/cable protection.

Best regards, Rainer.

Quote:

Can the steering wheel stay in place when I replace the instrument cluster?

Sure, that's what I've been talking about all along .

The mileage will, of course, change, but as far as I know, it resets to zero after 300,000 km . It's permanently stored in the instrument cluster and can only be adjusted by a "service provider" who calibrates odometers. I did that myself back then when I replaced a MotoMeter black instrument cluster with a MotoMeter white one. The guy was totally surprised that I wanted to set the mileage to MORE km than the new instrument cluster originally had. I was probably the first customer he had who didn't want a lower mileage...

The TÜV (German technical inspection authority) doesn't care about that at all, but the speedometer should be accurately matched to the speed pulses from the transmission so that it doesn't display incorrect readings. I can't say for sure whether that's the case with this specific item from the auction. I recommend agreeing on a return policy in case it doesn't fit. After all, its product description states that it's compatible with TDIs of the specified years. Just send him an email.

ok!

I have an OBD-2 socket, so I don't think I need the 2x2 adapter.

mfa notification:
Is it enough to just unlock something in the control unit, or do I also need to run any cables, etc.?


Can I possibly increase the mileage myself?



Best regards,
MisterX.

Quote:

Is it possible for me to manually increase the mileage reading?

Absolutely not. To adjust the speedometer, a special connector is used that is plugged into an empty slot in the instrument cluster, and then a device is used to enter the new numbers. Without the device and the connector, it is definitely not possible.

But the suggestion about the desired mileage is actually quite good...

@Private area:

Describing the lighting is a bit difficult. When viewed in the installed state, the lamps appear to be positioned higher because the glass is curved. However, they illuminate the scales from the front. Agreed ?

... however, the correspondence between the speedometer and the pulses from the transmission must be accurate to avoid incorrect readings. I cannot definitively say whether that is the case with this specific item in the auction...

IMO, all G3 TDI engines have a wheel speed sensor number of 3819; otherwise, please check here, as the wheel speed sensor numbers for various engine types are listed there, quite far down.

Describing the lighting is a bit difficult. When viewed in the installed state, the lamps are positioned higher because the glass is curved. However, they illuminate the scales from the front. Agreed?
Jo .

@MisterX:
Regarding the MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) upgrade, please check this link:
http://www.jagiella.net/
http://www.silversnakeshome.de/mfa.htm

Regards,
-Private

I, the idiot, just answered my own question... The speedometers that start at 20 km/h are different from those that start at 0 km/h in terms of the number of impulses. This can be found in the source I mentioned earlier, http://www.tool-base.de/eleanor/tuning/g4tach.htm, further down.

Therefore, a speedometer that starts at 0 km/h cannot be replaced with one that starts at 20 km/h, and vice versa!

What about the momentum transfer in the case of passive systems?

Best regards, WarLord.