MFA Temperature Display Not Working

Hello, I have a problem: I retrofitted a Multifunction Display (MFA) into my 1996 Passat TDI 1Z.

Everything is working fine.

Distances, averages, oil temperature - only the outside temperature is simply skipped in the menu.

I specifically bought a new sensor and connected it to the white-red and brown-white wires on the speedometer wiring harness. But nothing is displayed...

I've also checked to make sure I haven't reversed the positive and negative terminals – meaning I haven't connected them the wrong way around – ignition on, but nothing happens.

The temperature display simply doesn't appear.

"Who has an idea on how to "activate" it?"

Hello,
"I had a similar experience when retrofitting the Multifunction Display (MFA). Somewhere, I read that after connecting the sensor, the battery needs to be disconnected and reconnected. It seemed unlikely, but it's not much effort - and then, miraculously, it worked."
Best regards,
Andreas

How long did it have to be disconnected? Just for a very short time, or for a longer period?
And what did the display show before? I've heard from some people that it showed something else.
"It should at least show three lines before it changes - but on mine, it just jumps directly from the oil temperature display to the time."

Ist schon etwas her aber eine Minute dürfte genügen. Bei mir waren auch 3 Striche, aber ich habe auch einen G4 und die Instrumente gibt es in x Varianten. PJust try it.

Andreas.

Given that there are so many variations: Are there any that *don't* display the outside temperature?

Roadrunner505 wrote:

If there are so many variations: Are there any that DO NOT display the outside temperature?

Yes, this is the case in my Passat (03/96 AFN). The vehicle has a Climatronic system ==> the outside temperature is only displayed on the Climatronic's display.

Please check the MFA (Multifunction Display) in check mode to see if it displays the correct outside temperature. In my MFA, it constantly shows -40° and the ice warning (I suspect that the temperature sensor in my Passat is connected to the control unit and not to the instrument cluster, and that the menu option is disabled via a jumper). To access the check mode, you can use the following:

Ignition on.
Hold MFA button.
Turn the ignition off and on again.

Then you can display three different values: current consumption, outside temperature, and oil temperature.

Best regards,
Munch.

Wow, this is great - it seems like we're on the right track. I'm also getting a -40 Frad reading in this special mode.

If it's currently disabled with a jumper like that, how do I change it?

Roadrunner505 wrote:

Man, this is awesome - this seems like the right track. I'm also getting -40 Frad displayed in this special mode. If it's disabled with a jumper like that, how do I change it now?

Hi,

That's the problem, I would also like to know (then I wouldn't have to constantly check the outside temperature display on the Climatronic). That's why I wrote that I suspect it has something to do with the jumper VERMUTE.
Reason: The instrument cluster (IC) in the 35i cannot be accessed via OBD. Furthermore, I only find two different instrument clusters (black displays, 220 km/h scale) for AFN/AHU/1Z engines on www.exist.ru (parts catalog - 2002, in Cyrillic), which correspond to one IC with and one without MFA (Multi-Function Display), but do not allow for any further differentiation regarding the presence or absence of Climatronic.
I thought that since you upgraded the MFA, you might have also discovered any potentially existing jumpers on the back, but apparently that wasn't the case.
And I'm not so keen on the display in the AI, that I would build it just to be sure.

I actually thought that in your case, the AT commands would be displayed in check mode, and only the display of the value would be disabled in normal mode. Are you absolutely sure that you have connected the temperature sensor to the correct pins? Unfortunately, I can't provide you with a wiring diagram or pinout information.

I'm sorry I couldn't help you.

Best regards,
Munch.