rosesfade

1991 Q90 20V, trying to follow squid's write up on how to replace the switch.
I have removed the 2 screws from under the column housing, but this only allows me to remove the top of the cover, not the bottom. The bottom seems to still be attached to the steering column. Looking at it , it seems to be held on a type of "collar" piece that is part of the bottom half. The collar looks to go around the column, with a notch for a plug that goes into the steering wheel. Also there seems to be a bright pink electrical plug with two wires coming from it that is attached to the bottom half of the cover as well.

So, maybe this write up isn't for a car the year and model of mine? I refer to the post made on 2007-01-07 by account #33772 titled,"definitely the switch"

Judging by what I have seen with the top half of the cover off and the size of the replacement part I need to put in, the cluster I am looking for is going to be under the bottom half. Right?

Am I going to have to remove the steering wheel? Is that something I could even do? I am handy, but don't know too much about cars, except how to drive them, and I am a girl. Nuff said.

Should I give up trying to replace it myself? No local dealer or trained mechanic that I can find that will work on an Audi over 15 years old.

I am trying to sell it, need to know it will start, runs great when it does, but not getting much interest anyway, so maybe it isn't worth it.

Any ideas, advice or thoughts would be welcome.

OWDLVR

The easiest way to do it is to:

1) remove the steering wheel

2) remove the upper column cover (the one you've removed)

3) remove the lower column cover (oval hole on the bottom, use a flashlight and you'll find the secret phillips screw)

4) remove the lower dash panel under the steering wheel

5) Then you can get into the switch following Squid's instructions.

If you have an airbag, probably best you see a mechanic since you're inexperienced. If there is no airbag, it's an easy simple job.

-Dave

squidix9

is more important than the lower. It gives you access to get the gauge cluster out.

Once you've got the top cover off, go ahead and remove the gauges. Leave the lower in place now unless it gets in the way. If it does and you can't work around it, then take the wheel off and it'll come right off too. It shouldn't be necessary though.

The switch is obviously behind the keyhole, so that's the place you need decent access to to be able to work on it.

My writeup was for a '90 CQ or sedan, but the '91 is essentially the same other than different stalks and column switch assembly. If you have an airbag, then like he said be careful so as not to trigger it inadvetantly. You "should" be able to work around it though.

rosesfade

Thank you both. I will give it another try. I think I misunderstood what I needed to remove to get to the switch.

If I make it that far, is there anything I could do to see why my tack has stopped working? All other gauges work fine.

Thanks again for the help.

squidix9

are notorious for having cracked solder joints and/or broken traces. Give the PC board a good going over with a magnifying glass to see if you can find any bad connections while you've got it out.

rosesfade

Thanks, I did look at solder joints, what are "traces"? Not too much to see, tho.

Squid, you mentioned before that some people have had problems with the switches from online, but that you had not. What kind of problems have people complained of, do you know?

I ask because when I went to "verify that the electrical connector works" (as per your write up" before putting everything back together again and since I couldn't figure out any other way, I turned the key in the cylinder enough to make power come on. I wasn't sure it would be safe to try and turn over or possible with all the other electrical connectors still off of the cluster, so I didn't try, but, turning it as far as I did, it felt even more "mushy" than the broken one I took out, and it was broken, you can see it.

I thought I would ask before I put everything back, which will be even more awkward than taking it apart, I can see why some remove the steering wheel first, it is in the way, but I didn't want to have to try. I am sure it isn't as easy as it may sound, for me anyway.

Thanks in advance

squidix9

are the etched "wires" on the circuit board. You'll need a good magnifying glass to look very carefully. Could be the tach itself that's bad too. If you had a spare cluster you could at least split it into manageable segments.

The problems reported with the imported switches is premature failure. They die quickly. I have since had one fail, but it was my fault. I haven't mounted it in the crar and am just using a screwdriver to turn it. My fault totally.

If the new switch is mushy, probably not a good idea to put it in. But rather get an OEM switch. Sounds like it's already on the way out. If it's already broken you have your answer.

The "verify" comment was made as I remember because that person wasn't exactly sure it was the cause of the problem. I don't remember that thread specifically. I recall a whole bunch of posts about that topic at the same time back then. I think the intent was to say make sure you've got the problem fixed before you button everything up and then possibly have to take it all apart again.

Putting it in shouldn't be any harder than taking it out except it always seems that dash fitment never is as easy as it should be. Just take your time and don't try to force it to fit. It should go back together quite simply.

I think I've done 4 or 5 this year alone and there's really no "gotcha" that you have to worry about.

I probably have a cluster lying around you can use to test the tach if you want. I think the autocheck is out on it though, but you're more than welcome to try the tach part. If the tach itself is bad and you want the cluster to swap it in then you can buy it from me for the cost of shipping plus a little something or other.

Email me if you need any more help. Click on the email link below.

rosesfade

Squid, I will take another look at all I can see with my magnifing glass.

Thank you also for your offer, I think I will pass, as I tend to go more by the sound than looking at RPMs, but I may mention the different options to anyone who may buy it. Once I saw what I had in my hands, thought it was wise to ask what to look for.

I think I am going to take the switch back out and play with it a bit now that I understand things better, if I seems bad, I will get another.

It is the akwardness of not being able to move the cluster around much because of the steering wheel being in the way, trying to get it close enough so that the wires will reach to replace the electrical connectors, but still be able to see and get my hands in to get them back on.

Getting to the set screws on the switch was very hard too, had a bad thread on one, but finally got it. Could they have made those any smaller?

If I knew more about what I was doing, I would have taken the time and effort to remove the steering wheel first, I am sure it would have made access easier. It does take a lot of patience, if I didn't have one of those, "I would like to help, but know nothing at all" neighbors you can't get rid of, would have been easier too.

thanks again. I have learned a lot, and will have saved a lot of money as well, I love this car, if I was able to work on it like you guys do I would keep it and get another 100k miles out of it. Our disposable world has no room or patience for anything that isn't new, what a shame.

Have a great weekend.

squidix9

give it a try. whatever we do we learn from and that's a good thing.

I guess working on equipment all the time I am just used to getting my hands in something and working things out. I've spent the last 25 years as a field engineer working on equipment and even more years fixing cars. Some things we take for granted sometimes.

The key to the cluster is being able to position it to get the conenctors off then back on again. Once it is out, the access tot he top set screw isn;t bad(my point of view) but diggin out the goop and getting a smalle nough blade on it is important.

When testing the switch, make sure it is seated firmly in the dash. Doing it by hand hanging by the harness isn't the wisest. But it should feel solid.

Good luck!