BleachLPB

The other night I started my car up to drive home. When I turned the headlights on, I noticed that some lights inside the car were flickering - and they were flickering at a regular interval, approx. 2 times a second. All 4 gauge needles, the light that lights the ash tray, both heated seat control *****, rear defroster button, and map/console lights were all flickering in unison. HVAC controls were not flickering, and hazard flasher was not flickering.

Also, I noticed in the instrument cluster (as soon as I got in the car) - the left and right small displays (where the date&time is displayed on left, and mileage, trip mileage on right) I noticed the brightness was ALL the way up - these displays were not flickering/blinking.

This behavior did not seem to affect anything else (except that I couldn't see the needles very well to know how fast I was going) - turn signals, hvac, etc all was normal.

When I got home and shut the car off - usually the lights remain on for a few moments. I waited about 10 minutes and went back out to the car and noticed that the left and right display backlighting were still glowing red (nothing on the displays).

I haven't had a chance to hook up the laptop yet to see any possible problems. I searched the board here and couldn't find an exact match - I've seen people post about flickering/flaky instrument clusters - but none really matched this description. Sounds simple like a bad fuse - could this be as simple as a bad fuse?

I'll hopefully have some more time this weekend to sniff around at the problem but figure I'd post here too to see if anyone else has seen this.

Oh yeah - I drive a 2000 TT Coupe.

Thanks!
BleachLPB

TTinCT

Maybe an Exorcism is in order??

TTschwing

2 months or so before I had total Cluster failure...Sounds like you're headed in that direction...

Reset your fuses though...Could be something simple...

TTschwing

How's the BAMM?

TonyStarkz

took it to the dealer and they said the ground from the negative battery terminal was corroded. They cleaned it and its been great ever since.

BleachLPB

Good point. I just had the battery replaced a week ago (got the Die Hard international). I was going to install myself - but Sears would install for extra $10, plus dispose old battery, so I figured what the hell..

I'll check the terminals.

TonyStarkz

and follow the negative cable to the first grounding point.