Received refurbished clusterboard, but some problems persist. HELP!

[CharlesAFerg]

I have gone through two clusterboards from a supplier in the past few weeks. The first worked okay, but realized it didn't solve my speedometer/all speed sensitive issues. (wiper speed sensing features act as if the car is stopped, weird idle when I slow down, etc) Issues that dissapear when the speedometer kicks on again randomly. Fuel gauge erratic. Still, the second board was garbage, so I know it's more than the board. What else can I replace? Do I HAVE to send it out or can I test other parts BESIDES the board within the cluster? What else goes bad? Argh!!!!

[Ross]

I'd be having a look at the speed sensor in the diff. and it's wiring.

[CharlesAFerg]

Well, if I tap on the console it sometimes re-engages. How could it be in the diff?

[CharlesAFerg]

Now my left turn signal will intermittently, randomly just stay on after flashing for a while. It eventually cancels after a while, but I can't find a solid action that will keep it form staying stuck. For example, I may be taking a left turn, and it will be flashing, when it just stops flashing and the light just stays on. I try to use the right signal, and it works but clicks faster than usual. It will cancel only if I use the right signal after a while.

?!?!?

Apperently there are more boards and connections back there than the one I had refurbished at a ventor recommended by users on this board. I recommend that you get them ALL checked out. I feel like I wasted $100 when what I really need is an entirely new cluster section, possibly even a new LKM. Again, DON'T JUST REFURBISH ONE BOARD. All that fixed were a few friggin bulbs.

[Ross]

The turn signals could just be corroded sockets, short to ground(rapid flashing) or poor grounding. Do you mean the switch isn't returning to neutral position after a turn is completed? Switch problem?
Nothing in the cluster I can think of to cause the symptoms you describe.
As for the speed sensor perhaps a wire connection is intermittant. I don't recall where the harness runs but it makes sense for it to be near the trans tunnel.
You might be chasing a red herring.

[Mr._Graybeard]

In my old Audi 4000, the grounding circuits would corrode badly and play some funny tricks with the turn signals, especially at night when I had my lights on. One tendency was that the turn signal would freeze up when I braked because the brake light would energize the turn signal circuit. So you might pay attention to a correlation between the pause in the signal flashing and your braking to turn.

I briefly had that "turn signal refusing to cancel" syndrome earlier this year, but only with the left signal. I shot some DeOxit Blue contact cleaner into the mechanism and the problem went away. The blue stuff is supposed to lubricate sliding plastic parts at the same time it cleans electrical contacts. Good product.

[CharlesAFerg]

Where do I spray this stuff?

[Mr._Graybeard]

I used the little red tube and directed the spray into the column at the base of the turn signal lever. I was pretty sparing, just a quick shot. Didn't want to make a mess.

In the interest of full disclosure, I didn't give this a lot of thought at the time. The signal lever wasn't returning, I gave it a little contact cleaner, the return function came back shortly thereafter.

BTW, the product is now called DeOxit Fader Series.