LagondaNet

[Hawke]

This is a bit of a long shot, but does anyone have experience with problems in the VF instrument panel?

Here's the situation: when I turn the ignition key and start the car, the instrument panel lights up as it should, shows all proper values of RPM, engine temperature, fuel level, etc. and stays that way ...for awhile. After a few minutes, it dims or goes off completely. None of this has any effect on the car's operation, but driving "blind", without knowing what's going on under the bonnet, is disconcerting at best. Shutting down and restarting the car restores the proper bright display, but it again dims in a few minutes.

Any thoughts? I'm not anxious to start disassembling the dashboard to get to the instrument binnacle...

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions.
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Living on the [w]edge...

[david]

Well.......

We have just started to look at these VF displays and they are complex, no doubt about it.

Initially there are few questions/observations to ask for and here goes:

Do all the elements of the display dim at the same time and to the same degree, or do some last better than others?

Does the screen brightness control have any effect on the output? - Both when the display is working correctly and also when it dims.


The dashboard unit is made up of a computer that calculates the information to be displayed and the VF displays that show the information generated by the computer. The symptoms suggest that it's only the display component that's not working, and the way to check is to look at the odometer reading on the dashboard. If you drive the car while the dashboard is 'dark', does the odometer continue to increment as normal (as judged by what you see the next time you switch it on), or is it frozen at the value displayed when the dashboard switched off?

This may lead us to be able to determine if the issue is solely display related or even more deep seated.

Even if the problem can be determined and a solution offered, it is most likely the binnacle will have to come out.

Regards

David

[Hawke]

Thanks for responding, David.

In answer to your questions, all of the instruments go off or dim to the same extent at the same time. The screen brightness control works as it should when the display is working properly.

I'm not certain about the screen brightness control when the display dims because, as of late, the display has just gone off completely.

This is clearly an intermittent problem. I started the car this morning and the display powered up properly with all instruments operating as expected. Within one minute the screen went blank. I turned off the ignition and restarted the car. This time the screen and instruments operated perfectly (the dimming function as well) until I shut it down 15 minutes later; no flickering or dimming problems the entire time. This is going to be difficult to diagnose...

I'll keep you posted on any new surprises!
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Living on the [w]edge...

[Rich]

I have a similar problem with 13601. The dot-matrix area at the top of the dash is much dimmer than the rest of the display. I didn't know it was there until I drove it at night! The dimmer control works on all parts of the display. Maybe thhere is a voltage dropping resistor that has developed too much resistance?
Rich Morrison, Salina, Kansas, USA
P.S. Hawke, did we meet at Elkhart Lake last fall? I was racing my V12.

[Hawke]

Thanks for the reply, Rich. And, yes, we met at Elkhart Lake last fall. I still have photos of your beautiful V12!

The "Message/Information Centre" at the top of the dash on my car is rather dim as well. OK at night but near useless in daylight. Maybe someone can respond to the resistance question.

And while on that topic, do you (or anyone else on the Forum) know how to change the language of the dot-matrix display? Mine comes up in Arabic. Rather interesting, but not too useful to someone whose primary language is English...
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Living on the [w]edge...

[david]

Hi,

Regarding the display switching off, this is possibly a fault in the main power supply board which contains components that degrade over time.

Until we become more familiar with the operating principles of these I/Ps we can't say much more but the repair of these is a goal we are currently working on.

The problem with the dim message centre is probably one of two things;
Firstly the internal power supply to that display might be faulty.
Secondly, it could be the VF display tube itself that has gone dim with age.

As for changing languages, well, watch this space - we have worked out some things already and will shortly be attempting to do just this. We'll keep you informed.

David