After 4 or 5 months of ownership and at best half the dash display i would expect, all of a sudden for the last few days i have a full display of dash pixels. I can now read clearly milage/trip reading etc for the first time since owning!

Any ideas?

This leads me to think that removing the dash pod and cleaning connections may resolve this problem permenantly or is it just another RR gremlin taunting me. I have bought a new pixel ribbon but not had the balls to try fitting yet and hoping i won't have to!

If consensus says to remove and clean any tips and what to use?

read somewhere that the ribbon contacts become oxidised and that cleaning or taking out and re-inserting sometimes clears the fault..if its working now i'd leave it .. ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
.

And whiles it working i will not touch, but when inevitably they go again any ideas what/ where i clean and with what product?

Seems a common issue and i believe removal of dash pod itself is simple enough!!

try a search here NICK, i haven't done it but that's probably where i read my bit... ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
.

Found this from a previous post from Dan,

"It has been suggested that just by spraying electrical contact cleaner in where the ribbon cable connects then this solves the prob in 50% of cases. It cleans out the furring between the contacts caused by moisture.

You must use silicone free non residual spray. I bought some on fleabay for under a fiver"

So sounds like a plan!

It's a bit of a PITA to go that far (cluster out and back is a min of 1-2 hrs depending on your level of expertise and dis- and re-assembling the cluster is another 1-2) and have the problem reappear in a matter of weeks. The problem is not just the contacts oxidizing, it's also a rubber strip that sits behind the ribbon cable (about 3 1/2" wide) and puts pressure on the contacts. This hardens and shrinks with age. The proper method is the replacement of the ribbon. And doing this yourself is a real PITA - trust me .

I'd recommend calling someone like this for help:
http://www.bmwpixelfix.co.uk/
http://clusterrepairsuk.co.uk/repair-list-...peedo02on/

(whereby the second link seems rather inexpensive - ask how they do the repairs and def ask for a warranty)

EDIT: oh forgot. Why did they re-appear? Temp changes seem to cause the greatest pixel fluctuations. The circuit board expands and contracts, the ribbon moves around and suddenly - voila. Or the opposite. 
RRC 2Dr, RRC 4Dr,
P38, and 2 L322s
(wife thinks I'm nuts - prob right, too)

I have actually bought a ribbon then got put off by the thought of removing speedo needles etc Could i just removethe dash top and free up the dash pod to spray onto the contacts?? Would this be a quick fix or is it not that simple? I've taken dash pods out on Bm's and to remove the pod alone is usually ten minute job?

As I said, 1-2hr job to r&r the cluster, depending on how good you are. It does not come out forward like in the BMW's. Sure, you can try the spray method if you like. Maybe it will even hold up a while. Your car and your time, do as you please!  
RRC 2Dr, RRC 4Dr,
P38, and 2 L322s
(wife thinks I'm nuts - prob right, too)