Instrument Cluster Attachment Repair

The last post mentioned that we are still chasing an elusive evap leak on the white 850 sedan.  So much so that the CHECK ENGINE light (CEL) is on almost continuously.  After hundreds of hours of being lit and no idea how old that lamp is on this 20 year-old car, the CEL lamp failed.

You guessed it: We got overly excited that we had solved the evap leak because the CEL didn’t come on.  Well that was only because it was burned out. 😦

Before we popped the celebratory Champagne cork, on a hunch I asked my daughter to watch if the CEL briefly lit up when the key is first turned on.  It did not, meaning the lamp was gone and further confirmed by plugging in the code reader to verify that the dreaded evap leak error code was still with us.

Needing a state inspection soon and knowing that the CEL being out is an immediate disqualifier, I bought an instrument cluster replacement lamp kit to replace many of the lamps in the dash.

Of course this means removing the dash pad for access (see post #23) and this just gets harder with age as the plastic gets more and more brittle (time and temperature.)  Anyway, when I went to remove the instrument cluster from the dash I observed that the two clips that secure it to the front of the dash were loose and broken.

Broken instrument cluster tabs.

The plastic tabs on the dashboard had broken and there was nothing keeping the front of the cluster secure.  One more thing to fix.

Once I had replaced numerous lamps in the instrument cluster I had to secure the cluster back in the dash.  Not fond of plastic weld or epoxies (haven’t had good luck with small parts subject to vibration) I decided to just remove the clips to prevent them from rattling and then secured the front of the cluster to the dash using cable ties lashed to what remained of the tabs.

Cable ties used to lash cluster to what was left of the broken front dash tabs.

Further pushed the cluster forward to take some strain off those cable ties and tabs by wedging a short length of rubber hose behind the cluster.

Short length of rubber hose wedged behind cluster pushes it up and towards the driver.

Seems to work pretty well; time will tell.

$0.  No cost, since I have a bunch of cable ties lying around and some scrap hose.

#95 Repair Broken/Loose Dashboard

Well, this was a big project, taking up a large chunk of my Easter weekend.

I grew tired of listening to the dashboard rattle and squeak with minor road disturbances and my daughters who normally drive this car confirmed that this nuisance bothered them as well.  At first I thought it was due to deteriorated cushions in the dash top cover or pad.  So I removed the top pad and found no real cause of squeaking or rattling, such as a worn foam strip.  This was also my last chance to do anything big before one daughter soon returns from her semester abroad, as the car would be un-driveable for a few days.

Dash pad/cover removed to look for looseness/squeaks.

Did a little research online and learned that the 850 has a very common problem with the front dashboard mounts failing, resulting in the whole front of the dash to be loose.  That’s what causes all the rattling and squeaking. This was verified on this car when I found I could move the whole dash freely front to back with the pad off, meaning the front bolt mounts were completely broken free.

So I removed the dash entirely to find what I expected:  the front mounting tabs (nut retainer plastic) had torn away completely from the dash assembly.

Front mount broken off, remained in place when dash was removed.

One mount completely ripped out of dash, leaving gaping hole.

All four mounts broke and stayed behind on chassis when dash was removed.

Fortunately the mounts were somewhat intact, not shattered into many small pieces as some people find.  This meant a relatively easy repair, and I adapted fixes as suggested by several people in Volvo forums.  Repair was easy but getting the dash out and re-installing is quite an ordeal.

First I used cyanoacrylate (Super Glue) to secure the broken plastic mounts back into place.

Super-glued mounts back into position as best as possible.

Then I applied epoxy putty to the broken joints for a stronger bond.  These two steps are intended only to get and keep the nut in position temporarily; they are not expected to hold firm.

Putty epoxy used to further secure mounts in place.

Then I screwed a short length of metal pipe strap over the mounts to create the new fastener.  The repaired mount now consists of the strap secured to the dash with the nut captured underneath.  Located the large holes directly over the nut thread.

Metal pipe strap screwed into dash forms new mount.

Repair looks cheesy but it is solid and really works.

All four mounts created by strapping over nuts.

Verified mounting screw cleanly passes through metal strap in all four positions.

Re-installed the dash and was pleasantly surprised that all four repaired mounts held together and I was able to tighten them all down.  I was going to be happy with only three solid ones and settle for two.  Four is just totally sweet!

Update 4/24/14:While others have concerns about the exact positioning and contour of the strap, I found it was not critical.  The strap was loosely wrapped around the mount shape in some cases.  Also had no trouble getting the long bolts to line up with the captive nuts.  For those who are curious, I used #8 truss head self-drilling screws, 1/2″ long, using care not to over-tighten them and strip the plastic.  I verified strength by prying hard under a couple of straps to make sure the screws would not rip out easily.  If the screws were to pull out, I would use blind rivets to secure the straps instead.

After the dash was mounted back in place I re-installed the dash pad and put everything back together.

No more rattling or squeaking now.

The process of removing the dash pad and dash is too involved to detail here.  Here is a look at everything removed for this procedure:

Everything removed for this repair. Quite a task.

A load of parts removed.

An experienced person can probably do this task in one long day.  I spent parts of three days to do it all.

Strange to see the car with the whole dash removed:

Entire dash removed as seen from left side…

…and right side.

Technically you can remove the dash with the dash pad/cover in place but it is that much heavier and hard to maneuver if you leave it on.

Update 4/24/14: The dash pad plastic is now so old and brittle almost any disturbance of it is sure to cause damage beyond what is likely already underneath.  This one had a lot of big cracks and chunks broken off.  In addition it is difficult to get these back into place properly, especially at the right corner above the center vents.  I would recommend not removing the pad/cover unless needed for other repairs.

Also, if your air conditioning evaporator is leaking (common problem), this is the best time to replace it because dash removal is required for that repair as well.

When removing and replacing the dash, use caution around the shift knob.  I tore this one up by scraping the dash over it.  Better to move the knob back out of the way if you can’t be extra careful.

Tore shift knob up when replacing dash. It’s OK because it was crusty and gummy and I have intended to replace it anyway.

$0- No cost beyond some glue, weld and pipe strap, which I had around the house.