Looking at buying a '97 S320. Going to see the car in the next few days, but the seller claims the only problem with the car is that the odometer display is "intermittent".

Apparently the odometer works (accumulates mileage) but the display comes on and off. What I mean is, the mileage number it "appears" and "disappears".

I've narrowed it down to a few possibilites that it could be:
-Faulty bulb (I would guess this is not the problem. The bulb should just die, and not go on & off intermittently right?)
-Loose ground in instrument cluster (easy fix)
-Defective instrument cluster (expensive fix!!!)

Any thougths? Not interested in the car if I need to rebuild the instrument cluster, however what are the odds this is the problem?

Is there any conclusive way to know it is a faulty instrument cluster vs anything else? (ie. banging on the dash above the cluster would cause a loose ground/faulty bulb to make the cluster come "on" or "off, but wouldn't affect it if the cluster is defective, right??)

Thanks!
Neal

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'83 300SD 335,000km (207k) mi SOLD
'87 560SL 163,000km (101k mi) SOLD
'86 300SDL 356,000km (220k mi) SOLD
'92 500SEL 250,000km (155k mi) SOLD
'90 300SL 140,000km (87k mi) SOLD
'01 S430 260,000km (161k mi) SOLD
'03 SL500 167,000km (104k mi) SOLD
'07 S550 4MATIC 235,000km (146k mi) SOLD
'07 GL320 CDI 4MATIC 348,000km (215k mi)
'13 GL350 BlueTec 4MATIC 170,000km (105k mi)
'14 SL550 72,000km (43k mi)

I seen many bulbs go intermittent like you described. Could be the bulb base isn't seating well in the socket or the bulb is at fault. I would start with that.
Regards, Dan

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2012 E350 Bluetech