Folks, I have had this problem for 2 years now. It does not affect the car performance or the engine, nevertheless it's a major annoyance, and makes my passengers worry...

Description:

1992 MB 400SE, instrument cluster with analog odometer.

When using a turn signal or windshield wipers, the instrument panel "resets" as if someone turned off and on the ignition real quick. All gages drop to zero and back up momentarily as if someone turned the car off and left the key in ignition position, the seatbelt light flashes, all the warning lights light up, ect. Sometimes this condition "sticks" and I drive with all the warning lights illuminated on the dashboard.
This does not affect anything else in the car, and is isolated to a "visual effects" on the instrument panel, yet it is extremely annoying.

The new Instrument Panel is somewhere around $1,300, but I know that there is a way to fix it, as once I saw on the Internet someone fixing these problems.

I am savvy with a soldering iron, and will find the tool to take out the intrument panel. Does anyone know what component(s) have gone wrong, where is it located, and what it should be replaced with?

Thank you kindly for your time.

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2004 CL 500
1992 400 SE

'94 SL500 instrument panel gone nuts

Awesome! Am going to attemt it this weekend.

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2004 CL 500
1992 400 SE

Did it successfully last weekend.

Replacement capacitor: 35V - 470 mF - $1.30 at Radio Shack (the original one is 16V - 470mF), but huge thanks to Bobterry99for writing me to help, and advising that the higher voltage capacitor would work as well.

It took all 5 minutes to take out the cluster. I used the instructions from here http://v12uberalles.com/instrument_cluster_removal.htm This is very easy, no need for special tools, just a phillips screwdriver to unscrew the vent screws and then I pushed it out with my hand, and disconnected the wires from it.

In the back of the instrument cluster unscrewed the 3 screws on the outside rims of the black back cluster cover, opened the unit (without disconnecting the wide band of wires), unscrewed 5-6 screws on the back side of the black back piece (which held it to the printed circuit board) , then took out the old and resoldered a new capacitor in place. Took me 10 minutes.

The whole thing took 20 minutes and cost $1.30.
I saved $1,300 of a new instrument cluster at the stealership. Huge thanks to Bobterry99 and folks at v12uberalles.com

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2004 CL 500
1992 400 SE