When I turn the ignition key to on the speedo needle vibrates for about 5 seconds. This happens when I turn off the engine also. When turning off, after about 5 seconds there is a relay clicking sound behind the dashboard and it stops vibrating. On startup the water and gas gauges do not work until the vibrating is over and then they pop up to the correct readings. Because this car had CAN B failure which required replacing the SAM unit and the window control and sunroof control modules I am worry that this condition may damage those modules again or maybe others. Any ideas? So far I cannot find anything when searching. No codes are being generated. Thanks in advance for your help!

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1984 300CD (sold)
1973 220DPK 4 spd (died)
1978 350SL 4 spd gray market
2003 SLK32 AMG
1988 300CE (sold)
1997 E420 (Totaled)
1998 E320 Wagon

that relay sound are probably the gauges themselves or the turn indicator clicker.


I would start by looking at the ground condition, - there is a multi junction ground behind the gauges just like the W124. They are stacked on each other (poor design choice) rather than spread (better design choice)

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

If it were me, I'd pop the circuit board out and replace all the electrolytic capacitors. Not saying that's gonna fix it, but at this point they are at least 22 years old.

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90 300TE 4-M
Turbo 103, T3/T04E 50 trim
T04B cover .60 AR
Stage 3 turbine .63 AR
A2W I/C, 40 LB/HR
MS2E, 60-2 Direct Coil Control
3" Exh, AEM W/B O2
Underdrive Alt. and P/S Pulleys,
Vented Rear Discs, .034 Booster.
3.07 diffs 1st Gear Start

90 300CE 104.980
Milled & ported head, 10.3:1 compression
197° intake cam w/20° advancer
Tuned CIS ECU
4° ignition advance
PCS TCM2000, built 722.6
600W networked suction fan
Sportline sway bars
V8 rear subframe, Quaife ATB 3.06 diff

People "online" are saying it is caused by a weak spring in a single stepper motor. Search on YouTube for this video: "1997 E420 W210 Instrument Cluster Repair"
As far as electrolytic caps, it does not appear to have any. Good luck.

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

Thanks everyone for the good information. I think that what mpolli posted about the stepper motors is what I have going on. I will pull the cluster and give the repair in the video a try. It is a well done video.

Again, thank you to everyone!

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____________________
1984 300CD (sold)
1973 220DPK 4 spd (died)
1978 350SL 4 spd gray market
2003 SLK32 AMG
1988 300CE (sold)
1997 E420 (Totaled)
1998 E320 Wagon

There's 2 electrolytics on the board.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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90 300TE 4-M
Turbo 103, T3/T04E 50 trim
T04B cover .60 AR
Stage 3 turbine .63 AR
A2W I/C, 40 LB/HR
MS2E, 60-2 Direct Coil Control
3" Exh, AEM W/B O2
Underdrive Alt. and P/S Pulleys,
Vented Rear Discs, .034 Booster.
3.07 diffs 1st Gear Start

90 300CE 104.980
Milled & ported head, 10.3:1 compression
197° intake cam w/20° advancer
Tuned CIS ECU
4° ignition advance
PCS TCM2000, built 722.6
600W networked suction fan
Sportline sway bars
V8 rear subframe, Quaife ATB 3.06 diff

In that case I suggest those be changed out first to see if it solves the problem. The YouTube video could be in error.

__________________
1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra