General: Drivers Information Module (DIM) replacement

[R-P]

Originally Posted by Dkimber

Classic sign of dry joints, or a poor connector - get someone who can solder to repair it for you.
A decent TV repair man will have the needed skills. The worst it is is a crack on the board or on a track - these can be repaired too.

That was my first thought when starting to read this thread.
Too bad I'm far off for you guys (Netherlands), but as long as it doesn't cost me anything and you're only sending stuff that is already given up on, I am more than willing to give it a try to get it to work again.

btw: not having any issues myself (well, not with this piece that is )

If someone offered this already in the 10 pages I haven't read yet, then just disregard.

Edit: I see there's more DIY info in the 10 pages. If someone's still interested: we have a decent setup at work (small soldering-tips and -tweezers, stereo microscope) and I have been known to solder 0402 resistors by hand (pats himself on back) when laying off the coffee)

[bart4729]

just had my dash fixed today with a second hand unit yes this can be done my dash had failed totaly so i took to new city volvo in preston www.vvolvobreakers.co.uk ask for pete he fitted a second hand unit and works 100% only took him 30 mins and cleared all fault codes this guy knows how to do change over top bloke saved me £600 on dealer price and got warranty if you need any info send me a e mail .............

[Clan]

great to have the dash back , is it displaying the correct mileage?
Another point , dont go anywhere near a dealer for a sotware download , you could end up with a dead car as the main volvo computer in sweden wont recognise the DIM serial number and can cause havok . You may well need some other new module at some point in the future and it wont be possible to activate it due to a mismatch .. ....
A new DIM is £550 now at a dealer

[wynnj]

There are so many different manifestations of DIM failure or part failure. In my own case I've had problems with the headlamp warning light (replaced it by an led across the output of the headlamp relay), my seatbelt bong works when it feels like and sometimes my clock spontaneously goes into warp mode, either forwards or backwards depending on its mood, yet I've not seen anyone report that the DIM stops recording the car's mileage! Funny that!

[swm]

I had to have my DIM replaced shorthly after I brought my 52 plate D5. After a lot of arguing with the dealer and warranty provider I ended up paying just under a 1/3 of the cost, still expensive though. Just recently it looks like it has started to play up again. Sometimes when you turn the ignition on the time on the clock starts scrolling through as if I am resetting it, the trip meter resets it's self and every now and then the dash bleeps and 058 is displayed in the message window.

Does any one have any ideas or is it going to fail again? I shall this weekend compose a letter and send it to both the dealer and Volvo as I do not feel that this should have failed again in less than two years.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by wynnj

There are so many different manifestations of DIM failure or part failure. In my own case I've had problems with the headlamp warning light (replaced it by an led across the output of the headlamp relay), my seatbelt bong works when it feels like and sometimes my clock spontaneously goes into warp mode, either forwards or backwards depending on its mood, yet I've not seen anyone report that the DIM stops recording the car's mileage! Funny that!

the mileage is stored elswhere thats why :-)

[wynnj]

Originally Posted by Clan

the mileage is stored elswhere thats why :-)

Thanks, I realised that from previous discussions, but that's opaque to most users and presumably the display itself is still controlled by the DIM, even if it gets its information from elsewhere. Still I suppose we should be glad the odometer doesn't go into warp mode like the clock and start clocking up the miles unilaterally!

[Propofol]

The unit is still a piece of crap and should not go wrong during the lifetime of the car. Unless the lifetime of a car is now under six years?

Why defend Volvo on this matter? Why defend any car manufacturer? £500 is a lot of money for a cheap piece of electronics - a laptop can be bought for £300 and is far superior in power and complexity.

[hermo]

Mine's just gone!! Got a 2003 2.4T 63000 miles. Only had the car 7 weeks bought from a Volvo dealer as an approved used car. Guess what...warranty doesn't cover it....! £500 quoted but dealer offered to pay half. NOT happy!

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Propofol

£500 is a lot of money for a cheap piece of electronics - a laptop can be bought for £300 and is far superior in power and complexity.

Thats an eye opener yes , The laptop could easily run the whole car 10 times over . but i guess volumes of units come into it too , 100's of 1000's of DIMs and 10's of millions of laptops though.