# Disappearing dash pixels - DIY fix?



## TXE38 (Sep 28, 2003)

Saw in the tips there's a DIY fix...couldn't find a thread about it (could be operator error)...

HOW?!

TIA,

Kevin in TX


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## TXE38 (Sep 28, 2003)

Nevermind...I spoke too soon...just found the info!


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## Bimmerfreak (Mar 24, 2004)

*Dash Pixels DIY?*



TXE38 said:


> Nevermind...I spoke too soon...just found the info!


Can you kindly forward me the link for DIY fixing cluster pixels? I am quite new to this forum but anxious to dive in. I have same issue on the cluster though I had the whole thing replaced couple of years ago. Thx in advance.

Shock in CA


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## ibew595 (Jan 18, 2004)

*link for instrument cluster paid for by BMW*

This has been going on for sometime now. You end up paying $80 to $150 for the installation

Instrument clusters paid for by BMWNA


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## bmwgirl740 (Apr 2, 2004)

*I just got my pixels replaced today for $65.00 labor.* BMWNA paid the rest, THANKS BMW!!:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::


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## ibew595 (Jan 18, 2004)

Yahooooooooo! Another bad cluster bites the dust.


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## benfasnacht (Oct 7, 2009)

*Pixel help*

I am currently working with BMW to get my pixels fixed. Today i got a call from BMWNA and they offered me a 50/50 discount. I told them that I knew that in the past BMWNA has paid to replace the cluster in full with the customer only paying for labor and that i was only paying for the labor and nothing else. Is there anything else I should or can do so that I only have to pay for labor and nothing else?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.


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## M.Wong (Jan 9, 2003)

Note you are posting on a 2004 thread - Alot has changed. You can try to argue, but there is no magic solution. Many who had better offers had the car longer (original owners, second owners, etc.), the cars were not as old, and BMWNA had not made as many goodwill offers. As time has gone on, their offers have changed. You might get a little more out of them but you may want to take what you can get. Remember, they could certainly offer you nothing.

You can also look at DIY (e38.org has some info) or try a repair company like VDORepair.


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## chestnut1998 (Jan 12, 2010)

*2009 BMWNA contact for Pixel help*

To benfasnacht, who are you working with at BMW regarding the pixel problem? How did your situation turn out? A number of the posts on this site are from 2003 and 2004.

Does anyone else have recent experience with BMWNA on this issue?

Thanks a lot!


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## M.Wong (Jan 9, 2003)

Take a look at the sticky on the 5 series DIY board.


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## chestnut1998 (Jan 12, 2010)

M. Wong, thank you very much for your reply. I'll contact Leonora Vlaovich today.


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## M.Wong (Jan 9, 2003)

I recall she isn't there anymore, but you should be able to just try BMWNA customer service.


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## TxGr8White (Jan 11, 2010)

Leonora hasn't been there for some time, and BMWNA is becoming more and more reluctant to pay for any of these pixel problems. The last go-around I had with them, they basically told me that on a 10+ year old car, that kind of failure can be expected and that since it is not a real safety issue, they aren't obligated to rerplace anything.
Go figure...


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## maharaj1 (Apr 9, 2008)

When I had my E38 I went to BMWNA with this same issue, mind you this was in 2008, the entire negotiation process took awhile. There is no magic word you can say to get them to do this but what you have to is be persistent and stress to whomever it is you are talking to that this a manufacturing defect that BMW has acknowledged and regardless they should give you the deal that most people including myself got, they pay for the part, you pay the labor. Continue to push your case and if possible ask to speak to representative who are higher up the hierarchical ladder.
Good Luck

Also if it is any many affecting the odometer display mention that and heavily stress that!


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## okeah (May 24, 2009)

M.Wong said:


> Note you are posting on a 2004 thread - Alot has changed. You can try to argue, but there is no magic solution. Many who had better offers had the car longer (original owners, second owners, etc.), the cars were not as old, and BMWNA had not made as many goodwill offers. As time has gone on, their offers have changed. You might get a little more out of them but you may want to take what you can get. Remember, they could certainly offer you nothing.
> 
> You can also look at DIY (e38.org has some info) or try a repair company like VDORepair.


I fixed my X5 cluster with SpeedoFix guys in Toronto, Canada www.speedofix.com and paid $250, they should have an auction on ebay. my attempt to DIY has failed with broken motors and pixels were working for a couple of months then gone... I would say if you repair your car for sell it is a one story, but if you need it for yourself consider a professional fix or continue to claim local BMW dealer but I tired to do discuss with them.


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## chestnut1998 (Jan 12, 2010)

Thank you to TxGr8White, maharaj1, and okeah for your posts. I called BMWNA on Wednesday about the pixel issue and am still waiting to hear back. I have a 2000 740i; the customer relations rep mentioned several times that my car has been out of warranty for 6 years. However, I stressed the fact that pixels are missing in the odometer display and that the safety message display is almost unreadable, which is a safety issue they need to goodwill. 

I love my car, but I am not a DIYer, so I can hardly afford to keep it maintained. It is at the dealership right now for a $5,000 repair to reseal the front of the engine (35 hours of labor) and a $2,800 repair due to a coolant leak - and my car has less than 100,000 miles on it! Plus, I'm going to have them replace the sparkplugs, upper and lower radiator hoses, etc., while they're at it. A cell went out in the battery when I went to start it to take it in, so I now have a new battery to add to the bill, which will be huge. I told BMWNA about all this, so I am confident they will goodwill a new instrument panel. (I will escalate it until they do so.)


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