Citroen Picasso - Speedo has been replaced by two dashes

[DIY MAN DIM]

I'm hoping anyone can advise on what to do next. Speedo reading on my Pistachio seems to have disappeared (apart from v. briefly when you switch the ignition on) and then just appears as two dashes. The handbrake warning message also comes on when you start it up (which it didn't do before )

[Hoovie]

You could check the fuse box just to make sure there is not a blown one somewhere, but for that kind of fault you probably need to get a reading off the EOBD system as a starting point.

The dealer can plug in their diagnosis reader in and tell you what is wrong or you could plug in an OBD-II Scanner assuming you car has a standard connection (which I am pretty sure it would). These are available on eBay for example and are very handy generally to have anyway.

[DIY MAN DIM]

hi , done that already , it shows no fault

[ultimatehandyman]

If the speedo is goosed it will be expensive.

I have a friend who's spedo went in his van, it was £500+vat for a new instrument cluster and had to be fitted by mercedes, who would probably charge a couple of hundred quid to fit it.

He just left it broke, it is not a requirement for the MOT test as long as it is still clocking up the miles.

He uses a sat nav to determine his speed, much cheaper than buying a new speedo

[Hoovie]

There is a common problem on Ford Focus cars - and prob on many others - with damp ingress stopping the dash working.

A new dash is many hundreds, as UHM says, but a possible solution people tried on the Focus (before Ford offered a £99 fixed fee to replace) is the trusty WD40 spray over the PCB - could be worth a go.

I know someone with a Toyota who did same and got it working.

UHM - you sure about the MOT bit? I thought a vehicle has to have a fixed visible way of showing speed (Unless the tester accepted the Sat Nav as doing that - which it does better anyway )

[Raf]

OBD II port wont show this as a fault, they dont show faults at the best of times ; the clocks are goosed in all likeliness; if you cannot find a cheap replacement (scrappers and then get mileage adjusted) then the PCB can be fixed by some people who are technically inclined that way.

not heard of using WD40 but i would have thought u'd need some sort of electrical contact cleaner??

[ultimatehandyman]

There is a common problem on Ford Focus cars - and prob on many others - with damp ingress stopping the dash working.

A new dash is many hundreds, as UHM says, but a possible solution people tried on the Focus (before Ford offered a £99 fixed fee to replace) is the trusty WD40 spray over the PCB - could be worth a go.

I know someone with a Toyota who did same and got it working.

UHM - you sure about the MOT bit? I thought a vehicle has to have a fixed visible way of showing speed (Unless the tester accepted the Sat Nav as doing that - which it does better anyway )

Yes I am sure that he still passes his MOT and has done for the last few years. He does not even have his sat nav in the van when he takes it for testing.

I once had a car and the front seat was loose, I went in to see them and booked my car in for an MOT and explained that I just had to fix the seat down- they told me not to bother as it is not a part of the MOT test!

[DIY MAN DIM]

anyone with decent replies please , has none of this is really helping me !

[Raf]

anyone with decent replies please , has none of this is really helping me !

errr your clocks are goosed.... so

get new clocks or get your originals fixed but the cheapest way is to go to a scrapper and get a new set; get mileage adjusted to resemble yours... jobs a cocker. you didnt try fiddling the mileage did you to goose these? they are very sensitive to stuff like that!

handbrake light i think is the brake fluid level one on sh!treons isnt it?