Clustered Cluster

[AirPost]

What 202 has 1 and a half tank of gas, goes more than 170mph with an rpm of 8000?




Problem happened a few days ago when the car was having a hard time starting due to cold weather. Started the car one night and the gauges just went berserk. The outside temp display is stuck at 137F, my odometer reset to 0. The gauges go back to the resting position when car is turned off. There is a thread here with a similar problem to the temperature gauge and a link in the thread suggested putting a ground directly from the back of the cluster. Another forum had threads about sticky needles but this is the opposite of my problem. Here's what I have done so far to remedy this problem:

-removed cluster and reseated both connectors
-tried to put a ground but the back cluster is all plastic, no metal screw to wire a ground
-disconnected battery to do a reset
-replaced the 11 year old battery with a new one
-checked for bad grounding and none found
-tried to reset the cluster by holding down the reset button in all ignition positions

Unfortunately, none of the above worked. Any other suggestions besides getting a replacement cluster? Thanks!

[Logic]

whoa thats strange.... try unhooking the battery for a while and see if any thing resets, but when you do that you will have to re teach your windows and sunroof to , there is a section in the forums that show you how. if it doesn't change time to take it to the stealership

[stox]

Replace your OVP relay.

[AirPost]

Thanks for the suggestions. Regarding the OVP relay, I've read that it will only trigger when the voltage hits 16-18 volts. I have a digital voltage display both as a standalone and in my capacitor and it reads around 13-14 volts. Also, another symptom of a bad OVP is that the ABS light would stay on which on mine doesn't. Do I still need to replace my OVP relay? Would a blown OVP fuse cause this as well?

Follow up post. I tried to look for the ovp pictured below in the 2 areas that it could be (by the ecu and by the battery) but could not find one. I have a 97 C230 - is it possible that I don't have one? Looked for references in the manual but couldn't find one either.

[stox]

All I can say is that I had the same symptom, and the OVP was the culprit. I did not diagnose it further.

Your mileage may vary, not valid in Tennessee.

[AirPost]

Thanks. I edited my earlier post and didn't see your reply. Do all W202's have an OVP relay? If so, where is it located at?

[OzC36]

The OVP on my RHD C36 is on the LHS under the hood.

I would presume that for a LHD version of the car, the OVP would be on the RHS under the hood?

[AirPost]

Thanks OZ. I can definitely say now that I don't have one given the locations. Soooo, I'll scratch that in my troubleshooting list.

[strictlyspeakin]

Star Service Library only lists the OVP relay for M104 / 111 engines thru '96.

Sorry I don't have anything more useful to add.