We just bought a 1995 Golf III 2.0L. The speedometer and tachometer do not work. They seem to vibrate at zero but not move beyond that. The odometer, dial lights, etc., all seem to work fine. Since I last wrote - I have seen the speed/tacho work once. Then back to zero next time I started.

I've seen a few posts on this subject but no definitive answer on whether its likely to be the speedometer gear or an electrical connection behind the instrument cluster. I've now checked both. I pulled the speedo gear out and checked it - it appears almost new. I pulled the instrument cluster out and reseated connections - again no problems found.

Any ideas?

Jon Crossley

My history with Golfs: In the UK a 1975 Golf 1100L, a 1978 Golf 1300LS, a 1985 Golf 1.8L (company car), now my son has his first, a 1995 Golf III 2.0L.

 

im hopeing someone will reply to this because i too have the same problem but mine still works every once and awile mine just started to do it last week.i checked all the conections to

 

Same symptoms - '95 cabrio with vibrating tach needle, speedometer & tach not often registering, odometer working fine.

Thanks,

Karl Wolz

 

Most likely , it is problem with the cluster, I here is is common.
Vic

 

i had the same problem only in my case the battery and oil lights went flickering on 2... My problem was that there's a small block behind the slot of your key to ignition and because my keychain was too heavy it gave false messages. the car was fine but showed me it wasn't. Scared the hell out of me but for now i only have problems with the handbrake light... Keeps flickering/steady when i'm into high acceleration... anyone know what that might be?? Maybe it's just a loose contact but i still wanna be sure.

 

Regarding your cluster issue,

I am a auto electrician by trade,

I have worked on the golf 3 cluster while serving my final years of apprentice with Volkswagon South Africa.

The problem with those cluster, they have a electric floppy circuit, that circuits generate dust and moisture making the connection weak and then breaks in places causing the rev counter not to work.

The temp and fuel gauge as well.

Can you tell me your speedo connection is it electric ? or cable ?

If it is cable, then the gears in the cluster have issue.

If electric, again the cluster circuit comes in to play.

I would suggest if not fixed yet, to replace the cluster can be found in scrap yards.

Agents will be to exspensive.

 

I took my wife's 1996 Golf GL into the dealership because the instrument cluster was acting up, and the gauges would work, and then not work. They had it for 15 days, and say they repaired the cluster, but it is still not working correctly, the speedometer is not working now.

If I bang on the top of the dash, the needles start working again. Help...I'm getting very tired of this Golf, and now I don't want to ever buy another VW product.

 

I had kind of the same issue, except mine end up being bad speed sensor.
But, yeah this deffinetely sounds like a bad cluster....

 

The VW dealer said they sent the cluster out and that there was nothing wrong with it. Impossible, because I can tap on the dash to get the tach to work, but the speedometer still is dead.

 

Does anyone know how to safely remove the cluster from the dash of a 1997 Golf? Does anything have to be reset when I replace it?