[58and03beetles]

gas gauge failing?

The gauge cluster in my 2003 New beetle convertible freaked out a month ago and jumped to 1 1/2 tank (way above full, needle pointed straight down toward 6 o clock, full is at 4 o clock) i released the clear plastic cover after several trips in the car and this not changing and moved the needle back to full when I filled up with gas. it worked normal for a month until now, every time i turn the car off the needle drops to empty and then twitches toward empty and the needle moves down 1/8 inch. everytime i turn on and off the key it goes 1/8 more until the needle is straight down. i can then move it back to empty and it will keep doing it. sooooo, im guessing ill need a new instrument cluster, how do i replace this with the immobilizer, keys, mileage, gas gauge reading adjustment,misc? I have rosstech, am i prisoner of the dealer?

 

[58and03beetles]

Hi there,
My name is Bret and I have a very angry 2003 new beetle convertible. the gas gauge has gone crazy and displayed over full and now drops below zero further and further everytime i turn off the car. i need help getting my skc so that I can replace my gauge cluster without being a slave of the stealership. also I need to know, since my car has im guessing either Immob 2 or immob 3, will removing (unplugging and replugging in my cluster cause my car not to run? or can it be done without harm? i dont want to be stuck stranded in my driveway and have to have it towed to the dealer, that would suck! also, how do i access this forum here which is how i found this site : http://www.myturbodiesel.com/forum/f21/immobilizer-troubleshooting-how-get-skc-how-disable-immo-3025/


thanks so much!! - Bret

 

[chittychittybangbang]

Posts merged

Removing and reinstalling the same the cluster will not activate the immobilizer and will do no harm. The car won't run if it's unplugged though. Get vag tacho to get the SKC and then you can swap it yourself with your rosstech VCDS software and cable.

When you get the new instrument cluster you can program the mileage up to what you have now. I'm not sure about adjusting the gas gauge. It's possible the cluster is bad.

But before you do all that, have you made sure that the sender in the fuel tank is correct? Maybe that's bad.

 

[Keithuk]

Welcome to the forum Bret. welcometomyturbodies

Does the temperature gauge show the correct readings?

If it doesn't then you could have a fault voltage stabilizer you could always check the voltage to the gauges. Obviously its not easy to diagnose electrical faults on the web.