Nissan Wingroad (1st generation, Y10): Instrument Cluster Removal and Repair

Part numbers are from the manufacturer's original catalogue. Check them against your VIN before ordering.

• Phillips screwdrivers PH1 and PH2
• plastic trim removal tools
• flat-blade screwdriver with the tip wrapped in tape
• 10 mm socket for the battery terminal
• flashlight
• 25-40 W soldering iron (for repair)
• container for fasteners

1. Turn off the engine and remove the key. Disconnect the negative battery terminal (10 mm wrench) and wait a few minutes so the capacitors can discharge. If the car is equipped with an airbag, do not work on its connectors and do not connect anything to bypass them.
2. Set the steering wheel straight. If the steering column is height-adjustable, lower it to its lowest position to give yourself access to the instrument hood.
3. Remove the trim around the instrument hood: the side end caps of the dashboard and the lower steering column cover. They are held by clips and 1-3 screws that become visible after the caps are removed. Pry only with a plastic trim tool to avoid leaving marks on the dashboard.
4. Remove the screws holding the instrument hood (usually 2-4 screws at the top and sides, and there may be decorative caps over them). Pull the hood toward you and remove it, disconnecting the connector for the backlight or for any switches mounted in the hood if necessary.
5. Remove the screws that hold the instrument cluster itself (most often 2-4 PH1 screws at the corners). Do not drop them into the dashboard.
6. Carefully pull the cluster toward you by 5-8 cm (2-3 in). Do not yank it: one or two multi-pin connectors are attached at the back and, with a mechanical speedometer, the drive cable.
7. Disconnect the connectors by pressing the locking tab. If the speedometer uses a cable, unscrew the knurled nut or press the cable's latch and pull it out of its socket. Remove the cluster and place it face down on a soft cloth.
8. Diagnosis and repair. Inspect the backlight bulbs: the sockets come out with a quarter turn. Replace a burned-out bulb with one of the same type and wattage. Inspect the circuit board for darkening and cracked solder joints near the connectors and at the stepper motor pins of the needles. If the readings "wander," re-solder the joints with fresh solder.
9. To access the circuit board, take the housing apart: remove the lens (cover glass), which is held by clips or small screws, then carefully remove the needles by prying them up from both sides with a plastic spatula (note the needle positions at zero). Do not apply force to the needle shaft, because the stepper motor shafts are fragile.
10. Before reassembly, wipe the inner surface of the lens with a lint-free cloth and remove dust with a soft brush or dry compressed air.
11. Reassemble in reverse order: install the cluster, connect the connectors and the cable (if equipped). Before final fastening, temporarily reconnect the battery and, with the ignition on, check the backlight, needles, warning lights, and the charging and oil pressure indicators.
12. Disconnect the battery again, secure the cluster with the screws, and install the instrument hood and trim. Tighten screws into plastic by hand, without force, so you don't strip the threads in the plastic posts. No torque is specified.
13. Reconnect the battery, start the engine, and check the speedometer, tachometer, temperature gauge, and fuel gauge on a short drive.

• Dashboard plastic from the 1990s becomes brittle with age
• Clips and screw posts break if you jerk on them, so work gently and warm up the cabin before starting in cold weather
• Do not try to adjust the mileage reading: after you replace the whole cluster, the mileage on the new one will not match the real mileage, so record the current odometer reading before you start
• If you are not confident in your circuit board soldering skills, or if the car has an airbag, leave the board repair to an electronics specialist