996 temp gauge u/s - repair/replace?

[RHT45]

My brother-in-law's S-reg (so 98/99) 996 has a temp gauge problem - the needle has decided to point to about 4 o'clock with ignition on or off i.e into the fuel gauge! I did wonder whether it might be a problem with the sensor but presumably not since it's there the whole time. He has a non-Porsche warranty and the OPC has quoted about £2K to fix it, including replacing the whole instrument cluster. However the warranty company is claiming that because the policy doesn't specify the cluster by name in the list of what's covered, it isn't. He's going to pursue that angle further but may not succeed.

The cooling system is working fine. It's only the instrument that's u/s. Is it really a matter of changing the whole cluster or can anyone suggest a source that could repair/replace? I told him to ring Porsch-apart as a start but any suggestions gratefully received.

 

[Richard_Hamilton]

Unfortunately, it is very likely he will need a new cluster, as the parts aren't available seperately. Used ones from a crashed car should be OK, so it would be worth trying Porsch-Apart or Douglas Valley, etc. However, there is a chap on this forum called "tripe" and he had several new clusters a while ago (http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/fb.asp?m=353782) so might be worth contacting him. I would avoid getting one on eBay, as there is probably a good reason why it is advertised there.

Bear in mind that the mileage is stored in the cluster, so you would have to get it corrected if you use a second-hand one. New clusters can be "wound forward" using a Porsche Tester, provided this is done within 62 miles (100km) of fitting. There are several types - pre-and-post facelift, manual/tip, face colour, etc, so choose carefully when buying a used one.

 

[Tool Pants]

The electronic cluster is made by VDO. Porsche does not sell parts for the cluster, other than knobs. Years ago I contacted speedometer repair shops in the US for replacement parts, and was told VDO does not sell parts for electronic clusters. I do not know if that has changed, or if you might have better luck in the UK.