1994-2002 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Reposted from the NG900 list...
There are several different failure modes on the SID.
The easiest one is when a backlight bulb burns out and although the display is partially dimmed all the pixels are there.
The other issue with the lines on the display dropping out. This is due to a loose wire on the ribbon cable that connects the LCD to the circuit board. The cable is surface solder mounted with ZERO strain relief. The engineer who designed this should be ashamed of him/herself. It's just a matter of time til one or more wires pulls loose. A possible fix is to open the case up and press down on the cable to see if the dropped pixels come back. Then solder, glue or duct tape the loose cable down!
As for dealer's just replacing the entire unit rather than trying to fix it... This seems to be the usual course of action for mechanics these days. They won't go through the trouble of diagnosing or trying to fix a broken electrical component. Even though it might cost the owner multi-dollars to "buy a new unit" that's what they do because the chances of the unit failing again are slim.
Me, I'd open the sucker up and try and fix it myself.
Opening the SID really isn't that difficult. Basically you get a couple of M4 screws (I'm pretty sure that's the size) and thread them into each hole. Then pull it out. You may need to work a flat blade at the top between the SID and the dash to release the catches.
Once it's out, disconnect it, take out the three philips head screws and then pop off the clip that surrounds the connector. The SID unit is now open for inspection. Look closely at the ribbon cable that connects the LCD to the board. Where the cable is soldered to the board is the problem area.
It would be very difficult using a regular soldering iron to tack down the cable since the wires are so tiny. All you really need to do is duct tape the cable down or use epoxy or something so that the cable is in good contact with the board. The reason why the lines drop out intermittantly is because each line is controlled by a different wire on the cable. As the cable flexes the contact is lost.
Good luck and let us know your results!
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
