See that before you begin the cluster pixel repair! BMW E39 E38 E53 detailed instruction guide 

2024 and this is still BY FAR the BEST pixel repair video in the world. Getting ready to do the repair on my 1999 540iT E39, thank you for your hard work and dedication in making this video sir 🫡🙌 (also I loved the mandarin "cutie" sticker on the phone... I do the same thing with them😂😂)

Thank you for this great video! I’m about to tackle this on my 1997 E38 740iL and this is going to be very helpful while I repair the cluster.

I like that u don't take shortcuts. A really nice instructable, well done :-)

Absolutely amazing job!! Truly the best for the BMW cluster.

it's with huge pleasure that i watched your video. great work :)

Great video ! You've helped me so much with repairing cluster from E38. Also i've done terrible mistake, when i pulled out entire shaft with needle from motor :S But I've replaced it with a new one, also replaced the ribbon cable and it works like a charm ! Ehm, but one thing. I didn't glue it, just taped it in place with capton tape and applied good pressure with the body of lcd display. It holds and works as it should. I'm not sure how long it will last, but it works as it should ! Next time, I'll use soldering iron and glue it as i should ^^

Good Job! You covered all the problems we will encounter.

very well explained. excellent . Keep up your good work.

This is the best e39 pixel video by far.

Amazing job! Professional

I did exactly like in the video ( drill method) , I purchased the screen plus the strip and it works perfectly. Took a while but definitely was worth it.

Very instructive video, thank you for this its going to help!

Sorted. You clearly are "The Man " 😁

Best video I have watched on this repair so far. Thanks!

Really good videos, Good tutorial. Thank's !?

Best repair video out there, and I've reviewed most of them. Thanks for the methodical detail in taking folk through a board most don't encounter, and how to deal with it. Great that you showed with and without dial removal, as well as the hot iron. I fixed mine and it works. Thanks. BTW question, I'm aware of the approach needed to remove the dials. Held the pins in taking them off. The gas dial was a bear and didn't budge, (so I had to drill the holes). I think I munched the stepper motor anyway.. okay pretty sure I did. Really appreciate greatly your showing how to replace it! Thought it had to be soldered, but it appears that its push pins .... much like the 3 pins on each side of the LCD housing? Is that correct (BMW E39)? If so, really happy about that and will replace it. (I didn't want to take up learning to solder on a board that otherwise works..... ). In any event thanks so much for showing details that are very important in a variety of approaches...( maybe until you do one of these, the importance of those details won't be as apparent). Finally, if I had to do it over again (& I found you after I had the parts and had started), your prices are so reasonable, I would have just sent it to you to be done correctly the first time.... Your turn around was ultimately much quicker than it took me to adjust and then fiddle with the stepper, before getting it back in. Thanks again.

I did the drill method and works just fine !! Excellent videoooooo!! Now I will sell this car once and for all

Great video. Helped me so much. Thanks

Awesome video. Thank you.

Points not mentioned but can help from what I learned getting it done correctly the first time. What a pain in the ass project. Great video. Almost makes more sense to send the display cluster out. Update: I finished the project and it worked the first time. Some notes that I wish I knew. 1. The + shaped black plastic pieces in the back that you turn are solid piece of plastic you are twisting. They don’t have much give. Turn it whatever direction is closest to line the + shapes up. He makes it look easy. Was a 1hr long attempt for me. 2. Make more use of the soldering iron then he does. Unless you have a tiny drill you’ll damn near destroy your cluster using a big drill. I melted the plastic and broke the pieces out. The drill for me was worthless. Don’t worry too much about making too big of a hole. It’s very well hidden when it’s all back together. 3. The “pins” he mentions in the videos are actually plastic clips. You need to depress than while pulling the rear cover off. 4. Cleaning the leads went easier when I soaked a cotton swab in acetone and left it to sit on the adhesive. Every cotton swab I used was soaked in acetone. 5. He takes the needle dials off. I can’t because I don’t have the tools. I took a 1 inch pile of napkins, three piles total to put the gauges on so not to damage them. 6. Lighting, lighting and more lights. Make sure your project is well lit. It makes much of the work easier. I used a magnifying glass and a light right above the ribbon and contacts to ensure they lined up. It worked!! Go slow. This took me many hours to do. Literally 5hrs. If you screw anything up the alternative is packing pieces and sending them out.

Perfect Work. I learn very much, thanks a lot.

Tomorrow i will work on my cluster display by doing it drill method. I have it already sitting on the table and i hope it will go well. I know i have to be super careful. Thanks for your video

thank you for this perfect video and a lot of information you give me.

Awesome tutorial

Wow I use a pencil eraser first followed by a piece of plain white printer paper to clean the contacts. Nice idea on the hot plastic drilling!

Awesome tutorial, thanks. Only you haven't mentioned where to buy a needle remover tool, with blu handles, the one to grab the needle.

You are KING !

very good work

You could use the self-test function of the cluster for the re-install of the analog indicators so you don't damage the fascia of the cluster by marking the original position of the indicator...

really good.thx for video.

amazing video

Impresionante vídeo que calidad técnica , exelente

The whole system works fine. Just the fuel gauge is 4mm out from where it should be. Using test 2 the gauge only swings to 3/4 tank

what i can not get, is such detailed work has only 1.7 thousand likes? thank you very much for the thorough demo

Hi mate, awesome video. I love the details and different methods offered. Please could you reply with the video you mentioned of how to attach the cable to the lcd screen? I will have to do that procedure (you mentioned on 39:55). Thanks a lot

Hey I was wondering if you have any details for making the test station (the thing with the wires that you plug in the test the cluster)? Thanks

A couple of comments... BMW E53 in Australia. The repair kit I was supplied does not require soldering. It relies on the contacts being clean and the rubber strips on each end of the cable when the display is assembled press the cable onto the contacts. This must be how a carbon cable is used. Only a silver cable pre-joined to the display can be soldered to the board. Also, my version of the cluster has a different backing to the gauges. It cannot be folded back to burn holes in the casing as it is about 2 mm thick. You would have to burn right through the black backing as well which would make a hell of a mess so this method cannot always be easily used.

Good guys, I've used them, very reasonable!

Tnks tnks Nice tuto

Where can i find the music from this video? Its great 😍 Thanks for tutorial of course, my cluster will be like new ^^

this worked!!! but the LCD lighting is not very bright do you have a fix for that

Very very helpful thank you very much. Question, do you know the part number for the small bulbs (service vehicle soon / check engine light)?? Mine is dead but everything else works perfect.

Thanks a lot

very helpful video, could your please define the wiring diagram for the external power source?

would like to see a video or diagram on the power supply

can you please tell me how you made the connections to the power supply for the test?

Any other options besides photo paper ? Or if I have to buy a package or photo paper.. ...what's the least expensive ? Whomever is selling the repair kits with the silicone and the tools should include a few slivers of photo paper and bump the price of the kit by $0.50 or a buck. Is the silver ribbon cable pre-tinned with solder ? I'm trying to understand how merely applying heat to a cable adheres the cable to the board ?? I'm also wondering how the original cable was adhered to the board, since it just peels off and the "residue" cleans off with acetone.. [??] Would old solder residue clean off of the board with acetone ? Or was the original ribbon cable adhered by a different method ?

I have one question, I orded my self same soldering tool and ribbon cable with lcd (not from your company) and I tried to solder it just like in video,but ribbon cable just wont stick to the cluster ,is there diffrence between soldering cables and cables with just cello taping? Or im missing something?

Thanks well done.but could u please tell me how Cable work to test cluster out of the car could u send wiring diagram for this purpose ... thanks again Hadi from Iraq

I need the white box (the display mounts to) I broke 2 terminal connectors. And a cable and display for 1998 540i, e39, do you have those in stock? How much?

hi friend, ı purchased the ribbon cable from aliexpres help me please, this product is have paper backing, need to remove the paper ? or not directly soldering with paper. thanks for answer

Great video. I have a problem removing the needles. The temperature gauge needle, won't move, won't come out. Any ideas to remove it without breaking the motor?

please, where you connected the power supply, how you made the jacks, they are very helpful to prove before mounting on the car, which are power pins. thank you very much

Hi , guys in living in Brooklyn NY can someone please tell where to change my lcd from the cluster same model like one in the video

what is the name of the part for the soldering iron? to glue it tight ?

the parts that are cut of the engine, what are they called? in the 27:53 minute because I want to buy them new to put them back in place

SURGICAL PRECISION 🙏 Thank's

Wow you are amazing! Wish you can fix my 2001 540 pixels. Where do you live? I’m in California, Los Angeles.

Please tell me how can I repair my bmw 525i 1991 dashboard. it refusing to be (reset oil service) l know that I must connect pin7 to pin19. and i do all steps corectly. and i checked the wires ther is no problem with them. I think that the problem is with the dashboard. please helpme.

Hey great video but I seem to be having problems getting to the shift on the stepper motor and damage the spring and at $45.00 aud its getting expensive do you have any tips please

Thanks for the vid,where to get the mpg needle extractor?

Amazing man! Would be possible to you to fix mine?? I’m from Brazil and to honest I haven’t found any professional guy here who could be able to work on my cluster. Very probably they do not know the tips you picture up in your video and they will scratch off the pointers or brake something. So if you agree and have an email to be contact with it would be great for me. Thanks and very good video congrats!

Очень хорошее видео. Но я так ждал как Вы покажите куда именно вставлять груглогубцы и как снять стрелку с расходомера. Не могли бы записать самый простой видео ролик? С уважением.

Good video.. where you get lcd screen ? I also want send it.. 👍

What do you use to test it at home? I mean did you take some random adabter and attach it to the cables or?

Excelent

Where can I get the pointer removal tool and the small pliers to hold the motor shaft to keep it from turning?

I was wondering if your in the US I need gauges fix’d along with pixels how much will I have to donate

Hello, i remplace my 4 motor but needles are not move. Please what Can be the latter.

what brand the lcd?

The contents of the kit I received with my LCD screen has a torx driver, speed-o opening support (x4), silver ribbon cable, needle removal tool, and bezel protector. The instruction manual says that this kit was supposed to include a "foam spacer" for the T-tip iron. However, it didn't come in my kit. Is it possible to buy this foam in a store ?

PS Best video ever

Should I like up the new ribbon directly into the gold lines or out them inbetween....should I see gold lines thru the ribbon after completion or not?

i wish, i have seen this video bevor i try to repair my display. can you tell me, whats the difference between the carbon and the silver cable? is it the quality and durability?

Pleas name blue pincers .Thank you !

Hi m8 great video can u pls tell me or upload pic off the smd in the cluster. Thx again for great video

WOW.... Lot of knowledge there.... can i send you my customer cluster?

Any ideas on the traction control light? My traction control system throws no errors to OBD2, turns on and off perfectly but does not light up when disabled or when braking traction. The warning light beside dsc works

thanks but could u plz tell me how can I test in the work place many thanks to responding

Hi. What is the difference between the carbon and the silver cable? I've seen in some website that I can order each of them.

My lcd has a green ribbon attached to it. Can I do the tape trick or I need to solder this one?

Hello bro. Can i just buy from same car all panel and instal to my car???? Give some answer pls, and sorry for my bad English. Thank you sir

lo intentare todo mañana :)

hello. i need a replacement motor tachometeer for my BMW E39. were can i get one?

Maybe it's a different version, I have a 2002 E39, and I didn't have to drill and heat up the white plastic to make a hole to unscrew the screws. I only needed some screwdrivers to disassemble.

Are you able to repair an EL cluster from 2008 Chrysler Sebring that no longer lights up?

tip use an ink rubber to clean the contact strip you will be surprised!!!

what the cut parts of the motor in the 27:53 minute are called

Hi I just replaced my Speedo LCD ribbon. I did it the drilling method and not removing the pointers. However. The fuel gauge now reads a bit low? Any advise

How do we decide to use 'ribbon cable' or 'ribbon + lcd'? In what cases does just a ribbon cable replacement work? Thank you.

can I send my instrument panel to you for rapairs? Thank you!

How do I het up with you about sending you my cluster to have some work done to it?

it is a special tool to hold the needle?

On M5 cluster, the oil temperature pointer, is the same procedure than the other clusters? I mean, can i simply pull it like the consume pointer?

Hello. I have no Pixel errors, but some lights on the BC do not work, so I have to change them. Are the bulbs on the back of the BC unit simply Plug and Play or do they need to be soldered? Thank You very much for Your help?

Can I send you mine to have the display replaced? Thanks!

could you help me plz ? on my e46 airbag bulb is not functioning at all. even on cluster test it does not show up. fuses are in place. what a previous owner did to it :(

Are the stepper motors that you sell brand new and are they the updated Black dot type ? Are the black do more durable ?

Hi there. I accidentally damaged the spring coil for the temperature gauge while trying to calibrate the needle. Can I send you the cluster for repair please? Contact info? Again, I need to replace the temperature motor. Thank you

Hi, I have tried to repair my screen, before the repair it was horrible, now the left half reads perfectly but the right one has like dimmed pixels, also I can see that the pixel next to the dimmed one enables without having to (also dimmed) What can I have done wrong?