Dim conundrum - what to do

chrisg147 · Oct 17th, 2011, 15:18

Guys. Hoping for some sound advice. Can't decide what to do for the best. I have had the faulty dim problem with my 2003 s60 for some time now and it has been away to be re soldered twice but has eventually given up the ghost again. I'm now selling the car (not just because of this problem) so do I:

Spend £700 on a new dim when I know Im only likely to get £1900 for the car? I know it will be impossible to sell without getting it fixed

Or I've read mixed things on here about getting a second hand one to work. Just spoke to a Volvo breakers who said it would be trial and error they may get one to work but they say there are about 20 different software versions so it would be trial and error. I don't live near a large breakers so I would have to spend the whole day travelling up to Preston in the hope of getting one to work. Then I would probably have to get the mileage corrected (most likely upwards) to what it should be (171k)

Either way it's a complete pain. So what's the general consensus?

RAN60 · Oct 17th, 2011, 15:41

Second hand DIM units do work as long as everything on the label matches your old one. I'm on a second hand DIM now but the only problem with second hand units is that you could be in the same boat hours, days, weeks down the line. You'll never know and also you may have mileage jumps in the upward direction depending on the donor cars mileage.

If you dont have the mileage corrected by a reputable engineer a "mileage mismatch" code will be stored in the car which volvo WILL be able to detect

I used a guy local to me to repair mine (the second hand one went caput too). The DIM was completely dead and had even had repairs attempted. But still he brought it back to life with a 2 year warranty. www . ecusolutionswales. co.uk (without spaces) Worth a shot.

chrisg147 · Oct 17th, 2011, 15:49

Thanks ran. It was the guy local to you who has had two goes at mine. Hoping to find a second had one which will work for long enough for me to sell it. I don't mind getting the mileage corrected. And I don't plan taking it to Volvo as I'm sure many owners of 8 year old, 171k, sub £2k dont

RAN60 · Oct 17th, 2011, 16:18

Then i apologise for the recommendation lol!

He worked wonders on mine must be honest but i guess there is only so much they can replace or re-solder.

Second hand unit, if matched up right will get you through a sale and hopefully the new owner on a few thousand miles. Think i paid £80 for the mileage to be corrected on mine, he managed to get it within 50 miles (50 more than it was mind) but couldnt get it exact.

Hope your search is succesful! Second hand units must be getting thin on the ground these days with all these faults and units failing, which just to note is not a recognised fault by volvo....just a big coincidence everyone's fails at about 100,000 miles + lol

chrisg147 · Oct 17th, 2011, 16:39

Thanks. I may have to take a day trip up north to a Volvo specialist breakers and go through them until I find one. I once wrote to Volvo saying I had found 60 different user names on here with dim problems and suggesting they follow Renaults lead who set up a repair service for a nominal fee. I got a very snotty letter back saying my local dealer would be able to repair it They didn't mention the 700 quid!

weble · Oct 17th, 2011, 17:26

There is a volvo breakers much closer to you than Preston, Place on the A1.
http://www.lakes4volvo.co.uk/

Maybe they might save you some miles? They were very helpful when i went in, not just on parts but advice too.

chrisg147 · Oct 17th, 2011, 21:33

Thank you. I'd forgotten they were there. I did call them once before (had this problem a while) and they told me they rarely broke cars as new as mine. (mine...new!) Worth another try though. Thanks

Thassos · Oct 17th, 2011, 22:07

Someone had posted a glowing report about cluster repairs in the VOC mag

http://www.clusterrepairsuk.co.uk

No idea if its helpful, but worth a try.. said they fixed his for £150 on a week turnaround.

bodger · Oct 20th, 2011, 08:38

Mine is a second hand replacement. By some sheer chance mileage was correct within a couple of hundred miles.

I'd suggest you scour ebay for any being broken, or dims for sale, S60 and S80 are the same I think, but all the numbers on the label must match yours.

I've read somewhere you can change the chip on your original DIM that stores car specific information for the one in a second hand replacement, can't remember which chip it is. I don't know if anyone has done this successfully though, and you'd need to find a competent electronic repair service.

Oct 17th, 2011, 15:18	#1
chrisg147 Junior Member Last Online: Oct 25th, 2011 21:27 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Bedford	Dim conundrum - what to do Guys. Hoping for some sound advice. Can't decide what to do for the best. I have had the faulty dim problem with my 2003 s60 for some time now and it has been away to be re soldered twice but has eventually given up the ghost again. I'm now selling the car (not just because of this problem) so do I: Spend £700 on a new dim when I know Im only likely to get £1900 for the car? I know it will be impossible to sell without getting it fixed Or I've read mixed things on here about getting a second hand one to work. Just spoke to a Volvo breakers who said it would be trial and error they may get one to work but they say there are about 20 different software versions so it would be trial and error. I don't live near a large breakers so I would have to spend the whole day travelling up to Preston in the hope of getting one to work. Then I would probably have to get the mileage corrected (most likely upwards) to what it should be (171k) Either way it's a complete pain. So what's the general consensus? __________________ 2003 (52) S60 D5 S

Oct 17th, 2011, 15:49	#3
chrisg147 Junior Member Last Online: Oct 25th, 2011 21:27 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Bedford	Thanks ran. It was the guy local to you who has had two goes at mine. Hoping to find a second had one which will work for long enough for me to sell it. I don't mind getting the mileage corrected. And I don't plan taking it to Volvo as I'm sure many owners of 8 year old, 171k, sub £2k dont __________________ 2003 (52) S60 D5 S

Oct 17th, 2011, 16:39	#5
chrisg147 Junior Member Last Online: Oct 25th, 2011 21:27 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Bedford	Thanks. I may have to take a day trip up north to a Volvo specialist breakers and go through them until I find one. I once wrote to Volvo saying I had found 60 different user names on here with dim problems and suggesting they follow Renaults lead who set up a repair service for a nominal fee. I got a very snotty letter back saying my local dealer would be able to repair it They didn't mention the 700 quid! __________________ 2003 (52) S60 D5 S

Oct 17th, 2011, 21:33	#7
chrisg147 Junior Member Last Online: Oct 25th, 2011 21:27 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Bedford	Thank you. I'd forgotten they were there. I did call them once before (had this problem a while) and they told me they rarely broke cars as new as mine. (mine...new!) Worth another try though. Thanks __________________ 2003 (52) S60 D5 S

Oct 17th, 2011, 22:07	#8
Thassos GoldMember Last Online: Apr 25th, 2024 22:46 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Kent, UK	Cluster Repairs Someone had posted a glowing report about cluster repairs in the VOC mag http://www.clusterrepairsuk.co.uk No idea if its helpful, but worth a try.. said they fixed his for £150 on a week turnaround.

Oct 17th, 2011, 15:41	#2
RAN60 Master Member Last Online: Mar 30th, 2024 07:50 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Wales	Second hand DIM units do work as long as everything on the label matches your old one. I'm on a second hand DIM now but the only problem with second hand units is that you could be in the same boat hours, days, weeks down the line. You'll never know and also you may have mileage jumps in the upward direction depending on the donor cars mileage. If you dont have the mileage corrected by a reputable engineer a "mileage mismatch" code will be stored in the car which volvo WILL be able to detect I used a guy local to me to repair mine (the second hand one went caput too). The DIM was completely dead and had even had repairs attempted. But still he brought it back to life with a 2 year warranty. www . ecusolutionswales. co.uk (without spaces) Worth a shot.

Oct 17th, 2011, 16:18	#4
RAN60 Master Member Last Online: Mar 30th, 2024 07:50 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Wales	Then i apologise for the recommendation lol! He worked wonders on mine must be honest but i guess there is only so much they can replace or re-solder. Second hand unit, if matched up right will get you through a sale and hopefully the new owner on a few thousand miles. Think i paid £80 for the mileage to be corrected on mine, he managed to get it within 50 miles (50 more than it was mind) but couldnt get it exact. Hope your search is succesful! Second hand units must be getting thin on the ground these days with all these faults and units failing, which just to note is not a recognised fault by volvo....just a big coincidence everyone's fails at about 100,000 miles + lol

Oct 17th, 2011, 17:26	#6
weble Senior Member Last Online: Dec 9th, 2012 13:34 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: .	There is a volvo breakers much closer to you than Preston, Place on the A1. http://www.lakes4volvo.co.uk/ Maybe they might save you some miles? They were very helpful when i went in, not just on parts but advice too.

Oct 20th, 2011, 08:38	#9
bodger Member Last Online: May 25th, 2021 12:10 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: St Helens	Mine is a second hand replacement. By some sheer chance mileage was correct within a couple of hundred miles. I'd suggest you scour ebay for any being broken, or dims for sale, S60 and S80 are the same I think, but all the numbers on the label must match yours. I've read somewhere you can change the chip on your original DIM that stores car specific information for the one in a second hand replacement, can't remember which chip it is. I don't know if anyone has done this successfully though, and you'd need to find a competent electronic repair service.

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