Sent a wake-up (ie 'connect to instruments via K line' instruction') to the malfunctioning VDO cluster as a prequel to reading the EEPROM using VAG +K Commander and it did just that.  The cluster came back on line with the dials and driver information modules, along with time and mileage LCDs now becoming live.   The immobiliser light came on and went out as it should and the engine fired.  The vehicle had been off the road for months with the cluster always dead on reconnection and retrial on the car on several occassions, with the new potential replacement cluster coming 'live' ie all clocks and driver information lighting up if attached in the same way, but flashing a continuous 'immobiliser on' signal.

Thanks for all the advice.  If a VDO cluster appears knocked out by a voltage surge, leave it off the vehicle, take the battery off the car and fully charge it ( I in fact replaced the battery as it was not charging properly) and a week later (in my case several weeks) try then reattaching the cluster, make sure the battery is fully charged,  and send the 'wake up' signal (ie connect to instruments) by VAG +K Commander.  It may start working.

 

About to do a cluster swap and don't have the pin on the used cluster.  Very competent with soldering iron, and swapping chips sounds like an easier solution... do you have a picture of which chip you're talking about?

Does someone know if the Vag k+ can 2.5 is working with rs4 b5 ?

If I do a cluster dump and post it here can someone decode the pin? I'm just to handy with HEX.

Tried to download the attached software and get a warning that it contains a virus.  Is this really the case?  Seems to me that one of the 642 other people that have downloaded it would have made a bit of noise if it truly did.