[Kevin Doyle]

I started my car this morning and for no apparent reason, no reassuring MFA came on in red letters/numbers. Anyone know why? It also takes out the gear selector display too. Neither of these is a major thing other than a PITA/warranty issue. New car, barely 800 miles. ideas?
Kevin
2001.5 Wagon
Anthracite Blue

 

[PassatDvr]

Re: MFA crap out on you? (Kevin Doyle)

im kinda having the same problem on my 2K. I have 19K on the odometer and the MFA is broken up. You can only see the bottom of the numbers and such. Im going to ask later in the week when I take it in for service. I'll keep you posted

 

[Roadstan]

Re: MFA crap out on you? (PassatDvr)

Any update here? I started my car yesterday and all I saw was a big black void where the MFA should be?
Stan

 

[bluegreenturtle]

Re: MFA crap out on you? (Roadstan)

I noticed this on a vehicle that I test drove at a dealership. The dealer fiddled with it a bit and turned it off then on, and it did come on after a few tries. He didn't know why, or even how it started working.

 

[Becoolonce]

Re: MFA crap out on you? (Kevin Doyle)

Unfortunately, you will need to have the entire "dash cluster" unit replaced given how the unit is manufactured. (The entire unit, or dash cluster, includes everything that is within the plastic shroud; eg. speedometer, tach., MFA,...)
Mine failed, too, in the first days I owned my Passat.
The entire "dash cluster" is removed and a new one is replaced. Thanks to computer technology, your mileage will be reprogramed into the new unit so that you will not have a gap in total miles driven to date.

 

[sbachmeier]

Re: MFA crap out on you? (Becoolonce)

Alas, it seems that quality is slipping with the boys at VDO in Germany -- my instrument cluster also had to be replaced at around 5K, due to the MFA going out. You'd think a more "modular" approach would be better, whereas a new MFA module could simply be plugged in to the existing instrument cluster (everything else on the aforementioned cluster worked fine).
And while they're redesigning the MFA, bring back the oil temperature readout, dammit!

I loved that feature on my '86 Jetta GLI autocross sled...

 

[Kevin Doyle]

Re: MFA crap out on you? (Kevin Doyle)

Well gang-
Since my first post, the MFA read-out has been fine. Don't know why it initially crapped out. Next time I started the car it was there in its ruby red glory. BUT, no oil temp readout? What's up with that? Earlier version Passats have it. Or am I missing something?
Kevin

 

[NC-GTI]

Re: MFA crap out on you? (Kevin Doyle)

The last two systems I have had, including 2000 GTI, do this on occasion. It alway returns to normal. Usually happens due to low temperatures.