I am having difficulty finding a replacement dash cluster with the exact part no. 8M2T-10849-SD.

Can anyone tell me if I can use a compatible alternative

Whats wrong with the original ?

You can't simply replace the instrument cluster even with the exact same part. It will require programming to your vehicle for the immobiliser to work. There may also be problems with the ignition key not being recognised. Lastly there is the issue on the mileage which can only be moved forward, so you would need a replacement instrument cluster with lower mileage than your own.

@rd457 repairs instrument clusters, he may be able to help.

Thanks for the info. Mine is away at a repairer at present who has put a new screen in it but when tested has discovered it is the wrong screen apparently mine is hard to get hold of. Does this sound feasible.

3 hours ago, Sden said:

Does this sound feasible.

I'm no expert on the Mondy but they certainly changed during the life of the Mk 4 and/or differed between versions. 

Both examples below are Mk 4 of different years, for instance:

 

Yes mines similar to the top one but has the larger info screen and different numbering on the speedo ie. large 20,40,60, etc.  I was wondering if it is hard to get a new screen because it's a Ghia model. The car is running ok without the cluster in but obviously not on the public highway.

1 hour ago, stedennett said:

Yes mines similar to the top one but has the larger info screen and different numbering on the speedo ie. large 20,40,60, etc.  I was wondering if it is hard to get a new screen because it's a Ghia model. The car is running ok without the cluster in but obviously not on the public highway.

I run a repair service myself and I gave up a while ago on the idea of obtaining NEW replacement LCDs on the odd occasion one is needed, instead I just scavenge working replacements out of used instrument clusters for sale on ebay. These LCDs are not off-the-shelf components, they appear to have been custom made for Ford so actual new ones are not something you can have much hope of obtaining. You can find new cloned Chinese replacements for the most popular kinds, but of unknown quality and compatibility, and for about the same price as an entire used instrument cluster, so I've never bothered with them myself. I'm not aware of having ever come across any such Chinese replacement for yours.

Doing a quick search on ebay for 'ford mondeo instrument cluster' and sorting by increasing price, I found several candidate units for scavenging a replacement LCD from just within the first five pages of results:

• https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226261890982
• https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/156339333676
• https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186571612189
• https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/145924062424
• https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/375226224950
• https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/326238588170
• https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125524098759
• https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/235385581163

Any idea you may have had of getting a replacement LCD for £5 is just a pipe dream, as almost certainly is the idea of getting a brand new replacement at all. You best or only hope is just to splash some cash on one of the above units, get your repairer to swap the LCD from it into yours (you can't just use a replacement instrument cluster without reprogramming), and hope that it lasts the remaining life of the vehicle, otherwise you'll have to do it all over again, or learn to live without a working LCD. That's the situation I'm afraid.

Thanks very much for the info rd457 it has been very useful. One problem I am having is getting the cluster back from the repairer. If I fail to get it back can I obtain one of the items suggested and have it reprogrammed. If so where would i need to go for that. 

1 hour ago, stedennett said:

Thanks very much for the info rd457 it has been very useful. One problem I am having is getting the cluster back from the repairer. If I fail to get it back can I obtain one of the items suggested and have it reprogrammed. If so where would i need to go for that. 

Yes, there are services you can find on the likes of ebay, typically they are called "cloning" services and would want both old and new units, however in some cases the generic configuration suitable for your car may be obtainable online, forgoing the need for the old unit, they'd just need to know the mileage to set in it, and if you don't know exactly what that is, you could get the figure from your last MOT and make a reasonable guess, which could be enough to satisfy legal requirements.

Such cloning services typically cost about £100 though, and the facilities that some of these people use prevents them from changing the mileage in a unit to a lower value, meaning you may have to get a unit with a lower mileage than your current one.

The programming could possibly be done yourself using the free ForScan software (though you need to pay for the extended license to enable programming, note that it's Russian software). You'd additionally need a laptop with Microsoft Windows and you'd need to purchase a suitable cable. You'd also need to make sure that your battery is suitably charged. And of course you'd need to find the suitable config ("as-built") data for your vehicle, and again, obtain not just any replacement used unit but one with a low enough mileage.

In fact really to ensure no compatibility issues with hardware or firmware you'd want to be not just getting a replacement unit that looks the same but actually checking the model number which should match exactly except the last two digits which should typically only be same or higher.

Thanks rd457. Unfortunately I am still trying to retreive my cluster from the repairer who seems to be having financial difficulties.

Its looking like I may have to purchase one off ebay and go down the route of getting it reprogrammed without access to the original.

I have looked at ones for sale on ebay and only found one that looks the same as mine which has numbers only on 20 mph intervals with just lines on the intermediate. I have been told by a breaker that my cluster is a 8M2T-10849-SD, I didn't make a note of the numbers before I sent it away (schoolboy error) but did photograph the display. The one I have seen like mine is a 8M2T-10849-SB. Would anyone know if this would be ok and would I be abled to get it cloned without the original.

I couldn't do it myself as it sounds a bit like Black Magic to me I don't mind turning a few spanners but thats about my limit.

   

24 minutes ago, stedennett said:

I am still trying to retreive my cluster from the repairer who seems to be having financial difficulties.

Just go and get it

try Richard at customod, he can generally lay his hands on clusters and parts

 

5 hours ago, stedennett said:

Thanks rd457. Unfortunately I am still trying to retreive my cluster from the repairer who seems to be having financial difficulties.

Hmm, well that sucks. If it would make a difference could you not get an extra £5-10 to them to help them pay the postage to get it back to you and deal with any refund later down the road. Or otherwise where are they located, maybe if it's close by it could be retrieved by you or me or some other trusted forum member? If the job is incomplete then perhaps I could take on sorting it out for you instead.

Thanks to everyone for the help but the problem has now been resolved. I did visit the repairer but was unbable to obtain my cluster due to insolvency problems. So I spotted one that looked the same on ebay, took a chance and sent for it, and plugged it into my car and it worked no problem. No programming required. The mileage is higher than my original but as the car is old and so am I. I can live with that as it may be my last car. Up to credit card company now to refund me. Thanks again.

Great to know the outcome was a happy one! Also that a replacement cluster is plug n play... 

it is unless you need specific or lower mileage

My understanding has always been you can only adjust digital mileage readings up, rather than down, but there are several vids on You Tube suggesting adjustment down can be done e.g.

 

 

I am aware of 1 person that can and did do it for me. He keeps it a closely guarded secret.

As far as I know FORScan could allow lowering mileage but they have chosen not to enable it to for moral reasons.