dashboard starting problems

[ian martin]

Please can somebody help me as im about to go mad!!!!!!!!! I have a 2003 1.8 tdci zetec with the usual dashboard problems, but after cleaning the connections and putting it all back together all was great when i turned the ignition on. But when i went to start it for a second everything seemed perfect until the engine cut out after a few seconds, and now whenever i try to start the car with the dashboard connected its a non runner. Disconnect the dash board cluster and the car runs great until you plug it back in and then 2 seconds or so and it stops the engine dead. i thought it was something todo with the immobiliser but i didnt think the cluster affected it? Please can somebody help me?????

[mjt]

When the instrument cluster was replaced on our 1.8 Tcdi all the keys had to be re-coded to the car which suggests that the immobiliser is controlled by something in the instrument pack. Unfortunately Haynes don't have any details on this, simply saying the pack is non-serviceable.