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I recently noticed that the 3 gauge instrument cluster black background has started to peel away from the metal back plate. It seems to be getting worse and is now beginning to annoy me. I would have not thought that a 4 year old instrument should be deteriorating in this way.

Has anyone else had any problems?

I did think of contacting Smiths Instruments but they seem to hide behind the corporate identity and any contact numbers are carefully hidden.

Picture should be attached - hopefully

Neil

Peter Bowman is the CEO of Smiths Group. Here's his email address:

peter.bowman@smiths.com

That photo looks like there is a layer of plastic that has come off, in front of the paint. Perhaps even the plastic should not be there and removal would leave clean black paint.

Certainly merits a close look, and I'm itching to remove the glass and see what falls off!

Neil,

Many thanks for the info.

I normally start at the bottom and work upwards, so it will be quite novel to start at the top and work my way down. I shall sit down tomorrow and compose a suitable email. It will be interesting to see if Smiths have grasped the idea of customer satisfaction or whether I get fobbed off.

Watch this space

Neil

Martyn

That was my thought. It looks as if the black is a plastic layer stuck to a metal plate. As the car is kept in a humidity controlled environment, I suspect it is a manufacturing problem. The other dials are all ok.

I don't want to take it apart until all other avenues have been explored. Having the dash out is a pain, but it will have to be done at sometime.

Neil

Normally CEO's pass it down quite quickly..... But it means that it should get somebody's attention.

To me it looks like the rubber gasket/o-ring has deformed.

You shouldn't Hae to take the dash off to get the gauge out... Two knurled knobs at the back and pull forward. The bezel should rotate and when it's clips align pull off.

It appears that Smith industries sold the instrument division to Lucas and then was bought out by the employees. It now trades under the name of Caerbont Automotive Instruments Ltd of Swansea South Wales.

Richard, it is definitely the black plastic material which has lifted. You can just see the problem on the area between the fuel gauge and temperature gauge on the edge of the centre raised area.

Neil

Hello Neil,
you find their contact Information under the following link:

Contact information Caerbont International

As said bevore Smith is a brand of Caerbont international. It is a Management buyout from VDO.

Keep mogging

Christian

Sorry to send you in the wrong direction! I didn't realise they'd split....