Dash faults

[Jeremy]

Hi there, my mum's got a 'W' reg (2000) petrol 1.8litre 16V 406 saloon on 70,000miles, and has had an electrical problem for the last two years and its starting to get worse, and we've taken it to a peugeot main dealer and they have said that there is nothing wrong with it, when it is obviously, im a nissan mechanic so peugoet's are new to me.

The fault's are:
1. Turn the ignition on, engine stopped, the rev counter moves from '0' to '500rpm' and the speedo moves from '0' to '5mph' ?
2. Start the engine, engine idles normally, but rev counter shows engines running at '1,500rpm' (like it needs recalibrating) ?
3. Fuel gauge stays on 1/4 full all the time, no matter how full the tank is?
Temperature gauge working fine though.
4. Once engines started, everytime in the centre console display (where the radio station, time, date and external temperature is displayed) a message of "Automatic gearbox fault" appears..... in a manual transmission car? when you push the right hand button beside the display the message goes, and normal display is resumed.
5. Also in the same display, whenever the handbrake is applied, a message of "Brake fliud low" is displayed, when the level is on the maximum with no brake fluid leaks are on the car?
6. Once or two times a week, the speedo while driving will drop to '0' at what ever speed, and while that is happening the mileage is frozen? But theres no lack of power.
7. Now, once a month and getting more regular, you come to start the car, the engine will crank over but not fire up, a symbol on the dash looking like a key in a box (possibly a immobiliser fault?) appears, also in the centre console dispaly once again came up with a message of "electronic ignition fault"? Turn ignition off, crank engine over again and it fires up and runs normal. The key (key with centre locking button on) hasn't got rubber button to top of the key, but button still works.... (could it be key stating to break down?)

Can you help me please i dont where to start??? Any common faults? Any one got any ideas, other than sell the car?
Regards Jeremy

[jonsowman]

5. This is the handbrake microswitch, needs replacing.
6. Probably the vehicle speed control unit (not sure where this is, or if it exists at all on a semi-mux D9) or more likely some dry solder joints on the instrument panel. I'd take the panel apart and have a good look/reflow.
7. That is indeed an immobiliser fault, recoding the key with diagnostics could well cure it.

Edit: thinking about it, I wouldn't be surprised if faults 1-3 are also caused by dry solder joints on the panel.