1997 Boxster Electrical Problems Please Help!

[nacp11]

Hello,
I am hoping somebody has some advice for me. I have a 1997 Boxster and the instrument cluster doesnt work I have no speedometer, tachometer, odometer, trip, etc. The only thing that seems to work is the gas guage and the warning lights come on and some stay on. My headlights dont work properly either I have no high beam and the low beam is very dim. Does any one know if there is a headlight control in the cluster and if the cluster can cause the remote to not work? I was told that all of these problems were because the cluster was bad. Is there any way to test my cluster and/or reset it? Thank you in advance for your help!

Some background: I just bought the car and I was told by the previous owner the computer and alarm control unit was shorted out and a new computer and ACU was installed. He also told me when the computer shorted it also shorted the instrument cluster and Convertible Module. Just a thought: does this cluster have to be programmed to the new computer maybe? Also does any one know where I can get a new convertable module for a reasonable price?

Also, I was told by the previous owner that the cause of the fry was he was having a problem holding a charge on his battery so he brought it to a mechanic. The mechanic hooked some kind of computer up to the car wrong (he said a pin was crossed) and it burned out everything. I dont know for sure if this is the cause or if it is just coincidence that a mechanic was diagnosing it when it decided to burn out. Thank you for all of your input. If there is any other info you or anyone else can give please do I appreciate it!