I have a failing 2003 Chevy Suburban instrument cluster and wonder if I can replace it myself. All I have to do is remove it and re-install it when they send it back. 4 bolts and one plug. No reprogramming. What could be easier? Is it really something I can/should do? -
View 3 RepliesIn the past few days, I've noticed that when my headlights are on the white backlighting of the speedometer, tachometer, and other gauges in the instrument cluster fail to illuminate, however the red needles within each gauge do illuminate properly. Furthermore, the rheostat adjustment does successfully brighten and dim the red needles, but the faces of the gauges remain dark. I checked fuses 23 and 27 and both are fine.
View 24 RepliesThe instrument cluster in my 2005 Mountaineer has been randomly "failing" for about 2 months. By "failing", I mean the gauges will go to zero and bounce, the dash lights will go on and off, and the radio will go out. The car will continue driving normally. Headlights stay on, windows work, cruise works, interior lights work. This random event lasts about 4 seconds. It may do it again within minutes, or not again for the day. Sometimes, when I open the car door to get in (keys not in ignition), I will notice the gauges are bouncing at the zero mark. I took it to the shop, but of course it didn't do it there. They checked the alternator and battery. Battery is old, but checked out. A few weeks later, complete Alternator failure. Replaced the battery and alternator and I hoped that would solve the dash issue, but it did not. I've had it to the dealership, and to an independent, and their not sure what's up with it. The code readers give no insight.
View 8 RepliesI have a 2001 Suburban 2500 4WD. When driving over any bumps, the gauges go to 0 (all gauges, speedo, tech, fuel, temp,etc.) and the battery, abs, and airbag lights come on. It is just an intermittent problem. Everything immediately comes back up until the next bump.
Note: nothing else is compromised (headlights, radio, performance, etc. are not affected)
I have taken the cluster out and "bounced" it around in my hand while the truck is running and cannot duplicate the problem. I have check ground wires and battery cables.
Could these Knock sensor low input codes be caused by a failing battery? My battery was dead 2 days ago. I charged it and it has been starting but today after starting a couple of times in a row these codes came up. I've never had any codes before and it was running fine. It is a 2002 Suburban with the 6.0 engine.
View 11 Replies2011 Silverado instrument panel dimmer won't reduce below about (subjectively) 40% intensity and cannot be turned off - still way to bright for old eyes on dark mountain roads. Dealer says its characteristic of the model and has no suggestions. Scan-tool results for dimmer potentiometer output reads 2.7 volts (9%) at minimum rotation, and 3 volts (100%) at max intensity. Scan-tool results for LED PWM drive signal reads 0% at minimum and 100% at max. The pulse width modulator (PWM) appears to be an imbedded component of the body control module (BCM) so is not accessible. The dimmer potentiometer is a component part of the headlights combo switch so is likewise not directly accessible.
Since I can't get to the potentiometer voltage divider circuit, if I add a fixed resistor to the output leg of the potentiometer and reduce the dimmer signal voltage by another 0.1 volt (to 2.6 volts out to BCM/PWM) will I set a BCM DTC or raise the voltage on the LED drive pulse to a damaging level? Alternatively, if I place a spst switch in the dimmer output signal, will the PWM simply switch off, or try to further decrease the drive pulse width? Last shot-in-the-dark question before I drag a scope out and start tapping into wires, how to find out what IC chip is used in the PWM?
The speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, battery meter, temp gauge and idiot lights went out. The car works fine. Dash is just dead. I did a quick look at the fuses in the glove box but it doesn't have the little card to tell fuse locations. So, I can't narrow it down but I don't see any blown fuses.
View 4 RepliesI had my radiator replaced last month and the day after I got it back from the shop the instrument cluster died (sort of). It functions intermittently but is off a majority of the time. I can tease it on by pressing the on the front of the cluster in the lower left corner but it goes out again when I let off the pressure. I called the shop and they told me there was no way that any work they had done replacing the radiator could cause the cluster to go out, but I am not so sure.
Since then I have been driving not aware of my speed (I actually have an app that gives me my speed but is a sad workaround) or knowing how much fuel I have in the car at any given moment. And, as you who know what type of money pit I am driving, all of the notifications to warn me when something is wrong. which it usually is, are located in the cluster as well. As soon as I have a working cluster I will sell it.
Recently my 2003 Hyundai Accent has lost illumination on all gauges. Oddly the clusters light up when I arm and disarm the alarm system. The fuses look good and this all began when I had to fix the stereo. At this point I am lost. I have a few ideas in mind that could be causing this behavior. The computer may be going out, a wire got pinched and cut the connection, or I just plainly shorted out something. I have a video showing the problem I am having and I'll have a link to my youtube video.
My Instrument Cluster won't Illuminate - YouTube ....
Currently my gas & temp gauges do not work, so I assume the cluster is shot or needs fixed etc. my question is can I simply replace it with a used one from eBay, or do I need to send this one back to be programmed? I was reading about the immobilizer which I assume the 2003 is subject to as well?
View 1 RepliesI just replaced all 5 of my instrument cluster bulbs in my 1998 f150. Everything looks nice and bright now that everything is replaced but around the top of the speedometer the light is dim. Is this normal for this instrument cluster or could there be a bad bulb or a light blockage? It's frustrating to go through effort to get to the cluster and find out after it's put back together that there's a bad bulb or something.
View 2 RepliesI have a 2012 F350 XLT that came out of Canada. So of course the speedometer is in KM. (Large numbers are km and smaller numbers are mph). I am trying to find out if I can simply change out my cluster with a mph cluster???
View 4 RepliesI've got a 03 explorer with a 4.0 and it seems the fuse keeps blowing out, I have to keep replacing the fuse every time for the gadgets on the instrument cluster. Could there be short somewhere?
View 7 RepliesThe brake light in my instrument cluster on my 1997 F150 won't come on. I have put in 2 new bulbs.
View 7 RepliesI just picked up an '03 Golf and decided to put in the euro switch I had from my old Jetta. When I turn the headlights on (either parking or full) the instrument cluster blue back lighting and the red interior LEDs work only sometimes. When they work, they all work, but probably about 9 out of 10 times, they just won't come on at all, so I have to sit there turning the switch on and off repeatedly until they do come on. What could be causing this? It's definitely not a fuse since they do come on eventually, so my first thought was maybe a relay, but which one? What else could be going on?
View 5 RepliesSo I noticed this is a common problem in several scenarios. Some are electric failures and key failures and computer failures....And other times they happen when you switch the cluster.
I had a blacked out cluster with a couple broken gauges and after spending an hour swapping the cluster I get a crank but no start. I tried switching the 301 and 304 fuses (fuel pump and PCM) as that was mentioned somewhere online but it did nothing. Any quick fixes or do I need to tow it to a dealership?
2001 Supercrew with 4.6L and 4x4
I've been getting a random, periodic flicker of the light on the instrument cluster. It seems like it occurs when the rpm's are increasing to 2000. Does the light come on for over voltage as well as under voltage? When I check the voltage at the batteries at idle, I'm in the 14.5 v range. I cleaned/tightened all the wires to the battery and alternator and it is still occurring, will be doing the ground wires on sunday.
2003 4x4 7.3 no tunes
I pushed the Tow/Haul button on the gear shift and my instrument cluster went DEAD. Have checked the 3 fuses labeled instrument panel (F4,F35,F41) and they look OK.
2003 F250 6L diesel .....
I have a 1997 Ford Expedition, 5.4. My research indicates that fuses 2. 19. 29 are associated with the instrument cluster (IC), could you identify their specific function in relation to the IC? My IC gauge lights are not showing and my alternator is not consistently charging. The blinkers, battery, oil, brake, and ABS indicator lights are showing in start. Regarding the alternator, my research indicates that a failing alt light on the IC may cause the no charging condition? As a note, I have a brand new battery, brand new alternator, brand new 3 pin wiring harness. Also, when the alternator is not charging and I connect the a jumper from the exciter wire directly to the pos battery terminal, the charging starts.
View 9 RepliesI am currently converting a 1999 E350 7.3 diesel bus into a camper to live in. The bus has already had a lot of weird custom work. Done by someone else and a lot of the interior torn out and extra insulation put in. There is an exposed electrical panel behind the drivers seat. It was a cheap buy, previously fleet maintained with only 120k.
I was hooking up a battery for accessories to a terminal labeled "Battery" that does run indeed directly to the + terminal of the battery in the engine compartment.
Unfortunately I mistakenly connected the accessory battery to a terminal labeled "ignition" that runs to behind the dash. When I tried starting the vehicle off the auxiliary battery for a test everything went out for 2 seconds, I heard a click from the engine compartment, and everything than came back on. This is when I realized my mistake.
It used to be the speedo only didn't work (which I assumed was the step motor), now after this mistake all the gauges, the odometer and the buzzers don't work. Lights like the battery and airbag warning indicator still function.
Checked fuse 2 (15 amp) for the instrument cluster and it is intact. Actually checked every fuse in the vehicle in both fuse panels and all are intact. The radio works though and the vehicle is not equipped with power windows.
Going to go get a radio removal tool to take apart the dash and get back there. What this could be? Did I fry a relay? Did I fry the cluster circuit board.
I have a 2003 F550 6L diesel flatbed truck. Last week, the overdrive button would activate by itself. I'm assuming there was a loose wire so I taped the button to keep the overdrive off. Two days later, the overdrive came on while the button was pressed in and then smoke came out of the steering column/lever area. I pulled over and turned off the truck. The smoke stopped after 10 seconds and I restarted the truck. The overdrive light/functionality no longer worked and the instrument cluster also wasn't working.
The next day I was driving, and the truck died at a stoplight. I got it towed home, and opened the steering column and noticed that the overdrive button wire had burned. I removed the harness clip and charged the batteries. It started but the instrument cluster still didn't work. 2 minutes later the truck died. I replaced the alternator but still it won't charge the batteries. The truck dies 2 mins after getting a battery boost to start the truck. The instrument cluster also doesn't work. What could be causing this issue?