NEED HELP Gauge Probems-Gas, Oil, Speedometer broken!

rainbowlight

Original poster
Member
Jan 18, 2017
6
oregon
Hey everyone, I bought my 05 Trailblazer 5 months ago and the gas gauge, and oil pressure gauge promptly stopped working. 2 days ago the SPEEDOMETER stopped working! I could live with the gas and oil gauges, but I really need my speedometer! Does anyone know what the problem is? How can I fix it? I'd prefer to fix it myself. Is it a problem with the instrument panel cluster?
 

Reprise

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Supporting Donor
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Jul 22, 2015
2,724
Probably the stepper motors - do a search, and you'll find many folks have had problems with these, and I think there are a couple 'how to' threads on replacing them. You can make the repairs w/o buying an entire IC, but I think you'll need a soldering iron, IIRC (I haven't had problems with mine, thankfully).

For what it's worth, I could live w/o a speedo - but I'd really want a working temp and fuel gauge, if I had nothing else.
 

rainbowlight

Original poster
Member
Jan 18, 2017
6
oregon
I just ordered the kit...but I haven't had much experience with soldering. I may ask a friend to help. Thanks! I hope this works lol
 

mrrsm

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Oct 22, 2015
7,639
Tampa Bay Area
I'm thinking much the same as @bob adams is here... There have been some similar threads that determined the problem to be the Plug Connector centered in the bottom of the Dash Panel that yielded up the secret of either scraping off the metal insert pins and/or spraying them with electrical cleaner and covering the new surfaces with a Dialectric Grease. Then by reinserting the "Blue Plug" firmly back into the Dash Panel matrix...and see if that solves the problem without having to un-solder any contacts or replace the gauges and LEDs. This may turn out to work but... turn the Dash Lights on B4 re-installing the Dash Panel and fascia... if they brighten up.... Cool Beenz. ;-)
 
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Mounce

Member
Mar 29, 2014
13,667
Tuscaloosa, AL
Doesn't sound like they happened all three at once. Took 5 months for the speedometer to quit after the other two. Even then he never said for sure whether the other two stopped at the same time or separate. I take it from how it's worded that they quit soon after he got it but not at the same time.

-Stepper motors are a common failure on these, unless something else is stated that happened at the same time or some other electrical issues it's usually the steppers from what I've seen.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
Not sure if it was mentioned but electrical gremlins are sometimes caused by a bad ignition switch.
 

Dr.Fiero

Member
Dec 7, 2017
161
S. Alberta
And an FYI, for all my fellow Canuckistans --
If you order the stepper set from Amazon.CA, they'll be $79.95 (oh, and Prime eligible!).
But, if you don't mind waiting a few extra says, order them from Amazon.COM, they'll be $23.04 with paying for shipping!
(and yes, that's the exact same set {*6* steppers AND 10 bulbs!}, from the same seller!)
That's a no brainer if I've ever seen one.
My set should arrive in about 10 days.

( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CG8EXEM/?tag=gmtnation-20 )
 
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