Lost mileage and gear indicator in instrument panel cluster

Chickenhawk

Original poster
Member
Dec 6, 2011
779
After I replaced two more stepper motors in my cluster - which was strange because both were from the batch of "newer" steppers - the readout for mileage and gear indicator seemed to be a bit lazy afterwards. Every few weeks, it would take 30 seconds before they lit up. Every other gauge was normal, except I lost another gauge light on the far left.

This week I lost the mileage readout and gear indicator readout permanently.

I am hoping it is just a bad contact in the harness, but before I dive in and rip my dash apart AGAIN (sigh), could there be other reasons? The interesting thing is that the big cluster rebuilder for us in Canada is only about 30 minutes east of me, so if the consensus is a resistor or something, I might just take it straight to them. I do have a multimeter and a Tech 2, but my electrical skills are limited to, if my eyes light up, the 120 volt breaker is still on.
 

Mounce

Member
Mar 29, 2014
13,667
Tuscaloosa, AL
Could be the high voltage converter going out that runs that section. Maybe touched it wrong and broke a weak solder joint while in there. Happens here and there, not as common as steppers but still considered a common failure for GM's. If you get it out and can't see anything obvious it'll probably need to see the repairman for the expert touch.
 
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Chickenhawk

Original poster
Member
Dec 6, 2011
779
Thanks for the quick reply. Any particular place on the circuit board I can take a magnifying glass to?
 

mrrsm

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Supporting Donor
Member
Oct 22, 2015
7,642
Tampa Bay Area
This VOP (Video Original Poster) demonstrates how to "Bring the Lights UP..." on a sketchy PRNDL Display:

For the 2003 and Later Model GM-GMC Trucks and SUVS:


This Video displays the Locations of the Bank of Tiny "511" Resisters that will require some Touch Up Soldering...albeit.. this is shown during a 'Fast Forwarding' Sequence. It also shows the need to Solder In actual lengths of Lacquer Insulated Tiny Copper Wires around the places where the Copper Pads of the Component Pass Through Wires have literally been "Ripped Off" ...placed back onto the Copper Wire Tracings of the Logic Bread Board to re-establish Lost Electrical Component Connections:


And ... For Repairing the same issue with the "VFD" Vacuum Fluorescent Display Tube for the PRNDL Displays on the 1999-2002 GM-GMC Trucks and SUVs:

 
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