Rep Power: 0

Hi all, I've been having a problem with my instrument cluster and I can't seem to find the source of it. More often than not, my instrument cluster does not work. The speedometer, rpm, odometer, etc. all do not have power. The only lights on the dash that work are the parking break (this stays on all the time when the problem persists, even when the brake is off) and the turn signals. Nothing else works, even the backlight. The backlight to the a/c controls also doesn't work. Every once in a while everything powers up and it all works for a while, except that the odometer reads all 8s sometimes. Other times the odometer does come on but it clearly hasn't counted the mileage that I had driven when it wasn't working.

I checked some fuses under the dash, which are fine. I took the cluster out and checked the connectors on the back which were also fine. I will like around some more but I just wondered if anyone has seen this problem before or could help me narrow down the source of it. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks!

 
Rep Power: 183

I had a similar issue few days ago.

While I was driving, the gauge all of a sudden stopped working, engine temperature, fuel gas, speedometer, tachometer and odometer stopped working.

The Check Engine Light stayed on as usual, the engine was running fine, I could accelerate, the lights both high and low beam were working.

Although it was a gamble, I decided to turn the ignition off and on and all the gauge started working again, I did that while driving and kept the car in gear (It's a manual gearbox).

 
Rep Power: 0

I have been having a very similar issue with my 04 special edition (Canadian). Only difference is mine does it on start up, sometimes the panel will come on spontaneously while I am driving and sometimes if I smack the dash hard enough it will come back on. Otherwise it will come back on eventually on start up. Have seen a couple of other threads about being related to alternator issues or requiring panel replacement. Have you been able to solve the problem? I haven't pulled apart my dash yet to check the connections, but I am hoping that is all it is.

 
Rep Power: 150

If you are smacking the dash hard enough to shake the alternator, you are going to break something? HA

 
Rep Power: 183

I wonder why there aren't that many people having this kind of issue.

I have recently done an DX to LX/DX cluster swap and the LX cluster has a similar problem, quite similar to the previous one, all the needles and odometer would stop working momentarily then come back on again, only it's more frequent and all the warning lights seem to be working as opposed with the DX.

I'm starting to think this may have something to do with Canadian clusters?

 
Rep Power: 0

I have been paying closer attention to when this occurs and it seems to happen most often when there has been a significant temperature drop. It hasn't happened to me very often in the last couple of months now that the long winter has finally passed.

Could be why it is more prevalent on Canadian models