This afternoon when I started the car at work to go home I noticed the cluster did not light up and the gauge needles did not move. Also, the cruise no longer works. However, when I turn on the headlights, the cluster lights go on and everything lights up, but the gauge needles still are dead. No information shows on the center screen. The digital clock is lighted as is the mileage and trip. Obviously, the wiper stalk with the menu switch does nothing at this point. Everything else is working, A/C, wipers, all indicator lights, radio.

Its as if the signal has been lost to drive the gauges.

Thanks for any helpful thoughts...

 

my cruise control hasn't worked since i got my car and occasionally my brights will not turn on...but sorry no advice as i am looking for answers too.

 

Check your owner's manual for the fuse section, and see if there is a fuse related to 'instruments' or 'instrument cluster' or 'driver display' or something to that effect, and then check the fuse.

 

as for the no cruise and brights not working - clean the combo switch. Pleanty of DIYs around.

 

Fuses were the first thing I checked. #5 fuse (10a) is the controlling fuse for the instrumentation. While I was at it, checked all the other fuses..they were fine.

As for the Cruise not working. This must be related to the lack of signal to run the gauge needles. All the lights work, even the brights and highbeams.

100% of everything was working when I drove to work and while I was out at lunch just a few hours before.

 

search Combi switch DIY that will help your cruise. The cluster needles not moving i doubt has anything to do with cruise control.

 

This is what I did to try to diagnose the issue.

1) All fuses checked, and just in case it could have been fuse #5 or #15 (instrument fuses), I pulled them to see if anything shut off while the ignition was on, and it did. the fuses are all good.

2) In the engine bay, unplugged most every plug on the firewall to reseat them. Instrument gauges still would not work.

3) Began tackling the ignition switch. Got as far as unscrewing the air bag, then thought doubly about this. If I disconnect the battery, I have no radio code and the dealer will want big bucks to get it activated. If I leave the battery connected and unplug the air bag, then the engine light will need to be reset at the dealer. This I know I can get done for free, did it when I got the car.

So, one last thing to before I go to all this trouble to get the ignition switch out. Pull the display and reseat the 3 connectors on the back. Pulled the display, unplugged the passenger side and put back. Keyed the ignition, still no display. Did the same with the center connector. Same results. Pulled the driver side blue connector, put back without fully locking down. Keyed the ignition. The tack jumped as did the other gauges. Jiggled the plug a bit and everything came to life. Locked it down and jiggled it a bit more. Some intermittancy with the connector.

So, tomorrow I'll check and clean all the contacts in the blue plug. I got one trouble code P0501, which is the vehicle speed sensor, but this might have been activated while i was jiggling the plug and the gauges were jumping around. This I cleared and everything appears to be working.

More later, night and thanks for the input.....

Brian

 

kind of sounds like your cluster is bad.

 

If bad, then from the intermittent connector being jiggled this would indicate a bad or cold solder joint on the cluster board I would think.

 

ah i didn't read that part sorry. i would take the cluster apart and make sure nothing is leaking or corroding. Did the connector look corroded at all?