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guages turning off by unexpectedly while driving?

Old May 5, 2005 | 02:39 AM
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Default guages turning off by unexpectedly while driving?

this is an annoying problem that hasn't happened until today....and 3 times at that. while driving all of the guages on the right side will turn off and the chime rings three times, and the trip ODO resets. this is really annoying ecspecially since i'm delivering pizza (get paid by the mile) and then all the sudden my trip ODO is back at 0 miles.

why would it do this?
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Old May 5, 2005 | 05:05 AM
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doh! i just realized there is a seperate section for electronics[/stupidnewbie]

mods feel free to move thread{*)
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Old May 5, 2005 | 05:37 AM
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Old electronics (come on.. we come from W-body, we should know all about those). I got in my car earlier and the ECC didn't work at all. It just had 3 dashes on the screen and refused to do anything but blow hot-*** air out at full blast. I turned the car off for 10 seconds, started it back up and it all worked normal.
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Old May 5, 2005 | 07:36 AM
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Try following the steps in Techinfo to pull the gauges. (Personally I found dropping the steering column unnecessary) and check the connectors on the back of the cluster. If those seem intact then pull the gauges out and pull the cluster apart. (Black screws can stay in...they only hold the connectors to the boards) check boards over for corrosion, broken solder joints or burnt parts. Probably just a bad connection that will be fixed when you take apart and put it back together.
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Old May 5, 2005 | 09:17 AM
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So moved...

This could also be a dying alternator/battery combination. Seen it several times in person and here. Could also be bad connections. Get your batt/alt tested for free at Autozone or somewhere before ripping the dash apart. That'* a pain.
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Old May 5, 2005 | 04:14 PM
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my gauge usually reads about 14.3ish volts, but i haven't checked it with my digital voltmeter yet.

btw, i noticed that the steering column is getting loose....a bolt even fell on the floor the steering wheel vibrates like crazy when driving on the highway. do you guys think this could have something to do with the problem? hopefully it won't be too hard to replace the bolt and tighten the column back up.

thanks again for the help guys.
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Old May 6, 2005 | 01:13 PM
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JR I'm not following, can you please explain a little further what you are thinking the steering column vibration is. (Unless it'* time for me to hit the eye doctor again...) I didn't read anything in the post about why the column should need to come apart if he'* got vibration that loosened the column.

Wouldn't he need to tighten the column and look for any broken or pinched wires since this is in the same proximately as the cluster?
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