Cluster messed?

[Wardie]

So, my temp gauge has never worked while owning the car. Aslong with the light bar never staying green, and the break sensor light flickering.

I cracked it open today found a blue line running from the center to the temp gauge. Almost looks like sharpie, the batteries in the board have been replaced with energizer rechargeables 1.2v 2500mah. Any input on this first before grabbing a new cluster? I was going to go pick up some new batteries then go from there. Might need a new cluster not sure.

Would it be wise to solder a wire following that blue line?

[Wardie]

Changed the batteries and fixed my light bar and flickering sensor light. Temp still doesn't work.

[Gregs///M]

That trace "blue line is called electrical trace" probably is damaged. Use a meter with continuity setting and probe each end of the trace. There should be continuity between the two ends. If not, you will have to solder a tiny wire between them, then cover with epoxy. Try to make it thin as possible because the front half the cluster will pinch the wire if you use heavier gauge wire. Heavy gauge wire will also be harder to solder and could possibly fall off.

I use 24 gauge solid core wire for all my electronics repair.

Give that a try and if you still have temp gauge problems

[Wardie]

Thanks, I will give it a ago tomorrow I will let you know.

[Wardie]

Soldered a wire on, now it flies up to full hot whenever the car is turned on.

[Gregs///M]

Soldered a wire on, now it flies up to full hot whenever the car is turned on.

That would indicate a short to ground on your brown/violet wire. This is the wire from the temp gauge sender.

Are you 100% certain your solder joints arn't touching adjacent contacts?

[Wardie]

Wire was on the ground, its still doesn't read temp though. New plug in the engine?

Yeah, solder is not touching anything.

[Gregs///M]

There is only 1 wire from the sender. Brown/violet. It runs to the white connector behind the cluster. Inside the cluster, the gauge gets power and ground and uses brown/violet for signal.

Unplugging the engine connector should show all the way cold, shorting the connector should show all the way hot.

[Wardie]

I mean, the wire I soldered on got crushed under the temp gauge when I bolted it back on. I just moved it and it went back to cold again.

When car is off, it rests below the line. When the car is on it pops up to the cold line.

[Gregs///M]

Run the test that I mentioned in the previous post. You'll need to short the engine side to ground, then check the gauge. that will tell you if the cluster is OK or not.