I hate my gauge cluster.

[B0ND]

This morning on my way to work I noticed that the trip odometer said I had only traveled 43 miles on my current tank of gas. This seemed a little low considering I had under 3/4 of a tank, but I chalked it up to driving it hard and the slope I was on at the moment. I looked back about 10 minutes later and it still read 43 miles. So now I have to deal with a broken odometer (both the trip and regular odometer stopped).

Coincidently I was going to take my gauge cluster out next week when I get time to fix a light that had gone out. The light had gone out before, about 6 months ago and I found the source of the problem to be a hairline crack in the gauge cluster circuit board. I soldered the connection back together and it has worked since then. Then a few days ago I turned on my lights and again the right side of my gauge cluster wasn't lit, along with the clock in the middle of the dash.

I'm pretty sure I know how to fix the light problem, but I'm looking for guidance on the odometer issue. I've done a search and it seems that the main source of problems is the gears, which I can get from odometergears.com however I don't want to spend $75 on some gears then open up my odo only to find my gears are perfectly fine. I also would like to avoid taking the gauge cluster out twice...Could someone enlighten me as to what other sources of problems are? I've heard SI batteries, but I don't think it's those (not based on anything). It's not the sender from the diff, cause my speedo still works.

Thanks

[AdamF 88iS]

If you pull the speedometer out of the cluster you can visually inspect the gears on the side of it to see if they are broken. But, if the speedo needle still works then it's pretty much a sure bet the gears are gone.

[jlevie]

If the speedometer still works, this problem will be the gears that drive the odometer or an electronic failure within the speedometer. The SI board can't be responsible for this particular failure.

You really only have two choices here. You can spring for the gears and take the cluster out once, or you can pull the cluster and verify a gear failure and then pull the cluster again when you get the gears. I'd say to go ahead and purchase the set of gears. If the problem does turn out to require replacement of the speedometer the odds are very good that the replacement will need gears.

[MikeE30325i]

what if your speedo and odometer dont work? what is the culprit then, and how do you fix it?

[Jesse30]

what if your speedo and odometer dont work? what is the culprit then, and how do you fix it?

sender from the diff. thats most likely your problem.

[MikeE30325i]

sender from the diff. thats most likely your problem.

I looked at it after i got the car and it is snug and clean, and i dont see any visible breaks in the wire.

[Jesse30]

hmm your gauge cluster could have just taken a crap on you. considering the condition your car was in when you first bought it. its very likely its no good :)

maybe idk, im not too great with electronics. i just know how to do simple things. talk to the stereo guy. i think his name is luke. he'll probably be able to diagnose it better than me.

[MikeE30325i]

Ok thanks dude. i am pretty sure the gauge is broken, just wanted to see if their was a simpler solution

[JasonC]

what if your speedo and odometer dont work? what is the culprit then, and how do you fix it?

Mine does this sometimes, but the way i gather it the sodering joints need to be reflowed on the circit board.

[MikeE30325i]

Mine does this sometimes, but the way i gather it the sodering joints need to be reflowed on the circit board.

Sounds like a day of fun. lol

[Jesse30]

haha soldering isnt a good time. my guage cluster likes to tell my i have a full tank. till i smack it and then it reads correctly. hahah. my temp needs to get smacked back into line too, along with my tach. pretty much all that works correctly on my gauge cluster is my speedo. odometer went out at 131xxx and i have just been too lazy to get the new gears and fix it. :) my fist fixes everything else that goes on the fritz.

[JasonC]

haha soldering isnt a good time. my guage cluster likes to tell my i have a full tank. till i smack it and then it reads correctly. hahah. my temp needs to get smacked back into line too, along with my tach. pretty much all that works correctly on my gauge cluster is my speedo. odometer went out at 131xxx and i have just been too lazy to get the new gears and fix it. :) my fist fixes everything else that goes on the fritz.

I have to smack my dash too, to get the gas gauge to read right.

[Jesse30]

I have to smack my dash too, to get the gas gauge to read right.

do you have the same problem with the temp?

[JasonC]

do you have the same problem with the temp?

No..

[MikeE30325i]

I have to smack my dash too, to get the gas gauge to read right.

i havent had to resort to these methods.................yet. lol