neon dash lights, ecu problem?

[flashymike]

I have a 1995 neon with a dohc 2.0. A while back my radio and instrument lights just stopped working, all fuses are good. Now recently the battery "dumbie" light on the instrument cluster comes off and on. Alternator and battery tested out good. Someone had suggested that the "computer" might be bad and is causing the problems with the dash. Any thoughts, ideas, opinions? anything at all would be appreciated. THANKS

[Fractured1]

I think I would check my dimming circuit first...could be the switch

[das2123]

Your gauge may need to be resoldered. Here is a how-to:

Originally Posted by texican

Remove your gauges/cluster: Pop the upper part of your dash off. There are no screws, it just pops straight up and out. Put it in your back seat. The cluster had 4 screws holding it in. The hardest screw to reach is the bottom left screw. I used an offset screwdriver to reach it. Once those are out, the cluster just pops out. You don't have to worry about unhooking anything.

Flip your cluster over. Remove the paper protector from the cluster. The screws are #15 Torx head screws. Once the paper is removed, remove ALL of the remaining screws. I believe there are 9 of them, also #15 Torx head. You don't have to remove the bulbs. Disconnect the 4-pin ribbon cable. Slowly and carefully work the circuit board off of the pins. Try not to crack the circuit board. Once you break the board, this little job is done and you'll have to find a new cluster.

Once you have the circuit board loose, flip it over and heat up your soldering iron. The points you need to reflow are the 20 joints in the red ovals:



Set you hot soldering iron onto the very top of the soldering joints. There is probably a wire nib sticking out of the solder. Use that. Watch the solder, it will appear to change color. That's all. It won't move or anything, just change color. Don't add any solder to it. Make sure it changes color all the way down. Set the circuit board off to the side for a few minutes to allow it to cool, the reassemble it the opposite of disassembly.

You've just successfully reflowed the cold solder joints in your cluster, and you shouldn't have anymore jumping gauges. If your gauges continue to jump or flicker, then you've A) found a way to screw this up or B) have a cracked circuit board and you need to replace the entire cluster.

If your cluster is still acting up after this, you may need to add a little solder to it.

[flashymike]

dimming circuit? where is that? what to check for? also, i didn't mention that the radio doesnt work at all. no lights, no music.

[das2123]

Originally Posted by flashymike

dimming circuit? where is that? what to check for? also, i didn't mention that the radio doesnt work at all. no lights, no music.

But the car starts and runs, right? If so, you are gonna have to look for some loose wires or bad grounds.

[flashymike]

good point, the car starts right up and drives like a champ. good point, could be loose wires. i guess i'm still curious as to where the mechanic is immediately assuming new computer.

[das2123]

Originally Posted by flashymike

i guess i'm still curious as to where the mechanic is immediately assuming new computer.

MONEY! You have to remember not all mechanics are very good at diagnosing electrical gremlins/problems. Most will say it's a computer problem w/o even looking for a bad ground or loose wire. That's why it is so important to look under the hood, under the engine, and behind the engine for loose and/or bad/frayed wires. To save yourself some money.