Electrical Issues

[jbinsure]

I think that you might be right. Today I went out and smacked the dashboard as I had read in another posting someone had done that, and all of the gauges lit up, the OBC ( I guess that's what it is, the keypad type thing to the left of the radio which has never lit up) all came on. However, I went out this evening and the battery was dead. I jump started, let it run for 10-15 mintues and it starts, but very slowly. So, something must be draining the battery. Could the instrument cluster if it were indeed going out, cause the drain on the battery? Or is it coincidental and I just have a bad battery? Or alternator? Very frustrating. Does anyone know where I can find out how to check the grounds as atv087 suggested? Things with fluid I can fix, but things with wires make me very nervous!!

Interesting thought I had....Recently I noticed a ton of static whenever I tried to turn the volume up on the radio. Bad radio is what I thought, but perhaps it was the ground!?!?!?

Thanks for all of your help!
Jeff