Whacky Instrument Cluster '02 Silverado

[Blacksport350]

I have on '02 Silverado and the instrument cluster has started doing strange things. The following happens:

1. ABS and Airbag warning lights come on.
2. Fuel and Temp(or one other access gauge) drop to 0.
3. The indicator that tells you what gear you are in is not displayed but the actual display of "PND321, etc" is displayed just fine.
4. The message center displays "Serivce 4WD", the battery symbol and "Security".

It seems that hitting a bump just right might cause the gauges to fire back up but I could be imagining that and the same holds for the ABS and Airbag lights.

The message center fault lights and gear indicator issue can be solved by turning the key on and off a few times.

There do not seem to be any other issues and everything appears to work fine. Also, there are no fault codes stored when check with a scanner.

Any ideas? Loose connector, faulty cluster, bad powertrain control module???

I would be very greatfull for any help as intermittent problems like this are the worst!

Thanks in advance!

[Blacksport350]

Found this old thread which is almost the exact same problem as mine but a resolution was never posted:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...rument+cluster

[Blacksport350]

Okay, the resolution to the other guys almost identical problem was a loose ground connection from the firewall to the back of the engine. I checked this on mine and it is tight and free of any corrosion.

I left the key on and with the gauges and everything else acting up, I start screwing around with grounds under the hood. It seems as if shaking the negative wiring harness of the battery made everything go back to normal but I couldn't get it to screw up again.

Just to be safe, I checked the connections inside the boot of the negative battery terminal, the terminal itself, the connection to the starter which is at the other end of the battery cable and checked the connection of the small negative wire from the battery which attaches to the frame by the drivers side front tow hook(pulled it of, cleaned to bare metal and put it back on). Anyway, nothing looked screwed up so I highly doubt the problem is solved.

I'm not sure if I mentioned that the battery is new and the truck has under 25K miles and has never really seen snow let alone rain! I am puzzled but it has to be a ground or connection. Anyone got any ideas for other grounds to check? I don't think it is a connection problem at the cluster as pounding on it and the dash didn't solve the problem.

I am baffled...HELP!

[horse482]

Ignition switch has also caused similar problems, gm has a tsb on the problems.

[Blacksport350]

Originally Posted by horse482

Ignition switch has also caused similar problems, gm has a tsb on the problems.

So I have heard but I am now 100% certain that the problem is coming and going with bumps in the road so something is loose, I just can't find the something yet.

Ideas anyone?

It could be a ground behind the dash but I am not sure where to start looking on this truck.

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by Blacksport350

So I have heard but I am now 100% certain that the problem is coming and going with bumps in the road so something is loose, I just can't find the something yet.

Ideas anyone?

It could be a ground behind the dash but I am not sure where to start looking on this truck.

May be the insturment cluster or wiring going to it or plug in on back of it.
Does it help to give it the old whack the dash test?
You could pull the insturment cluster and check the plug in and run a pin out test on power feeds and ground with a good volt/ohm meter.
Also ater you get it out plug it back in and tap and whack and or wiggle or twist it.
If all else fails go for a rebuilt or used insturment cluster.
The odmeter law says that the replacement odometer will need the same mileage set up as the old one.
Check you dealer for warranty or recalls or tsb's or good will fixes on it.
Good Luck MT

[Blacksport350]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

May be the insturment cluster or wiring going to it or plug in on back of it.
Does it help to give it the old whack the dash test?
You could pull the insturment cluster and check the plug in and run a pin out test on power feeds and ground with a good volt/ohm meter.
Also ater you get it out plug it back in and tap and whack and or wiggle or twist it.
If all else fails go for a rebuilt or used insturment cluster.
The odmeter law says that the replacement odometer will need the same mileage set up as the old one.
Check you dealer for warranty or recalls or tsb's or good will fixes on it.
Good Luck MT

Thanks, I was going to have at the cluster next. Any idea how it comes out on an '02 Silverado?

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by Blacksport350

Thanks, I was going to have at the cluster next. Any idea how it comes out on an '02 Silverado?

Easy does it. Lot of plastic crap. But not a real hard job.
A good factory service manual or a All data DIY sub would be a big help.
Also they have the wiring and power/ground pin out test.
http://www.alldata.com/products/diy/index.html
Good luck MT

[gremlin96]

do a check at the dealers thay may have a recall on it. a budy of mine found one on his 04 full size. it was doing the same thing yours is.

[Blacksport350]

I will call the dealer on Monday(this started Friday night so no dealer available) but will probably dig into the dash today.

I pounded on the bottom(pounding on the top didn't do a thing) of the dash yesterday when it was acting up and crated a new problem-the turn indicators on the dash both came on dimmly, pounding on it a few more times made them go out. Something has got to be loose, either a data connector or ground.

[Tdragone]

Going back to the Ignition Key thing... Take your Ignition key off your keyring and JUST USE IT ALONE and see if you still have the problem. This COULD be related to the TSB on the steering column as the keys tug/pull the cylinder when you hit a bump.

This was the smoking gun for a friend of mine with an 02 silverado LS 2 door crew cab.

[Blacksport350]

Originally Posted by Tdragone

Going back to the Ignition Key thing... Take your Ignition key off your keyring and JUST USE IT ALONE and see if you still have the problem. This COULD be related to the TSB on the steering column as the keys tug/pull the cylinder when you hit a bump.

This was the smoking gun for a friend of mine with an 02 silverado LS 2 door crew cab.

Very good point, however I have jiggled and tugged on the key with no change.

Although oddly enough, it now seems that the problem may randomly come and go on with start up or with a bump.

Still haven't talked to the dealer but will do so in the morning and see if there is a TSB.

[vnotaro]

Was curious to know if you figured this one out. If you haven't, here's another thought. Someone else posted on another thread about similar electrical problems but it was so bad that it affected the tranny and drivability. Don't know if I've got that 100% right but it turned out it was mice that gnawed on some wiring. Good luck!

[Blacksport350]

Originally Posted by vnotaro

Was curious to know if you figured this one out. If you haven't, here's another thought. Someone else posted on another thread about similar electrical problems but it was so bad that it affected the tranny and drivability. Don't know if I've got that 100% right but it turned out it was mice that gnawed on some wiring. Good luck!

Still haven't got it nailed yet. I have been looking for signs of chewed wiring everywhere as I have been probing around and so far, so good.

There is one ground that I need to check but haven't found yet, it is on the passenger side of the engine behind the intake manifold with 3 wires terminating from one of the harnesses. I am told that the crimp connectors are somtimes pulled free of the actual wire on original installation.

If all else fails, it is on to the ignition switch I guess. I have been tod that it is not likely that any under dash ground or connection is to blame so if everything checks out elsewhere, that is all I can think of.

I even checked the voltage across all the big and small ignition fuses to check for voltage drop.

Anyone else got any ideas?

[Blacksport350]

I am probably go to jinx myself by writing this but I think it is fixed.

I pulled the cluster out, unsnapped the back plastic cover off of the cluster, removed the rear circuit board off the cluster and resoldered the pins for the main connector, message center connector and a sub-board connector, reassembled it and it hasn't gone whacky in 4 days.

I thought for sure that it was a ground, must have been a ground connection on the cluster itself!

Posting the resolution might help someone down the road, who knows!