blinking dash
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
From: Springfield MO
blinking dash
Driving this evening and the dash started blinking and at one point went out for an instant then back on. At that point it was almost like the car died for a moment. How about it electrical gurus any ideas? Thanks
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,518
Likes: 19
I am going from memory, so do not take this as fact. I believe the flickering is a bad ground. The ambient temp sensor for the dash is located on the firewall near the brake pedal on the inside of the car. One side goes to ground. I believe you tap the ground side and run it to a new, fresh, clean ground. This normally fixes the problem. A second thing to try if that does not work, remove dash cluster, take it apart and clean the pins that connect the 2 boards together with alcohol.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
When you ask for help, always include the year your vette is !!!!!!!!!!!!
The cluster has two circuit boards that plug together with a single row of pins on the front board into a socket on the rear board. The end pin near the center of the circuit board carries the lamp current and an age relaxed spring causes connection resistance. The lamp current through this resistance causes enough heat to unsolder the pin. Resoldering the pin will not correct this problem! I fixed my 87 by soldering a short insulated piece of hookup wire from the pin to the socket about 8 years ago and I haven't had a problem since.
The cluster has two circuit boards that plug together with a single row of pins on the front board into a socket on the rear board. The end pin near the center of the circuit board carries the lamp current and an age relaxed spring causes connection resistance. The lamp current through this resistance causes enough heat to unsolder the pin. Resoldering the pin will not correct this problem! I fixed my 87 by soldering a short insulated piece of hookup wire from the pin to the socket about 8 years ago and I haven't had a problem since.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 20,179
Likes: 673
From: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
St. Jude '03 thru '24
Originally Posted by granpastoy
...the dash started blinking and at one point went out for an instant then back on.
At that point it was almost like the car died for a moment.
At that point it was almost like the car died for a moment.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,130
Likes: 2
From: seattle WA
The blinking or blackout is very typical of our digi dashes-all advice given above is good. But, I too am concerned with the second part-almost died? You may want to check your connections to the alternator, and also battery connections.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers
Joe Kucinski
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained
Joe Kucinski
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
