Help with Digital Dash.....PLEASE!!!
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 24,650
Likes: 8
Help with Digital Dash.....PLEASE!!!
Well, I officially have NO idea what my car is doing while driving it...
center cluster is 100% faded out
Tach is about 50% gone (front the center out)
and speedo has been gone since a repair man ripped me off by installing a defective one...lost 275 bucks....dang it...
Im looking for info on where to find some good used ones for an 85 vette. Or if they arent too expensive, some new ones.
also, how to install them.
Thanks everyone!
Tommy, rod'n along, as usual.
center cluster is 100% faded out
Tach is about 50% gone (front the center out)
and speedo has been gone since a repair man ripped me off by installing a defective one...lost 275 bucks....dang it...
Im looking for info on where to find some good used ones for an 85 vette. Or if they arent too expensive, some new ones.
also, how to install them.
Thanks everyone!
Tommy, rod'n along, as usual.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
In another post some CFers claimed they bought some at ebay. Replacement isn't difficult, BUT, the LCD panels connect to fine, closely spaced conductors on the circuit board and they must be aligned properly or segments will not operate. You can plug the cluster in and start the engine to see if you installed them correctly.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 24,650
Likes: 8
I was so mad when Igot jipped by that mechanic....
275 dollars for a speedo LCD, and it was broken when it was installed. I drove it off the lot and saw that the bars stopepd at like 35MPH....and picked up at around 75, the digits dont work either.
I went back and he said, READ YOUR BILL, no warranty after it leaves the lot....I was like WTF!
275 dollars for a speedo LCD, and it was broken when it was installed. I drove it off the lot and saw that the bars stopepd at like 35MPH....and picked up at around 75, the digits dont work either.
I went back and he said, READ YOUR BILL, no warranty after it leaves the lot....I was like WTF!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 6,252
Likes: 2
From: Silicon Valley Kalifornia
Happened to me MANY years ago. In investigating it I removed the dash from the car. Took it apart on a bench VERY carefully making sure I was grounded so as to not static discharge ANY electricty into the circuits. Took everything apart; pulled the LCD displays off the PCBs. CLeaned all connectors; reassembled carefully; installed new halogen bulbs (no le touch bulb with fingers); and re-installed on to car and to my AMAZEMENT it worked like new. I suspect the connector pins get an oxide film after time that might affect the cluster's performance. Good luck. 
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
These might help................................
http://www.batee.com/corvette/dcrg/repair.htm
http://www.corvettemagazine.com/1999...ash/dashp1.asp
http://www.batee.com/corvette/dcrg/repair.htm
http://www.corvettemagazine.com/1999...ash/dashp1.asp
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 380
Likes: 0
From: Farmington Hills MI
Originally Posted by funder354
These might help................................
http://www.batee.com/corvette/dcrg/repair.htm
http://www.corvettemagazine.com/1999...ash/dashp1.asp
http://www.batee.com/corvette/dcrg/repair.htm
http://www.corvettemagazine.com/1999...ash/dashp1.asp
Especially the guide from Batee. Follow the steps closely, and you will very likely repair your problem. Skip a step and you will be going back in to that cluster another time (spoken from experience). Also, if you did not know a lot about thisstuff before the repair, you will become an expert by the time you are done!Truthfully, this can be a very rewarding experience. There is something special about seeing the full cluster light up upon installation. Good luck!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,629
Likes: 7
From: Lawrenceville PA
If worse comes to worse, you can send it out to be repaired. I used this guy and although it wasn't an ideal situation my dash works fine now. Cost about $185 to repair.
http://www.corvettedashclusterservic...ectrepair.html
http://www.corvettedashclusterservic...ectrepair.html
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 16,105
Likes: 7
From: Canal Winchester OH
CI 3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11 Vet
CI X Blind Auto-X Champ
Originally Posted by RED-85-Z51
I went back and he said, READ YOUR BILL, no warranty after it leaves the lot....I was like WTF!
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Advanced
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Fairhope Alabama
Digital Dash
Brand new to the forum. Been reading and see a lot of good info. I've had my 89 for 7 years and it's been a great car. Got 190,000mile on it. One day I got in and the whole dash is a blur, been fine up till then. If I wear polarized sun glasses it's all there. In other words it's working fine but you can't see it except with polarized lens.?????
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,954
Likes: 2
From: Obama=death for America
[and speedo has been gone since a repair man ripped me off by installing a defective one...lost 275 bucks....dang it...
I know if I brought my car in for repair and had a mechanic do what he did to you, he'd either repair it to my satisfaction or he'd be in court faster than he could return my money. He'd do one or the other.
I know if I brought my car in for repair and had a mechanic do what he did to you, he'd either repair it to my satisfaction or he'd be in court faster than he could return my money. He'd do one or the other.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,858
Likes: 7
From: Santa Maria CA
Originally Posted by 87 Ragtop
Now that is a bunch of crap. HTF are you supposed to get it over 35 w/o driving off the lot........
Would give you a good reason to do a standing burn out in their lot for chity work. 
Last edited by 86PACER; Jan 23, 2006 at 04:07 AM.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 24,650
Likes: 8
Originally Posted by CentralCoaster
If one is light on part of it, then at least one bulb is working. I'd check those first.
What happens is One day you will notice a small distortion in the center of the gauge. And over the next 3 weeks it will progress outward in a uniform manner until the entire gauge is un-readable. I can see the numbers moving very faintly
When the car is off, you can see the graphix of the dash.
