'85 Digital Dash - HELP(?)
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2003
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From: Largo FL
'85 Digital Dash - HELP(?)
Hey Guys (& Gals) -
Last night while I was out tooling about, my dash went off & on 2-3 times, and the last time was off for almost a minute or so. I know the digi-dash on the 85 can be problematic, but I'd like to know if this is a symptom of the dash needing to be replaced in the near future, or if it sounds more like a short. It didn't flicker, and it didn't happen in conjunction with anything else (bumps, acceleration, sneezing, or the like). I'm praying it's a short, as I was messing with the trim panels under the dash replacing burnt bulbs, and had a keyless entry installed (and subsequently corrected to work the security properly), so I'm hoping it may be just a short or a loose wire. No information loss, like it shut down and rebooted, it just went dark, then came back on.
Any guesses would be more than appreciated.
K
Last night while I was out tooling about, my dash went off & on 2-3 times, and the last time was off for almost a minute or so. I know the digi-dash on the 85 can be problematic, but I'd like to know if this is a symptom of the dash needing to be replaced in the near future, or if it sounds more like a short. It didn't flicker, and it didn't happen in conjunction with anything else (bumps, acceleration, sneezing, or the like). I'm praying it's a short, as I was messing with the trim panels under the dash replacing burnt bulbs, and had a keyless entry installed (and subsequently corrected to work the security properly), so I'm hoping it may be just a short or a loose wire. No information loss, like it shut down and rebooted, it just went dark, then came back on.
Any guesses would be more than appreciated.
K
Pro
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From: ALAMOGORDO NM
Re: '85 Digital Dash - HELP(?) (kirks518)
It's most likely the four light bulbs located behind the aluiminum buttons, after removing the bezel. The light bulbs are the most common problem in the Digidash. This same thing happened to me and I replaced the bulbs, never had another problem. The bulbs are around $10 a piece and you will need four of them.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,830
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From: Charlestown IN
Cruise-In V Veteran
Re: '85 Digital Dash - HELP(?) (kirks518)
Did the problem occur when you had the keyless/security work done? You might check the ground straps for it on the bellhousing, driver's side, top bolt. They'll mess it up pretty quick! :smash:
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Re: '85 Digital Dash - HELP(?) (86VETTEMAN)
It's most likely the four light bulbs located behind the aluiminum buttons, after removing the bezel. The light bulbs are the most common problem in the Digidash. This same thing happened to me and I replaced the bulbs, never had another problem. The bulbs are around $10 a piece and you will need four of them.
This happened to my 85 exactly as you describe. Replacing the bulbs is no biggie. Be careful not to touch the surface of the bulbs with your bare hands or get dirt/oil on them.
dan
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2003
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From: Largo FL
Re: '85 Digital Dash - HELP(?) (kirks518)
Thanks for the help all. I'll give those 4 bulbs a try, and see how it goes. Hasn't happened since that night, but I'll change 'em anyway.
Only had the car for one day before I got the keyless remote, so really not enough time to say whether it was happening before the keyless.
Only had the car for one day before I got the keyless remote, so really not enough time to say whether it was happening before the keyless.
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Racer
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Nova Scotia Canada, Eh.
Re: '85 Digital Dash - HELP(?) (kirks518)
If you lost everything, I don't think it's the bulbs. They can't all go at once.
Look for a ground problem.
I had a transmission rebuild, and they didn't hook up a ground properly, 1 hour after leaving the shop, while driving, I lost the whole digital dash. (almost everything else kept working) It was a disconnected ground.
Look for a ground problem.
I had a transmission rebuild, and they didn't hook up a ground properly, 1 hour after leaving the shop, while driving, I lost the whole digital dash. (almost everything else kept working) It was a disconnected ground.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: ALAMOGORDO NM
Re: '85 Digital Dash - HELP(?) (shansen)
Yes they can, this very same thing happened to me and it was my bulbs. Over time the sockets that house the bulbs become very brittle and can crack very easily. I had to replace my bulbs and the little sockets, they were so bad, when the bulbs blew, the sockets were chared. $40 dollars later and some patients, I had a new digidash.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 11,259
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From: dfw TX
Moderatrix
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Re: '85 Digital Dash - HELP(?) (shansen)
Hi I have a problem with my dash blinking out in my 85 too. In my case all the bulbs are new and my ex husband cleaned the digidash when we had it apart to change the bulbs. In the end my problem is due to bad contatcs from the facia and the digisash. This is due to a bad stress crack the runs diagonally across the car (most early C4s have one too) In my case if I lightly press the facia against the digidash (try two or three different spots to see if this works) the dash comes back on and problem solved. :cheers:
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2003
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From: Largo FL
Re: '85 Digital Dash - HELP(?) (kirks518)
Well, it happened again today, but this time in the daylight. The information is being displayed, just not (back)lit. Looks like I'll be changing the bulbs and sockets this weekend.
Anyone know part numbers and bulb numbers? And a store that may stock these?
Thanks again - K
Anyone know part numbers and bulb numbers? And a store that may stock these?
Thanks again - K
Pro
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: ALAMOGORDO NM
Re: '85 Digital Dash - HELP(?) (kirks518)
I think the bulbs are Halogen 885's. You can get them at NAPA. I would check to be suer that it is the bulbs before you spend the money for new ones. You can check them by removing the front bezel and taking the aluminum buttons off. Then, turn the key in th " On" position. They should light up. If they do then there must be a grounding ploblem, but, if they don't light up then, the bulbs are your problem. Good luck and let us know what happens.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
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From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Re: '85 Digital Dash - HELP(?) (kirks518)
There is a single row of pins that connect the two circuit boards together in the cluster. The pin closest to the center of the board carries the lamp current and the spring on the socket of the rear board gets age relaxed and causes a resistance connection, the lamp current heats the socket up until the pin on the front board becomes unsoldered. Resoldering the pin won't fix it, I soldered a short piece of small (#26) insulated hookup wire from the front board (pin) to the rear board (socket) and have never had a problem since.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Oklahoma City Oklahoma
Re: '85 Digital Dash - HELP(?) (jfb)
4 bulbs going out at once? Doesn't that seem a little unlikely? My dash did the same thing for about a week before it went completely dark. Had it rebuilt, and new power supply installed. Entire job was $245. Good as new, and have the newsest updated power supply. Works great! :thumbs:
Instructor
Joined: May 2003
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From: Gretna LA
Re: '85 Digital Dash - HELP(?) (kirks518)
I don't know how far back this goes in tech but the problem with the dash is the ground. And the ground was researched and found adding a second ground not only fixed the problem but also brightened the display twice as much. there was a post on doing this under tech tips I thought.
