What would cause my digital dashs power supply to fry? I saw a white stream of smoke rise from the back of the cluster. The cluster stopped working. I sent the cluster to Ken Anderson in GA. He called me and said the power supply was bad and he replaced it and said it works great. I got it back and installed it. It didn't work. It wouldnt light and if you turned the key on and off alot ( 5-10 times) it may all come on like a self test for a few seconds and go off. I called Gordon Killebrew. He told me to ground the dash directly and walked me through it. It didn't work and he charged me 40 dollers. He told me if I had ground on d1 and d3 and power on d5 (battery) and keyed power on d15 and c16 my dash will light. I used my VOM meter and have power and ground on these cavities on my 32 pin harness connector. I ran a jumper wire from my 2001 PT cruizer and grounded the pins on the cluster itself and supplied power from the PT to the power pins on the cluster and still nothing. I called Ken Anderson and returned the cluster to him. He called me back and said the cluster is fine he didn't touch anything and the problem must be my car. He returned the cluster and I reinstalled it, but it still acts like it did before. So I am wondering what could fry the power supply so I can locate that thing and maybe it too is broken and if I repair it it will make my dash work again. Any ideas?

 

Reference FSM Electrical section for pinouts and connections.
also
check out batee site, search for addl info

 

Thank you Vinnies, but did already. Thats why I posted for others to give ideas. I am ready for real guages and do away with this pain in the rear digital crap.

 

Damn dude, you gotta a tough one for sure.

There has to be something in your connectors.

IF Ken Anderson can plug it in and it works....then we return to your car

IF you can check the individual wires for power or ground.....that is good but ARE they making connection when plugged in?? That is the only thing left. You may need to look inside your connectors....which would be practically impossible.

And believe me Wriggling that thing in and out of the hole it fits into......I do not envy you in the least.

 

Thanks for the encouragement!!! I don't envy me either. I sent it out today for a second opinion. I hope they find somthing or else I have nowhere to start. ECM? Ignition switch? I have no more ideas left.