Cluster lights flicker
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 217
Likes: 1
From: Atlanta GA
I;ve have had the same problem on my '93 for 10 years. It's got to be a loose connection or ground somewhere. Curiously, every time it was at the dealer for service it would be fine for about 30 days after I got it back. I can't help wondering what they did each time they worked on it that made the lights work for a while?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,270
Likes: 26
From: Winchester VA
Cruise-In V Veteran
There is a cluster of ground wires that should be in the area of the driver side cylinder head, under the wiper motor. I had the same issue and found this cluster had come loose.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 9,226
Likes: 9
From: Irvine Ca
Aye Chihuahua!!
Go to Batee.com.......Yes it is a grounding issue but it is not found under the hood.
Batee has the most comprehensive write up with step by step instructions...it is well written and if you follow it to a "T", you'll fix this problem in about the time it takes to watch a football game on the TV that is in your Garage.
Get the bulbs you need ahead of time and DO NOT poo poo his advice to get a set of "Nut Drivers" that fit into your cordless drill.
DO NOT get intimidated!!! it is a really cool procedure that anyone can do.
Go to Batee.com.......Yes it is a grounding issue but it is not found under the hood.
Batee has the most comprehensive write up with step by step instructions...it is well written and if you follow it to a "T", you'll fix this problem in about the time it takes to watch a football game on the TV that is in your Garage.
Get the bulbs you need ahead of time and DO NOT poo poo his advice to get a set of "Nut Drivers" that fit into your cordless drill.
DO NOT get intimidated!!! it is a really cool procedure that anyone can do.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 9,226
Likes: 9
From: Irvine Ca
Alright, before you ask....three are three PCBs that are screwed together and the sit 90° to the ground....with heavy electronic components hanging on the Green board....the solder gets old and cracks causing a grounding issue.
Tell me, when the lights go away....are the Turn signals and Bright light indicator illuminated???
So you take out the Cluster, take apart the three boards with the nut driver, then you take your soldering iron and heat up the existing solder which repairs the crack......then you put it all back together after you make sure it is all clean.
Tell me, when the lights go away....are the Turn signals and Bright light indicator illuminated???
So you take out the Cluster, take apart the three boards with the nut driver, then you take your soldering iron and heat up the existing solder which repairs the crack......then you put it all back together after you make sure it is all clean.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
One common failure mode of the voltage regulator inside the alternator is to begin oscillating and you will notice that ALL lights on the car flicker continuosly. You can prove its the voltage regulator by unplugging the alternator when the engine is running and seeing if the flickering stops. You can replace the voltage regulator inside the alternator. Your description isn't continuosly flickering lights, but rather intermittent lights on the cluster, so that problem is usually an intermittent ground wire on the cluster, either at the circuit boards or on the ground wire coming out of the cluster. One symptom of a bad cluster ground has already been mentioned, that being both turn signal indicator lamps being on.
Racer
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 432
Likes: 19
I would have to agree that if the regulator were the problem, ALL ofthe lights would show this "flicker". If it is only the dash lights, I would say that the condition is specific to the dash system.
I've addressed the bad ground issue on the pins that slide through the board in the past. Now, I've got an issue with my '85's dash where the lights will go out for quite a while and then, mysteriously come back on while driving. Sometimes, when I start the car, they are on and sometimes, not. The high beam indicator and turn signals are not illuminated at all so I don't think that I'm dealing with the faulty ground issue but i'm still trying to figure it out. I have one bulb out so I purchased four 882s from NAPA ($9 each) and will swap them out today. Not that I think a blown bulb will cause this but I'll see if I can find anything else while I'm in there. I'll also check out Batee.com for any insights and the ground on the engine. Anyone else got any ideas?
I've addressed the bad ground issue on the pins that slide through the board in the past. Now, I've got an issue with my '85's dash where the lights will go out for quite a while and then, mysteriously come back on while driving. Sometimes, when I start the car, they are on and sometimes, not. The high beam indicator and turn signals are not illuminated at all so I don't think that I'm dealing with the faulty ground issue but i'm still trying to figure it out. I have one bulb out so I purchased four 882s from NAPA ($9 each) and will swap them out today. Not that I think a blown bulb will cause this but I'll see if I can find anything else while I'm in there. I'll also check out Batee.com for any insights and the ground on the engine. Anyone else got any ideas?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,043
Likes: 8
From: Tampa Florida
Racer
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 432
Likes: 19
I'll check the power board also. Oddly enough, I've had the car out several times and for now, the dash has ALWAYS been lit. I do have one bulb out and I purchased the complete set with the bases so, I might just see how long it will want to stay lit and when it finally does konk out, I'll change all the bulbs while I'm in there. Too hot today! 
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 9,226
Likes: 9
From: Irvine Ca
^^Are you going to try Batee.com??? Or...just do what you think.
We'll help....but when the answer was given in post 10 and again in 14....what else can we do at that moment? Twirl a dead cat over our heads at midnight during a full moon?
We'll help....but when the answer was given in post 10 and again in 14....what else can we do at that moment? Twirl a dead cat over our heads at midnight during a full moon?
Racer
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 432
Likes: 19
JH,
I'd love to see the dead cat trick! Haven't witnessed one of those in a while.
I've printed out the info from Batee.com and when I get into the dash, I'll check it out. This forum has been a big help so far on this, and other issues. I'm just learning as much as I can about these systems before getting into a situation where I have to learn from the phrase, "Okay, here's where you shouldn't have done that!" Done that enough to know it's best to know going in...
thanks for the help.
I'd love to see the dead cat trick! Haven't witnessed one of those in a while.
I've printed out the info from Batee.com and when I get into the dash, I'll check it out. This forum has been a big help so far on this, and other issues. I'm just learning as much as I can about these systems before getting into a situation where I have to learn from the phrase, "Okay, here's where you shouldn't have done that!" Done that enough to know it's best to know going in...
thanks for the help.
Racer
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 432
Likes: 19
Chalk another one up for Batee.com's site. I went in and soldered the joints for the pins that go between the boards and haven't had an issue since. Now, it's only been a few days but I would have typically seen an issue by now if it wasn't fixed. I also got the bulbs from NAPA, with the bases and I think the dash is brighter. Wether because of the bulbs or the improved grounding, I don't know.
Now, here's one for you dash gurus. When I test drove the car, the fuel mileage gauge wouldn't work at all. It constantly showed 12 miles for the average and NO instant, even after hitting reset. After about 5-6 miles, the dash lights started to flicker very fast (never did that before) and then they stayed on and the fuel mileage gauge started to work. BTW, it was night time and I had the headlights on. My question is, does the dash have some sort of re-set that it does or what would cause the lights to flicker and the fuel gauge to start working? Only did it that one time and they've worked fine ever since.
Now, here's one for you dash gurus. When I test drove the car, the fuel mileage gauge wouldn't work at all. It constantly showed 12 miles for the average and NO instant, even after hitting reset. After about 5-6 miles, the dash lights started to flicker very fast (never did that before) and then they stayed on and the fuel mileage gauge started to work. BTW, it was night time and I had the headlights on. My question is, does the dash have some sort of re-set that it does or what would cause the lights to flicker and the fuel gauge to start working? Only did it that one time and they've worked fine ever since.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,043
Likes: 8
From: Tampa Florida
Chalk another one up for Batee.com's site. I went in and soldered the joints for the pins that go between the boards and haven't had an issue since. Now, it's only been a few days but I would have typically seen an issue by now if it wasn't fixed. I also got the bulbs from NAPA, with the bases and I think the dash is brighter. Wether because of the bulbs or the improved grounding, I don't know.
Now, here's one for you dash gurus. When I test drove the car, the fuel mileage gauge wouldn't work at all. It constantly showed 12 miles for the average and NO instant, even after hitting reset. After about 5-6 miles, the dash lights started to flicker very fast (never did that before) and then they stayed on and the fuel mileage gauge started to work. BTW, it was night time and I had the headlights on. My question is, does the dash have some sort of re-set that it does or what would cause the lights to flicker and the fuel gauge to start working? Only did it that one time and they've worked fine ever since.
Now, here's one for you dash gurus. When I test drove the car, the fuel mileage gauge wouldn't work at all. It constantly showed 12 miles for the average and NO instant, even after hitting reset. After about 5-6 miles, the dash lights started to flicker very fast (never did that before) and then they stayed on and the fuel mileage gauge started to work. BTW, it was night time and I had the headlights on. My question is, does the dash have some sort of re-set that it does or what would cause the lights to flicker and the fuel gauge to start working? Only did it that one time and they've worked fine ever since.
As for the "fuel mileage" issue that function goes through the DIC switch panel in the center console....probably one of the switches in the DIC or main cluster (the smaller one) connections was not making good contact. If it is working now don't mess with it unless you have further issues.
Glad you got it fixed!
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 9,226
Likes: 9
From: Irvine Ca
One thing you'll notice with the brighter bulbs, you'll see that the top left corner of your Speedometer bar starts to illuminate. That is from the Liquid Crystals getting excited from heat (rather than voltage). Feel it when you see it...you'll see that it is pretty hot.
I had to take a small "spitwad" and put it over the photo diode to block some of the light
That is the small "eye" in the upper left corner of your dash, this tricks it into thinking that it is darker outside....so it purposefully "dims" itself and in turn, cuts down the heat generated by the Napa bulbs.