First, I have the FSM (CD Version) and have read the article on Batee several times. My cluster stopped working, gauges and lights, everything suddenly. At first it would flick on afeter hitting a bump or such, but nothing now. After reading the above and every thread I could find on the Forum, I believe it fair to say that the problem is either a bad component or ground in the cluster box, due to broken solder joint, ex on a circuit board, or the whole box has a ground problem.

I have dissaembled the box and examined the circuit boards, as Batee says, and find no broken solder joints. It is my understanding that the cluster is grounded by way of a wire or wires that leave the box and attach to a ground under the dash or elsewhere. Is there a way to identify that ground wire and determine if the wire is indeed grounded? There are two verticle connectors that plug into the right side of the cluster box. Which pin on these connectors, or what color is the ground wire? THe FSM says the cluster grounds to G201, and says it is 'behind the IP, left side steering wheel'. What does this G201 look like?

I have looked at the wiring diagrams in the FSM, and they appear to be written in Russian or Sanskrit. Any help with this question will be appreciated. If I cannot isolate the ground wireor something external to the box as the problem, my next step will be to throw money at the problem and send the box out to be refurbished and hope that was the problem. Thanks.

 

Its very unlikely that the problem exist outside the cluster....

When the cluster is disassembled, the back off, the main board exposed, look at the opposite side from the odometer at the big horizontal plastic plug in for the back board to plug onto the display board...its has 12 pins? 10? I forget....anyway,
the outside socket is the ground path that runs the perimeter of the board. The solder cracks under the plug...often impossible to see. Get the DVM and test in the socket and the appropiate ground path thats obvious as a loop that goes past everything. You MAY have to cut away the outside edge of the plastic plug to access the lower end of the socket where its soldered,. but thats where most failures are. That plug hangs horizontally when the cluster is installed and vibration eventually causes the weight of the plug to work on the solder/contacts and break either the thin contact metal or the solder will crack. Takes a magnifying glass or head-set to see the crack sometimes. Hi beam lite, both arrows...dark display= cracked plug at the board,.

The easy way is to exchange..... $350 for a swap out...

 

Thank you for the information. I note that my dash turn signal lamps DO work. They are the only thing in the cluster that does work.

 

Go back to Batee and check the voltage on the pins of the 32 pin connector. The grounds are all black one has a white trace if I remember correctly. If you put one lead on the black wired pins and one lead on a known ground you should show very little resistance on a DVM. Check and see which pins supply battery voltages and check each of these. If everything is good according to Batee, your problem is with the boards.

There is a 10 pin connector between the two boards and it is indeed a trouble spot. You might try resoldering each of the connectors. Just be careful and dont heat anything up too much.

Good luck!

 

Know that the cluster's LCD back lighting voltage is supplied from a fuse in the fuse panel.

The rest of the voltage that drives all the solid state chips/functions that appear on the cluster's LCD panels is all generated within cluster via the power supply on the back PCB card.

If your cluster is totally dark (no turn signals "on") when the engine is in run/start then you got more than just a "ground" issue.

IF the turn signals are both "on" when the cluster is still dark in run/start then continue to resolve the "grounding" issue.

Try to see if you can get the back lighting voltage working first.

 

To carry on with this subject, I see that some people mention about poor earths?
I did see a photo of a cluster with a number of black wires over the circuit board, but can I find that information now, NO.
A google search brought up a lot of information but most was not related, or it only showed one wire being added, this was from the Batee site.
Is there further information on all the earths that should be fitted to improve grounding?

And does anyone know where I can get a replacement motor for my dead odometer? I cannot find a replacement in New Zealand. Guess I only need the motor seeing it's held in by 2 screws. A good price would be great.

Cheers Kevin.

 

If your turn/hi beam indicators are not constantly lit your external grounds to your dash are fine. As mentioned your problem probly lies with the 10 pin Molex connector between the boards. Your problem may not be with grounds but may be on the + side as I experienced. Check out my thread here for my solution. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-g...-be-light.html

I think the ground is at the opposite end of the 10 pin connector IIRC. My problem was pretty obvious so follow batee and take your dash apart and take a look. As long as you dont break any LCD's the refurb of your dash wont cost any more than normal.

Good luck

 

Facebook Album

Click the link above to my Facebook album. I have photos in there that show the electrical connecter that's inside the cluster that had to be fixed when mine went out. I did however have the blinkers and brights indicator illuminated at all times when mine went out. Those jumper wires are just connecting the pin that comes from the bottom PCB to the reception connection on the top PCB.

Take care in getting a very hot soldering iron as the metal in the cluster does not take solder very well. Took me a few tries after that to get it to hold indefinitely.

If you know someone or have access to a electronics repair shop that is qualified in micro and advanced soldering I would take it there as he can probably just replace the whole connector.

Don't put in that fuse, the white wire and fuse seen in some of the pics was someones attempt before me to fix it. I have been about 2 months since I fixed mine and I have not has a problem since.

Mention to the above guy, I followed bates write up to originally find my problem and fix it.