1988 digital gauges suddenly quit
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: NC
1988 digital gauges suddenly quit
I'm new to the forums and the corvette world, hi!
I bought a 1988 a few months back, and yesterday while driving the gauges suddenly looked all jumbled, and then went out. I've had no issues with the car until now- all the lights worked perfectly. I've driven it a couple times since the gauges went out, and sometimes the fuel one in the middle lights up but it's very dim. I think the fuel level reads accurate though if that means anything.
Any direction on how to fix it would be so helpful!
I bought a 1988 a few months back, and yesterday while driving the gauges suddenly looked all jumbled, and then went out. I've had no issues with the car until now- all the lights worked perfectly. I've driven it a couple times since the gauges went out, and sometimes the fuel one in the middle lights up but it's very dim. I think the fuel level reads accurate though if that means anything.
Any direction on how to fix it would be so helpful!
Safety Car
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 4,759
Likes: 1,647
From: Fairfax Virginia
Welcome the the Corvette Forum Bunf!
When my C4 first did that with the dashboard I would tap it in certain places to get it to come on again. It is likely a bad connection somewhere in your dashboard to chassis connections.
I have a 1988 C4 and what you experienced is not that uncommon with the digital dashboard. The electronics used in the dashboard had a fifteen year life expectancy on your 32 year old Corvette. The electrical connections are a problem as well as the polarizing film used and a variety of other possibilities.
There is a business called BATEE.COM and the owner specializes in making the dashboards work again. You can see his videos where he shows you how to troubleshoot and replace the parts involved. I would strongly suggest you contact him as he can get your Corvette on the road again for you quickly and economically. He has helped me rebuild my Dashboard and my C68 (Electronic A/C controller). He is more than willing to sell you the parts and let you fix it if you feel confident.
BATEE also sells new light bulbs for our dashboards that use less energy and make more light without the HEAT the original bulbs made. This company is a wealth of information, take a moment and look him up!
Enjoy that 1988 and Enjoy the Corvette Life!
Chris
When my C4 first did that with the dashboard I would tap it in certain places to get it to come on again. It is likely a bad connection somewhere in your dashboard to chassis connections.
I have a 1988 C4 and what you experienced is not that uncommon with the digital dashboard. The electronics used in the dashboard had a fifteen year life expectancy on your 32 year old Corvette. The electrical connections are a problem as well as the polarizing film used and a variety of other possibilities.
There is a business called BATEE.COM and the owner specializes in making the dashboards work again. You can see his videos where he shows you how to troubleshoot and replace the parts involved. I would strongly suggest you contact him as he can get your Corvette on the road again for you quickly and economically. He has helped me rebuild my Dashboard and my C68 (Electronic A/C controller). He is more than willing to sell you the parts and let you fix it if you feel confident.
BATEE also sells new light bulbs for our dashboards that use less energy and make more light without the HEAT the original bulbs made. This company is a wealth of information, take a moment and look him up!
Enjoy that 1988 and Enjoy the Corvette Life!
Chris
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,752
Likes: 276
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Hi
Are the backlight bulbs working? when you turn the headlights on does the dash illuminate?
There are 4 backlights be unusual for all to blow at once, the common problem area is the 12 pin connector between the boards in the dash.
However the 88 had better backlights that didn't draw excessive power causing bad connections on the 12 pin connector.
Having said that i did have a problem with my early dash and the newer globes, the 12 pin connector and the board connector relies on a spring strip for tension and correct connectivity. I replaced it on mine and works great since, my high beam indicator and a turn indicator lit up when the dash went blank.
As a result of the 12 pin connector ground connection bad and the dash trying to find a ground through those indicator lamps...
Hitting a bump or whacking the dashboard would sometimes restore backlighting temporarily.
See link below to the connector kit from batee, have a look around his website there are lots of tutorials that are a great help if you are not confident.
The videos of disassembling the dash are really good.
https://batee.com/collections/84-89-...tor-repair-kit
Are the backlight bulbs working? when you turn the headlights on does the dash illuminate?
There are 4 backlights be unusual for all to blow at once, the common problem area is the 12 pin connector between the boards in the dash.
However the 88 had better backlights that didn't draw excessive power causing bad connections on the 12 pin connector.
Having said that i did have a problem with my early dash and the newer globes, the 12 pin connector and the board connector relies on a spring strip for tension and correct connectivity. I replaced it on mine and works great since, my high beam indicator and a turn indicator lit up when the dash went blank.
As a result of the 12 pin connector ground connection bad and the dash trying to find a ground through those indicator lamps...
Hitting a bump or whacking the dashboard would sometimes restore backlighting temporarily.
See link below to the connector kit from batee, have a look around his website there are lots of tutorials that are a great help if you are not confident.
The videos of disassembling the dash are really good.
https://batee.com/collections/84-89-...tor-repair-kit
Last edited by gerardvg; Aug 29, 2020 at 08:35 PM.
