Dash Cluster light?
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Joined: May 2010
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Dash Cluster light?
I have searched all over this forum and haven't found the answer to this question I'm about to ask. I have a 97 c5 and my dash cluster does not light up all the indicators light up such as check engine , traction, ect... but no light behind any guages or speed and rpm. Is there a light I can buy to replace? Where is it? Do I have to buy another cluster because of this light? Cluster works fine just no light all other lights work fine in car and dim fine also just no light in cluster. Thanks for help in advance
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Joined: May 2010
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Instructor
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 150
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From: Albuquerque NM
I'm not an expert by any means but the same switch that controls the headlights, if turned all the way to the right (clicks) will turn on the interior light. All the way to the left will dim the cluster lights. If this has no effect I would guess the bulb or fuse that controls the bulb are faulty. As far as how to change this bulb???? I have never had to do it. I think I would let Chevy do it??
Last edited by vettedude521; Jul 31, 2011 at 07:30 PM.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 80
Likes: 2
I'm not an expert by any means but the same switch that controls the headlights, if turned all the way to the right (clicks) will turn on the interior light. All the way to the left will dim the cluster lights. If this has no effect I would guess the bulb or fuse that controls the bulb are faulty. As far as how to change this bulb???? I have never had to do it. I think I would let Chevy do it??
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,294
Likes: 480
From: Brea CA
The IPC is light by 2 black light tubes, one on each side. There is a High Voltage power supply on the back of the IPC that may have failed. If you have ever removed the IPC there is the possibility that one of the cables for it may not have been seated completely.
I have seen a thread on here about replacing the High Voltage power supply. If you are mechanically inclined, this is a DIY project. Otherwise get the parts and have someone do it for you. If you take it to the dealer, they probably would want you to buy a complete IPC.
Gary
I have seen a thread on here about replacing the High Voltage power supply. If you are mechanically inclined, this is a DIY project. Otherwise get the parts and have someone do it for you. If you take it to the dealer, they probably would want you to buy a complete IPC.
Gary
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
The high voltage power supply is not available to buy seperately. You have to buy the whole IPC. I would consider finding an electronic repair place that might be able to repair whatever has failed in it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,892
Likes: 47
From: Helotes TEXAS
The IPC is light by 2 black light tubes, one on each side. There is a High Voltage power supply on the back of the IPC that may have failed. If you have ever removed the IPC there is the possibility that one of the cables for it may not have been seated completely.
I have seen a thread on here about replacing the High Voltage power supply. If you are mechanically inclined, this is a DIY project. Otherwise get the parts and have someone do it for you. If you take it to the dealer, they probably would want you to buy a complete IPC.
Gary
I have seen a thread on here about replacing the High Voltage power supply. If you are mechanically inclined, this is a DIY project. Otherwise get the parts and have someone do it for you. If you take it to the dealer, they probably would want you to buy a complete IPC.
Gary
Original Founding Member!
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 9,037
Likes: 88
From: Granby, MA
Cruise-In 1, 3, 9. 10 & 11 Veteran
1. Remove IPC from car.
2. Remove the UV bulbs from the left and right side of the holders but keep them plugged in. Inspect the bulbs and the holders/wires. Look for any burnt areas. DO NOT TOUCH THE BULBS HOWEVER!
3. Bring the IPC to a tech for him to run proper diagnostics on to see if in fact the high voltage section is the culprit or if you have a connection problem, burnt out UV bulbs, or problems elsewhere.
To attempt to replace out just the high voltage section may cause more harm then good. It is not typical for this to go bad in the car and if it did go bad or if there was another problem that caused it to go bad, by popping in a new one may actually make your problem worst as you would be once again sending high voltage into the mix and depending on where or what the actual problem is may damage more items in the circuit. I would have someone test it out first. Your messing around with high voltage here...not like a little 12 volt low current bulb.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,892
Likes: 47
From: Helotes TEXAS
DIY project? Yes and No!!!..If it were me, since you have to take the whole IPC out anyways to get to the high voltage unit, I would do things in this order.
1. Remove IPC from car.
2. Remove the UV bulbs from the left and right side of the holders but keep them plugged in. Inspect the bulbs and the holders/wires. Look for any burnt areas. DO NOT TOUCH THE BULBS HOWEVER!
3. Bring the IPC to a tech for him to run proper diagnostics on to see if in fact the high voltage section is the culprit or if you have a connection problem, burnt out UV bulbs, or problems elsewhere.
To attempt to replace out just the high voltage section may cause more harm then good. It is not typical for this to go bad in the car and if it did go bad or if there was another problem that caused it to go bad, by popping in a new one may actually make your problem worst as you would be once again sending high voltage into the mix and depending on where or what the actual problem is may damage more items in the circuit. I would have someone test it out first. Your messing around with high voltage here...not like a little 12 volt low current bulb.
1. Remove IPC from car.
2. Remove the UV bulbs from the left and right side of the holders but keep them plugged in. Inspect the bulbs and the holders/wires. Look for any burnt areas. DO NOT TOUCH THE BULBS HOWEVER!
3. Bring the IPC to a tech for him to run proper diagnostics on to see if in fact the high voltage section is the culprit or if you have a connection problem, burnt out UV bulbs, or problems elsewhere.
To attempt to replace out just the high voltage section may cause more harm then good. It is not typical for this to go bad in the car and if it did go bad or if there was another problem that caused it to go bad, by popping in a new one may actually make your problem worst as you would be once again sending high voltage into the mix and depending on where or what the actual problem is may damage more items in the circuit. I would have someone test it out first. Your messing around with high voltage here...not like a little 12 volt low current bulb.
why would it do more harm than good ?? All I'll be doing is swapping out the power supply from one cluster to another.....
Last edited by Sinister-one; Aug 1, 2011 at 04:15 PM.
Original Founding Member!
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 9,037
Likes: 88
From: Granby, MA
Cruise-In 1, 3, 9. 10 & 11 Veteran
Example...say you had a chip go bad on the IPC board and it supplied not the proper voltages, signals, current, etc to the high voltage section and other components. If that in turn caused the high voltage supply to fail, and now you put another high power supply in, either that one too will eventually fail or worst yet, it doesn't fail before other items within the circuit fail first. I would say try poking around a little more on the forum. I pm'd TSTAR his thoughts and gave him the link to this. He had disassembled a few of these so he knows better then me all the components within that circuit and what kind of damage that may or may not happen by you changing out just the high voltage section without testing the IPC first.
Last edited by XtremeVette; Aug 1, 2011 at 04:40 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
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From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
As Gary suggested... first make sure all the connections are tight, especially the multi colored input harness;
OP, if you don't have a spare IPC or plan on getting one... Dave's advice is spot on, sending it out for repair to a reputable gauge repair facility would be the best bet... I would contact them first and ask specifically about the C5 cluster as I'm not aware of one that has experience with it. That's not saying they can't... I just don't have first hand knowledge of a company that's worked on them.
Ray, As Jeff said... it's pretty rare for the power supply to go bad but it's happened before. I couldn't find a fuse anywhere on the board either. Toshiba makes it and I've tried contacting them for some schematics but no luck;
I don't see a problem with swappnig the power supplies or the bulbs. You can snake the IPC harness down through the maze under the dash and connect it to the IPC laying on the floorboard for testing.
Good luck!
OP, if you don't have a spare IPC or plan on getting one... Dave's advice is spot on, sending it out for repair to a reputable gauge repair facility would be the best bet... I would contact them first and ask specifically about the C5 cluster as I'm not aware of one that has experience with it. That's not saying they can't... I just don't have first hand knowledge of a company that's worked on them.
Ray, As Jeff said... it's pretty rare for the power supply to go bad but it's happened before. I couldn't find a fuse anywhere on the board either. Toshiba makes it and I've tried contacting them for some schematics but no luck;
I don't see a problem with swappnig the power supplies or the bulbs. You can snake the IPC harness down through the maze under the dash and connect it to the IPC laying on the floorboard for testing.
Good luck!
Last edited by tstar; Aug 2, 2011 at 03:22 AM.
