Bad Instrument Cluster possibly?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,369
Likes: 79
From: West Coast
Bad Instrument Cluster possibly?
Hey guys, hope you can help, lately (sporadically) I have been getting a buzzing, almost like an annoying Fax Modem sound coming from behind the left side of the cluster.
It will go on for 2-3 minutes then stop, yesterday I drove for two hours without anything at all and then it went on for 30-minutes straight last night on the drive home.
Speed, Electronics like Lights or Stereo have no impact on it, and it will make the noise ongoing even when the car gets turned off?
There are no other changes to gauges or anything else functionally besides the hideous fax noise, anyone experience this before and have a hopefully easy fix besides expensive cluster as Performance Chevrolet eluded too, ( they described a similar issue with their Trucks but not Vettes)
2001 A4 with 85k miles, absolutely perfect with no issues otherwise.
Any help appreciated!
It will go on for 2-3 minutes then stop, yesterday I drove for two hours without anything at all and then it went on for 30-minutes straight last night on the drive home.
Speed, Electronics like Lights or Stereo have no impact on it, and it will make the noise ongoing even when the car gets turned off?
There are no other changes to gauges or anything else functionally besides the hideous fax noise, anyone experience this before and have a hopefully easy fix besides expensive cluster as Performance Chevrolet eluded too, ( they described a similar issue with their Trucks but not Vettes)
2001 A4 with 85k miles, absolutely perfect with no issues otherwise.
Any help appreciated!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,369
Likes: 79
From: West Coast
Might want to pull and post the codes for the car. There may be some clues there.
If you have never pulled codes on your car here is how:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SviRjIsy9G4
OR
http://www.c5forum.com/ayc/dtcdic.php
Post ALL the codes including the H or C or HC that follow each 5 character code. List the codes under the sensor they are listed by. ie 10 - PCM or 28 - TCS or 40 - BCM......etc
If you have never pulled codes on your car here is how:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SviRjIsy9G4
OR
http://www.c5forum.com/ayc/dtcdic.php
Post ALL the codes including the H or C or HC that follow each 5 character code. List the codes under the sensor they are listed by. ie 10 - PCM or 28 - TCS or 40 - BCM......etc
No Codes through most except:
80-Radio No Comm (after market stereo installed 5-years ago)
AO-LDCM 1-code - U1064H
AI-RDCM 2-codes B2265H & U1064H
That's it?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 2,782
Likes: 314
From: The Lowcountry South Carolina
Agree w/ 8vette7, your next step is eliminate the battery. I had an 02 doing the same fax like after turning it off. After replacing the dying battery never had the issues again
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
There have been several C5 Owners that have experienced the same issue as you. There is a driver circuit for the CHIME that drives a small 3" speaker. Unfortunately, that driver can become unstable and cause the small speaker inside the IPC to emit a number of different noises. Sometimes its a horrible screech noise, other times its more like yours.
I wish we had access to the IPC internal schematics and component listings. Knowing what driver it is and what value components are in the circuit, this would be an easy repair.
I wish we had access to the IPC internal schematics and component listings. Knowing what driver it is and what value components are in the circuit, this would be an easy repair.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,369
Likes: 79
From: West Coast
thanks guys, sorry for delay, was traveling, I feel we can rule out the battery, relatively new 2-year old Red Top Optimum Battery 12.7 after sitting for the week and have it on trickle charger now, Alternator is strong at 14-volts. The chime speaker sounds about right, anyway to disconnect it ??
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
thanks guys, sorry for delay, was traveling, I feel we can rule out the battery, relatively new 2-year old Red Top Optimum Battery 12.7 after sitting for the week and have it on trickle charger now, Alternator is strong at 14-volts. The chime speaker sounds about right, anyway to disconnect it ??
Bill
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,369
Likes: 79
From: West Coast
I saw the write up on removing the Cluster from Vette Essentials, very detailed and helpful, thank you VE!
I do have HUD so don't want to break anything there, do I need to cut the speaker wire or will it disconnect, or do I need to unsolder it?
Last edited by BACNBLK; Jul 25, 2016 at 07:43 PM.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,369
Likes: 79
From: West Coast
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,369
Likes: 79
From: West Coast
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,369
Likes: 79
From: West Coast
WHEW FINALLY, I got it!!
Steering column was the key!
Once I got those two screws out and was able to drop the column just an inch or two the cluster popped right out.
Thanks Bill, opened up the cluster, popped out the speaker connector, put it all back together and she went in twice fast, fired right up and no more horrific buzzing!!!!
Thank you!!!!
Steering column was the key!
Once I got those two screws out and was able to drop the column just an inch or two the cluster popped right out.
Thanks Bill, opened up the cluster, popped out the speaker connector, put it all back together and she went in twice fast, fired right up and no more horrific buzzing!!!!
Thank you!!!!
Last edited by BACNBLK; Aug 1, 2016 at 07:25 PM.