Dash gauges not working

TJ_owns_a_TJ

TJ_owns_a_TJ

Y2K Flame Red TJ
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Oct 15, 2020
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21
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Texas
Hello y’all, so I’m coming here out of sheer desperation. I had the transmission (32rh) rebuilt on my TJ about 2-3 months ago - my stereo was also ripped out while it was at the transmission shop. After that the gauges on my dash cluster have stopped working (speedometer, tach, fuel , battery, oil pressure and temp) as well as the odometer - while my check engine light and e-brake light still function . Below is what ive tried thus far

1. what has been mentioned here before - taking out the cluster and cleaning / messing with pins in the harness and reattaching . No luck

2. followed the steps in this video to no avail. I do have the same issue where the number 2 pin on my harness doesn’t give any voltage.


3. reached out to local Jeep club and someone suggested replacing the crankshaft position sensor (I have no idea how that may be relevant but I did it anyways) - no luck

4. did the obvious checked fuses and replaced with new ones, even got a known working cluster from a friend and plugged it in and same issue on his.

so after 2-3 months of troubleshooting and scouring the internet - I’m just about ready to cough up the cash and get an automotive electrician to take a look but before I do - want to see if any one has any other ideas I can try at home before spending $500-$1000 to get it POSSIBLY fixed. Any help is appreciated
 
Does the Odometer say anything on it or is it dead as well?

I had my gauges die after messing with the radio once and the issue was a blown fuse under the hood. IIRC the odometer said error...

Have you actually replaced any fuses or just visually checked them. If you just checked them try swapping some like amped fuses around to see if it solves the issue.

Good luck.
 
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My gauges went out while working on my stereo... we won't go into why... but it was indeed the fuse under the hood, not anything in the glove box...

Just saying incase you didn't look at those and only looked in the glove box...
 
Hi guys , yes I did check all the fuses under the glove box and hood - swapping with known working ones one by one to check . As for odometer it is just dead - no light or error code. As a side note i forgot to mention my OBD2 sensor does not have power as well . I am almost sure it has to do with the stereo being violently ripped out but I can’t seem to find where or why.
 
TJ_owns_a_TJ said:
Hi guys , yes I did check all the fuses under the glove box and hood - swapping with known working ones one by one to check . As for odometer it is just dead - no light or error code. As a side note i forgot to mention my OBD2 sensor does not have power as well . I am almost sure it has to do with the stereo being violently ripped out but I can’t seem to find where or why.
Click to expand...
Just to start at step 1, have you pulled the battery cables, cleaned, reinstalled, and checked the grounds?
 
Alex01 said:
Just to start at step 1, have you pulled the battery cables, cleaned, reinstalled, and checked the grounds?
Click to expand...
Yep had some corrosion on the posts and even put new posts and battery (my battery was due for replacement) on as I wanted an extra spot to eventually run a winch wire to. When the stereo was ripped out I noticed this ground cable wasn’t connected to anything anymore and not sure exactly where it goes - I put it on this little bracket behind where the stereo would be as that seems like the only logical place it would go. Below are some pics for a before and after of the ground in question .

image.jpg


image.jpg
 
I was referring to the ground for the chassis. If you're getting zero power I think you need to start at the battery and work towards the radio.

Even though you said you've double-checked I still think your issue is in the fuse box under the hood. Are you getting power into the fuse box? Next, are you getting power at the fuse that controls the cluster, finally are you getting power at the 12v behind the radio.
 
Had similar issue.. my trouble was mice instead of radio thief...double check big junction box under steer column on left firewall.. possible broke wire there.. make sure metal frame of dash is grounded to body.. let us know when you find problem plz
 
Yes ground to chassis is ok, getting power to fuse box under hood as well - may be dumb question but where would I check the 12v behind the radio? Also have checked that junction box - everything seems good there and no damage , where exactly should I be looking for the ground there?
 
This was an issue with Jeep back 20 years ago the gauges would just die. I pulled my dash cluster and cleaned the connnector and it was great for about 19 years. So the last couple winters my guages will sometimes work and sometimes not. It’s usually when it’s around freezing that they don’t work. It’s only my rpm speedo and mileage. The mileage reads no bus. Which means most likely I have bad solder joints in the board somewhere. If all your gauges fail it’s most likely the connector issue or a bad ground on the connector. There was a recall on them back in the early 2000s I think they added a new ground on the connector. I don’t know which pin tho.
 
Update : was rechecking fuses under the hood and replaced my O2, IOD, and Horn fuse as I wasn’t getting any resistance from them . All of a sudden my OBD2 plug starts beeping and all my gauges work now. I have no clue what the connection there is or which fuse was the actual culprit but just glad it works - thanks for all the replies guys!
 
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A lil dab of dielectric grease sure helps these older gals ... it wont cure/clean corrosion,, but it will sure prevent it ! And yes,, like antiseize , you’ll get opposing comments!! Lol
 
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