Intermittent dash cluster

[thunderchief]

My 1984 Vette has the typical Corvette intermittent problem where, for no apparent reason, the dash goes dim and the turn signal lights and the high beam indicator come on the dash.

I haven't had this vehicle long and have been told to send the dash for repair. Others have told me it is a ground problem, help!

thunderchief

 

[Daryllawman]

Hi .........Mine did that also and it was the dash cluster.....You can get them thru this site>>>>>>>>>>>Click here: FPARTS-Your Source For LT1 and LS1 Engines/index.htm

There is no core charge with them.....a tech at FParts rebuilds them ....He does a good job....installing it is easy.......84 & 85 will fit and 86,87,88 will fit and the 89 is the only one for that year. Good luck.....

 

[jim coulter]

mine did that. turned out to be some bad solder joints on the board inside the dash. I followed the directions from another site about dash repair. I'll try and find it. you can probably look at old post here and find it. I think here somewhere in an old post is where I found the link to the dash repair site. Here it is www.batee.com/corvette/dcrg/index.shtml

 

[thunderchief]

Jim,

If you can send that link on the dash repair I would appreciate it, thanks!

thunderchief

 

[jim coulter]

I edited my original post and added it, its the "batee" site listed above.

 

[corvette66]

drlougbyiuhnsp

I also have the same problem... The blinker lights come on, and the highbeam light comes on, but see mine does not just dim, The whole dash blacks out, then the blinker lights come on. Also it only does it once in a while, maybe every other week. And it will only blackout for about 2 minutes at the most. Is this the same as what you guys are talking about??????

I also took the cluster out of the dashboard. If you have ever done this you know what it looks like. It's got a silver metal sheild on the back with air vents in it. This comes off with about 8 screws. then under that you have 2 circut boards. Not much to it. Heres the problem, that first board is held in with about 5 screws, when you get them out, your stuck... because the 2 boards are held together with a bunch of PINS at the lower end of the board. The pins connect the first board and the second board together. I'm sure they come apart, but I was afraid to mess with. Don't want to break anything. So I never was able to fix anything. hahaha, not that I could have anyway.

oh well

 

[thunderchief]

intermittant dash cluster

Yeah! that's what mine does. All of a sudden the cluster goes dark and both turn signal indicators come with the high beam indicator light. The guy I bought the car from said he used to pound with his fist under the dash and they would come back on. Now they come and go as they please, more often than yours.

I have been told it is a ground problem, resoldering the board, or ship it to a repair facility. I am totally confused as to what to do.

Anybody out there fixed this problem before?

thunderchief

 

[Daryllawman]

I put a new dash cluster in mine......works like new.......fparts have them........no core

 

[corvette66]

ghjghj

I also heard from a tech that it could be a bad solder or ground. It would be almost impossible to locate it on the circuitboard. Probably have to send it out to a technician. I will wait till it gets real bad before i do that, luckly it doesn't have an effect on anything when it blacks out. Or does it???? has anyone noticed anything goofy go'n on when it shorts out? The only odd thing I ever noticed was... one night I turned my headlights on, and the dash blacked out for about a minute, but then for the rest of the night, my right turn signal was stuck on. but it wouldn't blink at all.

:confused

 

[Alfonso Gomez]

When I bought my 87 Coupe, the digital dash was so dark I had to fill the gas tank every 2 days because I never could see the gas level. On the road I had to "pace" the slowest car so I would not go too fast. A local shop claimed the cluster had to be sent to the Delco factory for repairs, which would cost from $800 to $1,300:cry . Unwilling to pay this amount of money for the repair, I posted this problem on several Corvette sites. In one of them (can't remember which) someone recomended I contact www.unitedradio.com. I did and sent them the cluster on a Wednesday. By next Friday they e-mailed me an estimate ($430.00 return postage included to Puerto Rico, where I live). I immediately accepted the estimate and e-mailed them my credit card number. Next Monday a UPS truck delivered my refurbished cluster by 5:00 PM. It has had no problems since and that was 4 years ago. It cost me that amount since they had to replace two panels and do assorted maintenance on the cluster, so it was not expensive. They even gave me a 1-year warranty. I'm very satisfied with their work. Give them a try, it probably will cost less.

Good luck.

 

[berky2500]

You can take the cluster out and re-solder the joints on the power supply board (the small board that is connected with a ribbon cable. I had mine in and out 5 times, replaced the ribbon cable, and re-touched about 40 solder before I fixed all the problems. If you aren't up for it, send it to a repair shop.

http://instrumentclusters.com/
or
http://www.corvettedashclusterservice.com/

I've dealt with the first and can recommend them.

What ever you do, don't use the "punching" method to get it to work for a while, the LCD displays are fragile, can't be bought new, and start at $160 for decent used one.

 

[corvette66]

Berky,

how did you get the circuitboards apart? They are connected at one end with a bunch of metal pins of some sort? I think it was in the lower left side of the board.

 

[jim coulter]

Very gently! But they will pull apart.

 

[berky2500]

As Jim said, take it slow, the first time they come apart you will swear you are going to break it. After that initial pop, it will be easier subsequent times if you need to take it apart again. Just make sure all the screws are out, take your time.