Trip resets when key goes off...

[c4steve]

Hi everybody! My 89' loves giving me things to do and I'm sure this is no different. Well,this has happened in the past but very rarely.... Well last week I replaced the bulbs in my gauge cluster and a week later this happens. Car still works just fine and nothing else going wrong so its kinda weird how this just started outta the blue. Gauge lights work great,never seen em' so bright and I'm very sure I did that job A-OK... I checked all my fuses and ran a code scan thing and everythings ok....

Any ideas where to start (cause haynes manual was a waste of $ and I'm to cheap to get an FSM lol)???

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

 

[boomdriver]

Hi everybody! My 89' loves giving me things to do and I'm sure this is no different. Well,this has happened in the past but very rarely.... Well last week I replaced the bulbs in my gauge cluster and a week later this happens. Car still works just fine and nothing else going wrong so its kinda weird how this just started outta the blue. Gauge lights work great,never seen em' so bright and I'm very sure I did that job A-OK... I checked all my fuses and ran a code scan thing and everythings ok....

Any ideas where to start (cause haynes manual was a waste of $ and I'm to cheap to get an FSM lol)???

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

Sounds like power is being lost to the cluster section. It has memory powered by a circuit just for memory. Check the cluster plug ins and make sure no wires are loose in the plugs. Beyond that, it would be internal, like a solder joint broken or cracked. Not hard to fix, if you can find it. I will look at the drawing tomorrow and try to ID the wire that handles the cluster memory and let you know.

 

[TedC]

Hi everybody! My 89' loves giving me things to do and I'm sure this is no different. Well,this has happened in the past but very rarely.... Well last week I replaced the bulbs in my gauge cluster and a week later this happens. Car still works just fine and nothing else going wrong so its kinda weird how this just started outta the blue. Gauge lights work great,never seen em' so bright and I'm very sure I did that job A-OK... I checked all my fuses and ran a code scan thing and everythings ok....

Any ideas where to start (cause haynes manual was a waste of $ and I'm to cheap to get an FSM lol)???

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

What about your average MPG? I'm wondering if the ECM is failing to send the serial data to the cluster. Do you have an OBD-1 scanner?

 

[c4steve]

I have the little box that makes it flash codes if thats what your talking about. I always get a "12-12" . My average mpg also resets with the trip as well. Another thing, the other morning I went out to start it for work and it took about three seperate times of cranking to get the car started... Very weird. I got wednesday off so I'll take it to my buddies garage and check out what ya'll recommend.

Thanks .

 

[boomdriver]

I have the little box that makes it flash codes if thats what your talking about. I always get a "12-12" . My average mpg also resets with the trip as well. Another thing, the other morning I went out to start it for work and it took about three seperate times of cranking to get the car started... Very weird. I got wednesday off so I'll take it to my buddies garage and check out what ya'll recommend.

Thanks .

Heres the Service manual instruction for this problem....

d/c telltale assy from cluster. Locate wire for the function in question
(lt blue-pin a-4 in the 12 pin plug).
measure resistance between that wire and terminal b1 (black). Zero ohms- replace faulty switch or whole telltale assy.

If Infinate ohms--hold reset switch and read ohms. Zero ohms, cluster failure. Infinite --replace switch or telltale assy.

From what the book indicates, a switch failure is not uncommon.

 

[TedC]

In order for the cluster to display the proper trip and MPG data, serial data must come from the ECM. Based on what you described in your opening post, I suspect you have a defective serial port in the ECM. Typical signs... wacko trip readings, wacko average MPG, upsigt light comes on with car with automatic, a scanner (data reader) that once worked no longer connects. A device that forces (paper clip or otherwise) diagonistic mode can work just fine because it does not use the serial data port. If you seach CAC you will find more details and can better determine if this is the issue you are having.

 

[onedef92]

Check ebay often for used Factory Service Manuals.

I ordered the complete, two-volume set for my '92 in very gently used condition recently and paid less than $50.00 (shipping included).

As C4 prices continue to drop, so do prices on many periperhal and support items. Good news for us budget-minded enthusiasts.

 

[Kettsvette]

Hi everybody! My 89' loves giving me things to do and I'm sure this is no different. Well,this has happened in the past but very rarely.... Well last week I replaced the bulbs in my gauge cluster and a week later this happens. Car still works just fine and nothing else going wrong so its kinda weird how this just started outta the blue. Gauge lights work great,never seen em' so bright and I'm very sure I did that job A-OK... I checked all my fuses and ran a code scan thing and everythings ok....

Any ideas where to start (cause haynes manual was a waste of $ and I'm to cheap to get an FSM lol)???

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

I have the same problem where the MPG and trip odometer and the radio pre-sets are all reset to default settings. What was the result of your trip to your friend's garage and what was done to fix the problem?