Dashboard doesnt work!

[holt_champ]

The other day my dashboard stoped working...it doesnt light up and none of the insturments work. sometime all the warning lights will go on too. i never know how fast im going, or how much gas i have lol... does anyone know what could be wrong with it? could it be a fuse? if so what one am i looking for? I would appreciate any suggestions

[GrandAm2000se]

most likely a fuse, but it could be a short, which sucks..

[rixGAphx]

No, it's not an issue of a single fuse; nor of several fuses, for that matter.
There are several different circuits involved, and they cross-over many fuses.

Couple questions first:
* What year is your car? The profile says '200 '
* Do the courtesy lights work, when you turn them on manually with the dashboard rotary dimmer switch?
* Have you recently had any work done under the dash, like a stereo install or service?
* Does the lack-of-lighting affect only the instrument cluster, or is the lighting also 'off' a the HVAC controls?

The insturment cluster is actually one big printed-circuit board, with assorted bulbs and gages and stuff plugged into it.
There are also several electrical plugs, that carry power to the lighting and signals to the gages and idiot lights.
Sounds to me like one or more of the following:
* The connector(s) carrying signal and power to the cluster are loose;
* The gage lighting is turned 'off' at the dimmer switch, or the wire from the dimmer is faulty;
* Possibly, the ground wire from the cluster to the bodywork is loose.
* All of the gages and idiot lights get their signals from the PCM and BCM; cable(s) could be loose at one end or the other(s).

The cluster is pretty easy to remove, just some face-mounted screws and finagling of the trim and clear plastic bezel and such.
My Chilton's manual is fro '85-'98, so I don't have any exact description of the cluster removal, or the location of the connectors.

A Haynes manual for your year costs about $18 and would certainly help.

Hope this helps,
-Rick

[holt_champ]

my car is a 2000. there is no lights that come on at all on the dash or the heating and aird controls. would it be something to get looked at or should i just try to figure it out? i dont want to mess it up any more. also i just install my subs in my car. but i dont see how that would have affected it!?!

[holt_champ]

i checked all the fuse. anyother suggestions?

[PORTMAN96]

simple. happened to me. most likely you have shorted circuits in your dash. you need to take it to an electrical shop and they will ship it out and get it fixed. cost me around 300 for the fix. i know how bad it sucks to not know how fast ur going (2 tickets) and not how much gas.

[holt_champ]

300!?! damn im not fixing that for awhile haha

[rixGAphx]

simple. happened to me. most likely you have shorted circuits in your dash. you need to take it to an electrical shop and they will ship it out and get it fixed. cost me around 300 for the fix. i know how bad it sucks to not know how fast ur going (2 tickets) and not how much gas.???

Get a j/y panel or one from e-bay for ~$40.

[holt_champ]

so more than likely all i need is a new dash panel then right. if i just swaped them them it should work right?

[rixGAphx]

so more than likely all i need is a new dash panel then right.
if i just swaped them them it should work right?No, I'm not saying that YOU should get a new dash.

I was suggesting Portman shoulda tried that, rather than blowing $$$ at a dealer.

I dunno WHAT's wrong with your panel, never been into one, never gonna, either.
You still haven't indicated what you've checked.
Nor answered one of my initial questions ("Do the courtesy lights work, when you turn them on manually with the dashboard rotary dimmer switch?").

You installed subs recently.
They *probably* connected to something at the back of the in-dash stereo.
More than likely, you disturbed a wire or connector while fiddling in those confines.
Until you inspect this area extensively, it is gonna be high on the list of probable causes.

Hope this helps,
-Rick

[tenspeed]

You have several different circuits and several different fuses. The common thing all the circuits have is that they have the same ground connection.

You could tear everything apart looking for it but that would take too much time. Get a 10 foot length of wire, 16 or 14 AWG should do it. Connect it to the negative post of the battery. Strip a half inch of insulation off the other end and touch the outer shell of the cigarette lighter. Test your lights and gauges.

If the lights and gauges work, install a new ground wire between the lighter shell and a screw into the car body.

[holt_champ]

my cigarette lighter works fine...its just the dash. im going to check everything very good when it stops raining here. i will try the cigarette lighter trick but i dont see how that will make my gauges work. i appreciate the help guys. im not very good with electrical stuff.

[tenspeed]

If the cigarette lighter does work, it has a separate ground wire. I was thinking that it could share the ground along with the dash lights and it would have been an easy way to check.

If still sounds like you have lost the ground connection to the lights and gauges. You'll have to dig deeper to find it.