As I left work tonight I started up the car, fiddled around for a sec, tapped the pod to get my tach unstuck like I usually do and was just about to leave. Then the master warning light came on and I lost all my gauges. Pushed the warning reset button and the light stayed on. Car was running a-okay like it usually does. Lights were working with no dimming so I braved it home but scared s*#tless just the same. Now the only thing different from the usual was I ran the gas down to below E that is it.

Now on the way home here is what I observed. The tach moved but no higher then 1k and only a few times. The oil P gauge was at 20 lb and again only a few times. The temp and volts gauge stayed dead as well as the fuel gauge. Speedo dead the whole time. Now the whole ride home the ran awesome. In fact a G35 was picking at me like buzzards on a carcass and if it werent for the fact that I was on E the 405 would have never been the same after chomping him up. I got to my exit and a gas station okay. I shut off the engine, filled her up (surprising only 17.4g) and then started right back up same condition. The only difference in the ride from the gas station to my house was when I used the turn sigs the master light blink with the blinkers as well as the reset button light. Oh yeah, several time on the way home the master light went off but the directional light came on and stayed on. it i hit the reset button the the master would come back on. Got home just fine.

I was hoping it would be a fuse but after looking at the fuse grid the instrument are tied in with the blinkers and the blinkers work fine. Oh yeah one last thing. The fuel gauge registered 3/4 and then the fuel gauge and oil p gauge freaked out when I had the directionals on. Only after I filled up.

Now who has seen this happen before? I guess it felt neglected since I havent spent money on it in a couple of days.

 

Hi Joe,
If you've checked the fuses, then it sounds like a local dash contact problem.

There are a number of edge connectors taking power to the dash, they can get dirty and cause problem. They are gold plated on the cicrcuit board, so don't use to much abrasion.

If you look in the archives, or Nichols or Pirtle, I'm sure you will find information. Also cehck the ground that is under the dash area.

 

Update.

I dodged a bullet this time.
Fuses 7 (seat heater) and 17 (fresh air blower) were burnt. Fresh air blower fuse the plastic on the inside of the fuse was melted. It must have been super hot for a moment. I also disconnected the funky switch I made for the seatback. I was using the same power source that is on the interior lights. So whatever was done in here did the job.


Mark Kibort, Your PM box is full. Please send the fuse board with the wires. Let me compare it with mine to see if they are the same. If they are then we will work out a price. If not I will send it back to you and pay for the shipping both ways.