Gas gauge isn’t working. Sometimes the speedometer and the temperature gauge doesn’t work. Limited lights around gauges and radio.
Gas guage isn't working. Sometimes the speedometer and the temperature guage doesn't work. But most of the time they do. It's just the gas guage that doesn't work. It doesn't go to empty when turning the car off. It stays where it is. lights around the guages are very weak at night. There is no lighting around the temperature gauge or the radio or the the heat/ac switches. All other lights work. Not sure if it's a battery or fuses.
My car has 216000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi there. The dashboard lights are burned out in the dash and the dimmer switch could be worn causing the lights to be weak. The gauges that seldom fail to work is most likely a loose wire in the dash panel. The fuel gauge that is not going to E when shutting off the car has a damaged rheostat within the sending unit. The sending unit is in the fuel tank attached to the fuel pump. If you need further assistance with your gauges not working, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
The most common causes of a speedometer that stopped working include are a faulty speed sensor, a broken gear on the speedometer, damaged wiring, or a faulty engine control unit.
If all the gauges in a car suddenly stop working, it`s typically due to a broken fuse or faulty wiring. To start troubleshooting, you`ll need to locate the fuse associated with the instrument cluster. Once you`ve identified the fuse, you can inspect it to determine if it has blown or needs to be replaced.
This issue is usually caused by one of a few issues – either the float has separated from the metal arm and isn`t sending any information about fuel level, the variable resistor is faulty and malfunctioning, or the wires in the system have corroded and are no longer sending information.
A fuel level sensor (FLS) is used in all automobiles to indicate fuel level. Various methods are used to measure fuel level such as resistive film, discrete resistors, capacitive, and ultrasonic. Resistive-based sensors are most commonly used for this application.
The instrument cluster fuse, also known as the dashboard fuse, powers the gauges and displays on your vehicle`s dashboard. This includes the speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, and temperature gauge. If this fuse is damaged or blown, it can cause these gauges to stop working or malfunction.
Some gauges, like the speedometer, odometer, and tachometer, use small gears. These small gears can wear out over time, leading to mechanical failure of the gauge(s). A bad alternator can cause voltage spikes. When an alternator has a weak input or output voltage wire, it will create voltage spikes.
Turn off the ignition switch. Depress and hold the “ODO/TRIP” button while turning the ignition switch to the “On” position. Hold the ODO button for two seconds. Release and press the ODO button three more times within five seconds: Release-Press-Release-Press-Release-Press and Hold.
Particularly if you are experiencing an issue with more than one gauge on your vehicle, the culprit may be a fuse. If the fuse for the instrument panel has been blown, make sure to replace it. Then go ahead and turn on the car. If the fuel gauge doesn`t sort itself out automatically, run the cluster test again.
Press and hold the “Trip/Odo” button and turn the car back on. While you`re holding the button, turn the key back to the “ON” position. Hold the button down for another 2 seconds after the car`s back on, then release.
A fuel gauge that reads full or empty all the time, or has a needle that moves erratically, could be the result of a faulty sender unit or fuel gauge itself.
Your speedometer is directly linked to the speed sensor — meaning if anything goes wrong with the vehicle speed sensor, it`ll lead to a speedometer failure. Whether you have hall effect or digital speed sensors, here are some signs of a bad sensor that may accompany your erratic speedometer needle: Transmission issues.
Driving without a working fuel gauge is illegal in most states. It can also leave you stranded, and you may even damage your car. If you know your instrument cluster is faulty, it`s time to call ISS Automotive.
Yes, a blown fuse can cause a speedometer to stop working. The speedometer fuse is located in the fuse box and controls the power supply to both the speedometer and odometer.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Gas gauge isn’t working. Sometimes the speedometer and the temperature gauge doesn’t work. Limited lights around gauges and radio.
ANSWER : Hi there. The dashboard lights are burned out in the dash and the dimmer switch could be worn causing the lights to be weak. The gauges that seldom fail to work is most likely a loose wire in the dash panel. The fuel gauge that is not going to E when shutting off the car has a damaged rheostat within the sending unit. The sending unit is in the fuel tank attached to the fuel pump. If you need further assistance with your gauges not working, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
My dash board don’t work my front light work when I change my light into high beam and my back window won’t go down
ANSWER : As unfortunate as it is, your vehicle would be considered flood damaged. Diagnosing electrical problems in a flood damaged vehicle is nearly impossible. This would take many hours or even days to determine which wiring harnesses and circuits have been affected. Then nearly all of the wiring under the dash would likely require replacement as well as many sensors and switches. On a BMW vehicle, the amount of wires and switches are likely more than that of a lower end vehicle. Due to the inefficiency in cost, you would likely be able to purchase another BMW like yours for less than what it would cost to fix your car. Many insurance companies would consider this type of damage to total out the vehicle unfortuantely.
Dash, Tail/brake, dome, trunk, glovebox, and door lights won’t work, dash doing weird things.
ANSWER : Hi there. Sure would appear a lot is going on electrically all at once. This could be, a problem in the PDC (power distribution center). The PDC is typically located under the hood and contains numerous fuses and relays. I don’t believe any one fuse will resolve all of the electrical issues. There is a possibility, it is not a power supply issue. It may be, the result of a poor electrical ground common to the inoperative components. Proper circuit testing should be performed. This would confirm the cause of multiple electrical failures. I recommend having your vehicle’s electrical problems be diagnosed and repaired by a certified technician, such as one from YourMechanic.
All dashboard lights and tail lights do not work after driving through a lot of snow. Headlights work. And brake lights work.
ANSWER : Hello. We’ll be happy to help you. There are a few things that I recommend checking to discover why your lighting system is malfunctioning. The headlight dimmer switch should be checked. Along with the wiring harness above the right front tire behind the fender well cover. Also
the main fuse under the hood should be inspected because other people with your particular vehicle have had similar lighting issues if that fuse goes bad. It will be a great idea to check the rest of the fuses in that area too while checking the main fuse. Once the fuses are checked inside of the main fuse box then I would check the fuses inside of their interior fuse box. The interior fuse box should be located on the driver side of the dashboard near where your legs would be. If you need more assistance with repairing your vehicle please keep in mind that our organization provides Mobile Mechanics who can help you diagnose and repair your vehicle, all at competitive rates.
the main fuse under the hood should be inspected because other people with your particular vehicle have had similar lighting issues if that fuse goes bad. It will be a great idea to check the rest of the fuses in that area too while checking the main fuse. Once the fuses are checked inside of the main fuse box then I would check the fuses inside of their interior fuse box. The interior fuse box should be located on the driver side of the dashboard near where your legs would be. If you need more assistance with repairing your vehicle please keep in mind that our organization provides Mobile Mechanics who can help you diagnose and repair your vehicle, all at competitive rates.
Okay so when I turn my lights on at night my brake lights do not work, when I don’t have my lights on they work fine.
ANSWER : Hi there. Based on your inquiry, it’s highly probable that you have a damaged light switch or some electrical fault inside the turn signal relay. However, it’s also possible that the brake switch above the brake pedal could also be the source of your problem. Due to the fact that multiple electrical components might be causing this issue, it’s a smart idea to first have a professional mobile mechanic complete a brake lights are not working inspection, so they can determine what’s causing all of these issues and recommend the right repairs.
No dash lights, back right tail light is out, no parking lights. Brake lights work though as does head lights.
ANSWER : Hi there. In many cases, when you have electrical problems like you’re describing, it’s caused by multiple electrical component failure. It’s likely that a few electrical relays are not working; especially if you have systems that utilize the same components (such as your brake light and tail lights). I would recommend having a professional mobile mechanic come to your location to complete an electrical problems inspection first, so they can pinpoint what is damaged and recommend the right repairs.
the lights on my dash board do not work and my gas gauge always says its empty with the gas light on even though i fill up my tank
ANSWER : Hi. It sounds like your instrument panel cluster or IPC needs to be rebuilt or replaced. Over time, the bulbs eventually burn out as do the bulbs in your lights at home. The gauge’s movement is controlled by an electronic stepper motor that receives input from the sensors. More often than not, the signals are good, but the stepper motor no longer moves. This can be checked with the use of a high end scan tool that has functional testing of each gauge within the IPC. If the needle doesn’t move when commanded, then the stepper motor is bad. Consequently, if the needles don’t move when commanded, the sensor or wiring is bad.
I suggest having a qualified technician, such as one from YourMechanic, inspect the electrical components in your vehicle to see what is occurring.
Car starting sometimes, sometimes have to jump, speedometer and tach working but all other gauges not working 2003 GMC Yukon
ANSWER : Hi there – check fuses first, but it sounds like you might have a problem with your digital dash, and possibly a wiring issue that is draining your battery overnight. The lack of gauge function is is a high failure rate circuit board issue, but there are rebuilder service companies out there that specialize in this work. The battery drain issue maybe be a different problem, but can be tracked down as well. This problem can be diagnosed by connecting an ammeter to the positive (red) battery cable, observe the current drain (likely less than 1 amp), then, one at a time, remove each fuse, check to see if the current drain has dropped to near 0, then reinsert the fuse. This process should identify the faulty circuit in most cases. The specific components on that circuit can then be checked for current drain problems. A professional mechanic, like YourMechanic, can come to your location, and perform this procedure for you, and replace/repair the failing component.
