1986 GL-10 Wagon

I've done some searching through the forums and though there are a lot of problems with digi dashes. I haven't found one like this.

 

The whole dash flickers and sometimes turns off when I hit a bump. It will usually turn back on after hitting another bump or if i hit the top of the dash with my hand.

 

This ONLY happens when the headlights (and/or parking lights) are on. This never happens when the headlights are off. ????

 

The bumping leads me to believe it's a loose ground but why would it only happen when the headlights are on?

 

Also, the temp. gauge doesn't seem to work correctly.

 

What should I check? Where are the grounds? How difficult are they to get to?

 

Thanks everyone.

Check the connections at the back of the clutster. Probably something loose or corroded.

 

Temp gauge is indeed a ground issue. Very common. Either that or a bad sending unit.

 

EA82 digi dash's aren't bad. It's the EA81 models that had severe problems.

 

GD

The dash trouble could be due to a bad ground connection. Check the dash grounds and the grounds under the hood. Since you say the trouble is fixed sometimes by hitting the dash then the trouble is most likely in that area. The reason the lights cause the trouble is due to the current that is flowing when they are on. If there is a bad ground connection then the current flow causes a voltage drop across the bad ground connection which will decrease the voltage available to the dash voltage regulator and make it stop working. The trouble could also be due to a bad connection on the power side of the circuit so check that also. Check the fusible link connections.

 

To help pin the trouble down you might try checking the voltage getting to the dash voltage regulator and reference to a known good ground point. If the voltage is ok there and the dash is out then check the ground side of the dash wiring. See if you find voltage there. If you do, then you know the ground side has a bad connection.

Edited January 25, 201016 yr by Cougar