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cluster losing power

Mentholized

Full Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2015
Messages
81
Location
Henderson KY
Hi guys, weird occurrence.  Over the last couple weeks, I notice when I downshift i lose power to the cluster.  When the rpms level out, it comes back.  But today when I was starting it up, it stayed off, I started driving, and it came back after 30 seconds.  Never took the dash apart on one of these to know what the electrical connections look like on the back in case it might be a loose harness.  I've since removed the all 4 on high roach wires thinking it might have been something to do with that, but then this happened...
 
Does the back lighting go out too.
 
First off what year? You should add your year to your signature since you have everything else there...

In my '03 it started doing that until it eventually fully went out. Dropped it off at dash dr and he found the power capacitor had blown out on it. He repaired that, replaced the motors, redid the back lighting and put new needles on it for me for like $150 with lifetime warranty. If you know what your doing you could do the same thing for a lot less but I had already tried fixing mine...

Rodney
 
redheadedrod said:
First off what year? You should add your year to your signature since you have everything else there...

In my '03 it started doing that until it eventually fully went out. Dropped it off at dash dr and he found the power capacitor had blown out on it. He repaired that, replaced the motors, redid the back lighting and put new needles on it for me for like $150 with lifetime warranty. If you know what your doing you could do the same thing for a lot less but I had already tried fixing mine...

Rodney

Done.  It's a 2003.  If it's anything like yours, I better find a place to do my cluster...
 
I'm afraid the circuit board or wiring to shot in the cluster. The backlighting and the main power are on two different circuits.

You post enough so I knew you had 03-06, but it's good to have it in your signature.
 
Im telling you mine did the same thing. Was a power capacitor that was blown on mine. The only lighting that worked were those driven directly off the BCM. The backlight, gauges and readouts were all out on mine.

 
Having issues in the same area.. Not really going to go into that here (cross posting) but I would like to know, what fuses would go to the cluster, and more specifically the Speedometer, Tach and now possibility the blinkers. Replaced my motors, speedo was working, but I couldn't see it, so I replaced the lights. Then my speedo wasn't working, so I decided to swap it with the Tach. (Motor) Then neither were working. Pulled both motor, and replaced both with two that were working (original motors from temp and gas.) Still no joy. Back lights still work, but now the turn signals don't. No fuses found blown. Connector looks fine. I thought maybe I messed up one of the traces on the cluster PCB, but multiple problems have me convinced differently.. Ignition Switch? Does anybody know what a good motor should ohm out at? And is there are known method to bench test the motor prior to install? From what I can tell, the motors must fail mechanically, as the inductors all measure pretty close to each other. And no, I am not interested in sending it to Dash doctor or what ever service has done you right, I want and need to fix these things on a budget, and I need this thing to last 2 more years till I get my youngest offspring paid off. Even at that point, I don't want another vehicle. I may have the second worst year that they made and it may have 80 percent of the problems, but I love my Avalanche!
 
sloleary02 go ahead and start another post if you want. It's mostly electronic nowadays.


Mentholized funny you would mention the alternator, I got back from Augusta then the problem started
 
Been a month or better so i figured i'd give an update.  The cluster went out on the test drive after I replaced the alt.  BTW, I broke the alt bracket so it sat for a little while longer than expected.... FML.  So yeah, I think it's only went out once or twice since I got the alt replaced.  Hoping it fixes it for now.  I'll be using my truck for work so I don't need the hassle.  But yeah, that means it'll happen.  :)  Toodles!
 
Did you get a look at that connector in the back of the instrument panel. I shouldn't have but maybe it is loose. There is a clip that's supposed to keep it in, but maybe its not seated. I put off looking at mine for years, and just use the Garmin GPS as my speedometer now. I have been in and replaced some components, and it's really not that difficult to get to the cluster. Most of the trim, pops off, and there are maybe 10 bolts total to get the cluster out. Only four on the cluster itself.
 
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