QuestionQUESTION: Roland,
I have replaced the Cluster control P C board with one that was certified OK. The problems of spasmodic flashing of all the instrument warning lights, and the speedometer, temp and fuel gauges not working are continuing. What other computer controls or sensors might be sending false signals to the instrument P C board?
Further research has come up with two other controllers that might be the culprit - the Body Computer and the Control Timer Module. What are your opinions or suggestions of other components which might be failing.
Thanks for your previous assistance, which was most helpful.
My van is a '91 Grand Voyager SE, no tach, 3.3 engine and two wheel drive.
William
ANSWER: Hi William,
Because the gauges and the warning lights (even though not normally illuminated) are flickering I would wonder whether the problem is with the digital data wires or the 12v power supply to the circuit board? I suppose it could be either. As I explained earlier, the '91 wiring manual doesn't even show the mechanical cluster's wiring, only that for the electronic cluster! There is a page for what is called the 'warning lamp center system' which has 7 warning lamps and appears to be a separate unit with a 14-pin blue plug. Is your dash set up with that unit or are the warning lights directly on the cluster board?
If not, how many pins on the circuit board plug, and how many of the pins have wires atteached to them. I would like to look again also at the '93 and '89 diagrams to get exactly what you have there. The power supply for the cluster board and the warning center is dark blue/white and comes from fuse 15 which in turn comes from the ignition switch. I would suggest that you attach a voltmeter to that wire at the circuit board and monitor it while you are driving to see whether it is spasmodically flashing along with the lights and gauges or is instead a solid 12v. If the latter, then we have an issue with the digital data wires (which number either 2 or 4), while if the 12v is not solid then it may be the ignition switch, the fuse, or the wires from them to the cluster board.
Roland
PS Please 'rate' my answer and consider also a 'nomination'. Thank you
PPS Please describe the plug to the cluster:color/number of pins/wire color on each pin
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Roland, I have checked and I think these are the answers to the questions you asked about.
First, there are indicator lights both on the cluster board (door ajar, check engine, washer fluid, check gages, low fuel) and on the information center above and separate from the cluster board (seat belt and air bag). When the cluster begins it's antics, all these indicator lights in both locations flash, and the ones that give a sound signal begin sounding, too.
There is a 14 pin male socket on the cluster board, and it is grey, but the middle pin directly above the locking tab is blank. The female harness connector that plugs into it is also grey. The positions are numbered 1 through 14, and these numbers have wires connected to the positions: on the top row wires are in positions 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7. On the botton row wires are in positions 8, 9, 10, 11, and 14.
The dark blue wire has a white streak on it, and is in position 11.
Maybe this additional information will be of help.
Thanks again,
William
AnswerHi William,
The plugs that you describe appear to be the same as shown in the '93 manual for the mechanical cluster and the information (warning lamp) center. My suspicion is that the 12v supply wires on the dark blue/white at both plugs is flaky. So first monitor that wire to see if it is solid or does it flicker in synchrony with the antics of the cluster and infor center, using a volt meter. If it is found to be solid, then there are a couple of digital data bus wire twisted pairs (thus 4 wires in all) that run from the cluster to the body computer, and either there is an issue with one pair of wires or there is a problem with the body computer (though I would believe that the body functions might also be affected were that the case). The warning lamp center doesn't require those digital wires so if it is acting up also it would be due to an overall problem with the specific systems showing the problem themselves which are part of the digital data system. So I can't predict what we will determine to be the cause, but start by checking out the power supply wires as mentioned above.
Roland
PS Thanks for the kind remarks and nomination
