Chrysler Repair: 1999 Neon: instrument cluster gremlins, illumination lights, left blinker

Question
Where to start? The first issue was with the speedometer. It started acting wacky and after reading, I added solder to the points on the circuit board and it started working! The problem....my right tail light stopped working 3 days later. I checked and changed all of the bulbs and am in the process of trying to find a bulb socket to see if that's the issue. Well...the speedometer started acting wacky again on Wednesday so I added some more solder and it corrected the issue. Now, the illumination lights on the instrument panel (and gear shift) will only work when the left blinker is engaged....strange to see your instrument panel blinking.

Help.

Oh, and sometimes when I'm sitting still, I hear a grinding sound coming from the back of the car.....help.  

Answer
Hi Kallie,
I believe that your '99 has 2 plugs on the instrument cluster, correct? If so, I think what has happened to your instrument lights is that two connection on the right plug are fouled up. On the right socket, pin 9's connection to the circuit board hole is not good, and also that some solder from hole 8 has spread next door to hole 9 on the board and that is why you only get lights when the left turn (whose voltage arrives at pin 8) is 'on'. So take a look at that situation closely.
The only grinding sound from the rear of the car is probably the fuel pump located in the fuel tank. You should hear the same sound when you first turn the key to the "run" position for about 1 second if I am correct. Otherwise you will need to see if you can hear it when you are outside the car and localize the source.
The right tail light may simply be a burned out bulb filament.
Roland