1996 Chrysler Cirrus Tach and Odometer Display Intermittant

SCOTJEFFERIES

MEMBER
1996 CHRYSLER CIRRUS
6 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
146,000 MILES

The tachometer and odometer display on the instrument cluster do not display except periodically on the interstate highway after travelling for at least 30 minutes. Then the display stays active until the car ignition is turned off. When the display is on it is obvious that the mileage is always updating even when it isn't displaying.

Could you direct me to how to troubleshoot and solve this? Please be detailed as I am not the most experienced. Is it possible this is a loose connection or ground? Is there a sending unit that could be faulty?

Thank you.

2 Replies

BLUELIGHTNIN6

MECHANIC
16,542 POSTS

Hello
Thanks for the donation

An intermittent problem such as this is one of the most difficult to troubleshoot. Sometimes a problem like this occurs due to a faulty ground wire. However, the instrument panel gauges all use a shared circuit board. My suggestion would be to remove the instrument panel and inspect the back of it where the circuit board is. Sometimes you can find damage to one of the circuits and you can resolder it together. Or you can find a known good instrument panel cluster and replace yours to see if it is the cause. There would be no sending unit causing these symptoms as the tachometer and odometer illumation are not driven by the speed sensor. If they were simply not working (as in odometer not keeping count any longer ) then it may be the vehicle speed sensor, but this is not the problem you are having, correct? Just the illumination of the two?

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