Instrument Panel dark

[Guest]

I was hearing a strange noise when I applied the brakes so my husband jacked up my car to look at the brakes. The next time I got in the car I had no lights on my instrument panel - the speedometer, odometer, clock, gas gauge, etc. are totally dark. Everything seems to work I just can't see it. The cruise control comes on (just don't get the indicator lamp), my turn signals work (just can't see the flashing light), etc. I've checked everything else in the car and it all seems to be working fine - just the instrument panel is dark. The fuses all check good. Could my husband have knocked something loose when he lowered the car down off of the jack? If so, where should I look?<P>Thanks,<BR>Lois Dodson

[Barney Eaton]

A classic case of blaming the husband for the problem. <P>First the obvious... is it dark with or without the headlight turned on? What year is the car? Any chance the photocell is covered by something laying on the dash?<P>Do the radio controls light?

[Guest]

You know, my husband got all ticked off when I asked him if he could have knocked something loose. My troubleshooting technique is to go back to when everything was working fine and ask myself what has been done to the car since that point in time. Since he jacked the car up to look at the brake rotors, I simply wondered if he somehow could have contributed to this problem. No blame was intended, just looking at possibilities. I'm not a mechanic. <P>The car is a 1989 Reatta and there is nothing on the dash - where is this photocell that you mention? The instrument panel is dark all of the time, headlights on or off. I've tried adjusting the brightness with the panel light dimmer switch on the dashboard and also using the CRT brightness control and it makes no difference. The fuses I checked were the cruise fuse and the HVAC fuse because that's where the service manual said the instrument panel got its power. Should I check somewhere else?

[padgett]

Does sound like a loss of power rather than a failed system but will just have to trace the circuit (see section 8A-82 in the FSM. Troubleshooting hints can be found at the end of the section. <P>Unfortunately most say "R&R cluster" but you can still use for order of troubleshooting & check for the voltages from the separate power supply (most likely cause of dead panel is missin voltage).

[BP]

I am experienceing a sorta similar problem. However mine is intermitient. After Touring for about 1.5 hrs my IPC goes bizzerk kinda like you described, the speedometer, gas gage clock and odometer all go Black and the idiot lights all light or randomly light and stay lit (once all went black and no CRT alarms were noted that time). This phenomonom has occured now four times on trips. everything else works cruise, CRT ... The EO26 code shows up in diagnostic history everytime and the CRT alarms indicating Electrical Problem detected or Computer Problem detected (depending on wether the EO26 is cleared or not). Also BO36 is locked in (I assume because IPC is lost). I have done some troubleshooting for the EO26 code and heard all my solenoids "Click" as the service manual indicated. (Cold wether and an unheated garage have slowed my pursuits)<P>If I wait 20 minutes or so and restart the car "All is Well Again" and both EO26 & BO36 Clear.<BR>I have also pulled and reinstalled the IPC and checked the connectors but the problem still occurs.<P>Have you checked for any Error codes? Not sure how much help this brings. But misery loves company!! I'm confident the "Family" here will peservere and help solve the phenomonom. If I find out more I'll post it<P>Gee, I'm starting to feel like part of the family!!! *S*

[Guest jim_houston]

With the exception of the "intermittant" problem, it sounds to me like you have a bad instrument cluster. I found one at a junk yard in Pennsylvania via the Internet for about $150.. I had the local Buick dealer remove the broken one and replace it with the one I bought from the junk yard. My new cluster works perfectly. I sent out my original one to be repaired and picked it up last week. Total cost to have it sent out and repaired was $216.00. Now I have a spare one that I'm keeping with the car. These clusters are now going bad left and right...I'm seeing more and more of it on this list. It's sort of like a light bulb...when one goes, lots of them are going. They were probably made about the same time, but I have a 91 and mine went out.<BR>Hope this helps.<BR>Jim Houston<BR>Charleston, SC