NON WORKING DIGITAL CLUSTER/CALL 911 PLEASE REPLY

[dmhoo29]

I own a 90 buick regal gran sport 3.8 v.6

when i first bought the car used,everything worked,but all of the sudden the digital speedo,and tach quit. now the tach will work when it decides to,but the speedo quit all together,OH and the cruise quit at the same time?????????????? I have checked the usual suspects,loose wires,so far,and fuses.

now living in a non digital age..lollllllllll anyone, any type of help would be appreciated

P.S. i did one time have some issues simular to this when i replaced a battery cable but i don't think that's all the problem.I was told by some people,uh so called high payed mechanics. that it might be the speed sensor/instrument cluster,etc. whatever? they want 3 or 4 hundred just to tell me what they think it might be,not including parts 600 for new cluster/190 for speed sensor,not including tax or installation... or even a garantee it will fix the problem.

SO THE ONLY THING BIG IN TX. ARE THE INFLATED MECHANICS FEES.

 

THANKS[/b]

[jamcneely]

Do you still have power to the cluster? Is it making like the cluster is working, but its just loosing its signal?

Most GM Digital Clusters from the late 80's early 90's were crap. They fail all the time, and GM didn't make them cheap either. In fact I've replaced several GM digital clusters, and more times than not you can't find a factory new cluster, you have to go with a remanufactured one, becuause GM doesn't make them anymore. Which just translates to you buying a remanufacutered peice of crap!

I know that when the cluster goes out most times it won't even come on, yet you have power at the connector. If its doing that, you can pretty much bet on buy a new cluster. If its not, then its porbably a signal input, like the speed sensor. If your not to savvy yourself at tracking wiring diagrams, and testing sensors then I would suggest a mechanic do it for you. Just be sure and tell the dudes that overquoted you the first time to bite your ass, and take the car some place else where the diagnostic fee isn't 3 or 4 hundered dollars.

[dmhoo29]

Everything else works,like the gas gauge,oil,and alternator. But,no speedo,or cruise control,so that leads me to believe it might be a short or the speed control sensor. the only thing that throws me,is how the tach will work very well at times and other times it may get stuck at like 760 rpm or 2300 rpm?? that is just the numbers themselves get stuck,but the little digital tach guage the moves when rpm's go up or down will disappear.

I am thinking of posting a photo or two,or i can email them to anyone who cares to see what i am trying to describe.

 

Thanks

P.S. i wish someone had a wiring diagram or something showing where the speed sensor is located. on the transmission? i think. I am very knowledgable on wiring diagrams,as i have worked on cars and computers alike. give me a computer to work on anyday. lol

[Slade901]

If you have checked all sensors like the VSS, etc., probably the problem is the IC (Integrated chip) in the Digital Cluster. More than likely it just a loose solden on that chip and perhaps leaking capacitors or bad resistor. They are easy to fix though as long as you have patience.

 

This procedure was the fix for my 1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and it should be pretty similar to your car.

 

http://www.geocities.com/southbeach/sands/2476/automobile/digital_instrument_cluster.htm

[GnatGoSplat]

I think the Buick gauges cluster is manufactured by Nippon Denso.

The Denso clusters are much less prone to failure than a Delco cluster.

 

Anyway, since cruise doesn't work, that sounds more like either a VSS or ECM problem.

 

The tach gets its signal from the serial data line coming from the ECM, so my guess is the ECM is bad.

 

It could be the cluster, but the fact that cruise doesn't work makes me think the problem is elsewhere. To make sure it's not a bad cluster loading down the VSS wire, you might try unplugging it and see if cruise magically starts working again or not.

[godofthunder]

stupid OT note...but what is the call 911 thing for?

 

jon