My Gauges, is this normal

[Boostinsideways]

So my OEM gauge cluster is reading 2,800 rpm, 46 mph, around 1/3rd on the boost meter, 1/8th on the oil psi, and right at half on the temp gauge with the car on, but not cranked. I have never payed attention to it before, its just wiggin me out.

Fuel level is the same as it was when I parked her.

I do have a semi dead battery and a charger hooked up to it if that helps any.

 

[crash89]

So my OEM gauge cluster is reading 2,800 rpm, 46 mph, around 1/3rd on the boost meter, 1/8th on the oil psi, and right at half on the temp gauge with the car on, but not cranked. I have never payed attention to it before, its just wiggin me out.

Fuel level is the same as it was when I parked her.

I do have a semi dead battery and a charger hooked up to it if that helps any.

My car is around 2200rpm in 4th gear at like 45mph.. 1/3 on the stock boost gauge is normal, supposed to indicate some vacuum. My oil pressure gauge is normally about 1/4 - 1/2 at cruise and it drops pretty low at idle, I have an aftermarket oil gauge too. And finally halfway on the temp is just fine.

The battery charger wont change any of the "angles" if you will of the gauges.. Hope this helps!

 

[PieEyedPiper]

So, with the key in ACC. your tach reads 2800? And your speedo is reading 46mph? With the car stopped, just sitting in the garage?

I'd not be surprised if this had something to do with the death of your battery/charging it. Especially if it wasn't doing that before and those 2 events overlap.

Tried yanking all power to try and get the cluster to come to rest?

And by OEM, you mean not the one in your avatar, right?

 

[Boostinsideways]

So, with the key in ACC. your tach reads 2800? And your speedo is reading 46mph? With the car stopped, just sitting in the garage?

Yeah the key is all the way to on though. I was sitting there with the door open listening to the radio and didn't want to hear that annoying dinger

I'd not be surprised if this had something to do with the death of your battery/charging it. Especially if it wasn't doing that before and those 2 events overlap.

Not sure if it ever did before, I was just sitting there last night wishing the battery wasn't dead and noticed it.

Tried yanking all power to try and get the cluster to come to rest?

I took the neg post off the battery before I left the shop. Will check it later

And by OEM, you mean not the one in your avatar, right?

That is an oem cluster with blue led bulbs in it.

 

[bryanwheat]

That definetly isn't normal. The speedo, tach, oil, and boost gauges will be at zero. The water temp will read what ever the current temp is of the coolant, the fuel level gauge will read the current level of the tank. I would charge the battery and see if it still happens. Sometimes cars will do strange things with the low battery voltage. If that isn't the problem i'd suspect maybe a bad ground somewhere or something along those lines.

 

[rvaughn]

^+1 Everything should be zero'd out with the car not running. I would bet either the dead battery/charger combo is causing the issue or you may potentially have a shorted ground somewhere in the system causing wierd transient voltages to pass through your dash.

I would definately explore the battery/charger combo, the transient thing is a "last possible troubleshooting idea".

 

[crash89]

Wow, I misunderstood the OP.. I assumed the car was running down the road..

So, in this particular scenario all the gauges should be at the "relaxed" position as stated above..

 

[Boostinsideways]

Yeah, thats what I assumed, but I was like hey, dsms are wierd sometimes.

So yes, its still doing it. I have a fully charged battery, it even does it when cranked, in neutral, with the ebrake on, idling.

I am gonna pull the cluster out, clean the contacts with some rubbing alcohol and re seat the cluster. It may be possible I didn't get it to seat in there nice and good.

Car is not getting spark to the 1/4 coil pack now. Headlights are stuck on. I have no clue what the blue #### is wrong with this car.

Also the fuel gauge isn't reading correct anymore. Its climbed all the way to full in 30 seconds or so, and stays there even now that I have removed the cluster from the car.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Wow, I misunderstood the OP.. I assumed the car was running down the road..

So, in this particular scenario all the gauges should be at the "relaxed" position as stated above..

I noticed that so I went for more clarification.

 

[Boostinsideways]

Still can't figure out what could be causing any of these issues. I also had no power to the radio, interior lights, or power windows. I do have power to the sunroof though. Gauge cluster and switches are getting power. Just not the cargo area lights, map lights, or other interior lights.

Cigrette lighter has power as well since my aftermarket gauges are working.

So the symptoms list to date is :

Gauges in wrong positions
No Power to Radio
No Power to Windows
No power to interior lights
No power to the 1st Cylinder/4th Cylinder coil Pack
Headlights will not turn off. I had to unplug them.

 

[foxyspyder01gt]

sounds like a wiring issue or a short some were

 

[Boostinsideways]

I guess I will be getting a new engine bay harness as soon as I can locate one then.

Kinda irked.

 

[Vin2011]

I assume you checked all fuses, right? I believe interior lights and radio are on the same fuse (the fuse box under the steering wheel).

 

[DSM1G90]

that annoying dinger

.. find that annoying dinger and unplug it.. what I've done with all of my vehicles...

Yeah the key is all the way to on though

.. not a good idea in doing this...things all charged up waiting for something to happen and when nothing is happening, it's horribly hard on the system .. why the ACC part of the key.

 

[crash89]

Maybe try to unplug the ECU and wait a few seconds and plug it back in..

 

[Boostinsideways]

yeah I had planned to find it and cut the wires. I know my damn key is in the ignition, It never comes out of the ignition unless I stop for gas. Car is within eye/ear shot all day at work, and locked in the garage/shop otherwise.

Yeah I checked all the fuses and fusible links a few minutes ago. 2nd gens have just the one fuse box under the hood right? No interior fuse box, or auxiliary fuse box under the hood like 1st gens?

 

[DSM1G90]

Maybe try to unplug the ECU and wait a few seconds and plug it back in..

Disconnecting the negative cable on the battery and leave it off for a couple of minutes, then reconnecting the cable is a HELL of a lot easier ..to reset the system...

 

[Boostinsideways]

I assume you checked all fuses, right? I believe interior lights and radio are on the same fuse (the fuse box under the steering wheel).

They are for sure. I blew that fuse at one point. Not sure if the dinger/window motors are on the same circuit. Dinger isn't working either.

Doesn't explain why my headlights are stuck in the on position either. Only think I can even think of to explain that would be the switch being broken in the on position.

Not matter what I do the headlights won't go off.

 

[crash89]

2nd gens have just the one fuse box under the hood right? No interior fuse box, or auxiliary fuse box under the hood like 1st gens?

No, there is a small fuse box right below the dash on the drivers side. Pretty much right under the hood release.. Look under there with a flashlight you cant miss it.

 

[DSM1G90]

Find your harness and dbl check all of the large plug connections.. Check the main fuses - like the ones over 40amps - one opens up and it really messes things up.

did you have your steering column torn apart, for there is tons of connections under that column cover and one of them could have worked loose to where not all connections are making contact-esp since the key controlls the majority of them.

 

[Boostinsideways]

No, there is a small fuse box right below the dash on the drivers side. Pretty much right under the hood release.. Look under there with a flashlight you cant miss it.

Thanks man. Will check all the fuses in there shortly. I am so used the interior fuse box being in the center console I didn't think to look under the dash.

Find your harness and dbl check all of the large plug connections.. Check the main fuses - like the ones over 40amps - one opens up and it really messes things up.

did you have your steering column torn apart, for there is tons of connections under that column cover and one of them could have worked loose to where not all connections are making contact-esp since the key controlls the majority of them.

Yeah I had the column apart but the head lights were working fine for 5-6 days after that.

So I went out and started checking the fuses under the dash. After I pulled one the lights came on in explicably, but then went back out as soon as I turned the key over to check the radio and roll up the driver's window that had been stuck down.

Then a few minutes later it all started working. Not sure about the headlights yet.

Resolved this, combination of a bum coil pack, dead battery (light switch, interior lights, and radio started working after I charged the battery again), and the speedo/tach/coolant gauge not being properly calibrated after I installed the LEDs in the cluster.