# Instrument panel gauges won’t work



## emtmike (Oct 28, 2010)

Just bought a 2003 Silverado 2500HD 4x4 EXT cab. It has 80K on it. 6.0L. It worked great all the way home then I stopped to let the wife pee, I know mistake, and when I started it back up none of the gauges are working. The spedo and tac work but that’s it. The seat belt and ABS light are on. The temp and oil pressure and the other gauges will not work. I am thinking a fuse????? Any thoughts?


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## Burkartsplow (Nov 1, 2007)

It was a common problem and gm issued a recall on the stepper motor for the instrument panel. I had 2 trucks fixed a few years back. I would get a hold of your dealer and see if you can receive the recall if it has not expired yet.


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## emtmike (Oct 28, 2010)

Thanks I will check that out tomorrow. Any Idea what they did to fix it?


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

emtmike;1679399 said:


> Thanks I will check that out tomorrow. Any Idea what they did to fix it?


They give you a Ford!Thumbs Up


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## Moose's Mowing (Oct 6, 2012)

welcome to my world. I have an 04 with the same issue. It started after I put my plow on. Coincidence or not, I'm not sure. These are known to go bad. If the entire panel is out, its not the steppers. I sent my cluster to Drspeedometer.com. it was like 250 bucks and they rebuilt the thing top to bottom. I've read you can get stepper motors at radio shack or wherever for cheap and its easy to fix them yourself. But I sent mine out. That company was good, had it back in 3 days maybe give or take. They give you a lifetime warranty. 

Once I got mine back, it worked for a few days then would quit, come on, then go off and so on. I read that '03 had to get the computer re-flashed. I called the stealership and they ran my VIN. He said my 04 needed it as well. I have well over 100k on mine and the Chevy recall is only good up to 75k I think. But they updated the software for me anyway at no charge (good dealership I guess). It worked for 2 days then quit again. They come on and of intermittently, and I just can't pin it down for the life of me.The correct terminals have power at the plug, but sometimes they just don't work. No rhyme or reason to it.

You can do a few things:
- have the dealer reprogram the computer
- have the cluster rebuilt
- pull the IPC and DIC fuses in the fusebox under the hood. This should reset the cluster. Then plug them back in.
- Disconnect your batteries and re-connect them. That'll reset your computer.

I've done all of the above, sometimes it works and sometimes it don't. It pisses me off when they don't work.


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## TMLGC (Sep 22, 2013)

My current Chevy 2500 and a prior 2002 Monte Carlo both had annoying electrical problems, none of which affected how it drove, just very annoying. Between the 2 I've spent far too much time and money chasing them problems only to have the same thing reappear. 

I wish someone made a old school work truck like they used to have. Vinyl floor, seat, roll windows, basic manual adjusted heat (defrost, dash, floor vent options only) no AC, basic radio only, manual 4x4, and engine under the hood. No computers or digital read outs at all. Lots will probably disagree but many of my shop bills over the years have been dealing with electrical crap.


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## Moose's Mowing (Oct 6, 2012)

I'll buy two ^^^^


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## emtmike (Oct 28, 2010)

Mine seems to work fine when I first go out and start it up in the morning. Its after I drive it for a bit and shut it off. When I restart it I get all the same problems. All the warning lights come on but none of the gauges work except the speedo and tach.


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## emtmike (Oct 28, 2010)

So I found what looks like a ground wire that goes from under the hood on the fire wall to the hood. I looks like a ground wire and has 9982 on the cover. The withe is busted off the terminals. Anybody know what its for?


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## Moose's Mowing (Oct 6, 2012)

not sure, but fix it anyway if it's broken. I found this the other day while searching. So far, mine has been working. The past two weeks have been good and I plowed 17 hours last weekend with no issues...

Here's what Professor Google gave me:
ECM ground is one of a few causes for this condition. Check ground wire passenger side rear of block. Remove bolt and inspect condition of wire. Most times will need to replace 8in of wire.

I'm going to check this on mine this weekend


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## chevboy167 (Dec 7, 2011)

My 99 1500 did this. More when the weather turned cold. If i tapped the top of the dash, above cluster, everything started working again. I removed the cluster, removed the plastic rear cover and reflowed every single solder point on the circuit board. not a single problem for 8 yrs now. Never needed the motors replaced either. If your good at electronic work and with a GROUNDED TIP soldering iron, give a go. Or take to a trusted electronic repair place and tell them to reflow the board. You may get lucky on the cheap!


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## rbljack (Dec 9, 2013)

I too have gauge problems due to the stepper motors, but you are also saying the seatbelt light and another light are staying on, so that indicates to me a differnet problem than the stepper motors. 

For me, the volt gauge stopped reading correctly first, than (and still do) have intermittent speedometer gauge, now im seeing it on the oil pressure and temp gauges once in a while.

From the description your providing, it sounds like something other than just bad stepper or two. 

good luck.


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## emtmike (Oct 28, 2010)

Like I said, the gauges all work fine when I start it and its cold and even after it warms up....as long as I dont shut it off. As soon as I do they wont work again for the rest of the day. Something else I seen today, when they go out tho odometer and hour meter work but the trip meter dosent move. Gave me 6.2MPG according to that lol.


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