2005 Sierra all gauges suddenly dead

[someotherguy]

Trying to help a buddy of mine with his truck - his gauges all quit. Warning lights and such still work, so the gauge cluster has power, but no activity on the gauges themselves.

I feel like I've heard of this but can't seem to find anything definitive with some searching. I've replaced steppers in these clusters but I don't think I've heard of ALL of them going bad at once; seems unlikely.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Richard

 

[stutaeng]

Umm...hook up a bi-directional scan tool and see if the ECU is getting normal readings (probably is?). Then go from there...

 

[ORVietVet]

Trying to help a buddy of mine with his truck - his gauges all quit. Warning lights and such still work, so the gauge cluster has power, but no activity on the gauges themselves.

I feel like I've heard of this but can't seem to find anything definitive with some searching. I've replaced steppers in these clusters but I don't think I've heard of ALL of them going bad at once; seems unlikely.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Richard

So....you really are "asking for a friend". Is there any gauge fuses at dash side panel or under the hood? Warning lights and gauges may be separate circuits. If you already checked fuses, shame on you for not saying so.

 

[stutaeng]

So....you really are "asking for a friend". Is there any gauge fuses at dash side panel or under the hood? Warning lights and gauges may be separate circuits. If you already checked fuses, shame on you for not saying so.

Hey, it's Richard...not some random new member with the absolute longest run-in sentences and BS drama and vague information in the world! LOL

(Monkey Emoji covering eyes)

 

[someotherguy]

I'm helping him from a pretty good distance (he's about 70 miles from me, so during regular traffic times that could mean 2hrs one-way), so I'm not able to easily lay hands on the truck. He's a pretty sharp guy mechanically but generally with older stuff - muscle cars, street rod type builder, so he doesn't have anything to troubleshoot modern vehicles with.

I'll have him check the fuse for the gauges, it just seems like I had a vague recollection of GMT800 clusters being somewhat known for conking out like that and was hoping someone would have a better memory than me on that, since I've got a lot less experience with these, than the GMT400's.

If his gauge fuse was out, would that take out the entire cluster - including warning lights - or just the gauges themselves?

Richard

 

[stutaeng]

The IPC(?) fuse will kill everything on the gauges, at least on the 03+ I think it will...

My 04 project Suburban had a parasitic battery drain. When I bought the vehicle the seller told me it drained the battery. Earlier this year I finally shipped out the cluster and got a replacement cluster with the mileage programmed. It wasn't that much actually. Truck now will start and idle w/o any issues 3-4 weeks. I got the LED light upgrade BTW.

 

[ORVietVet]

Likely just gauges but should check fuses 1st thing. I know about the cluster problems. Did a cluster in my 2005 Tahoe and the 2004 2500HD.

 

[someotherguy]

He's retired so buying a cluster would be a bit of a financial hardship, as well as sending it out for repair. If it turns out to be steppers or just some bad solder joints inside, I can take care of it for him, it's just a logistical hassle. Hell I even have a box of new steppers here for a 7 gauge cluster..

Richard

 

[stutaeng]

You don't have a scanner to check things like RPM, ECT, etc?

 

[someotherguy]

You don't have a scanner to check things like RPM, ECT, etc?

I do indeed have a scanner. As mentioned I'm nowhere near him to provide immediate help in person.

Says he checked the fuses. Seems to be a discrepancy on which one he was looking at but he says the truck is at his buddy's place at the moment, not in front of him. I thought for a 2005 it should be fuse 46 in the under hood panel, which is near the lower right corner, next to the fog lamp relay - but I'm looking at an interwebs pic that I don't know if I can trust. He seemed to feel it was next to the fuel pump relay :/ that doesn't sound correct to me, but if he's got the lid with the diagram on it to reference.. I'd trust that more than some randomly sourced pic.

Richard

 

[stutaeng]

I do indeed have a scanner. As mentioned I'm nowhere near him to provide immediate help in person.

Says he checked the fuses. Seems to be a discrepancy on which one he was looking at but he says the truck is at his buddy's place at the moment, not in front of him. I thought for a 2005 it should be fuse 46 in the under hood panel, which is near the lower right corner, next to the fog lamp relay - but I'm looking at an interwebs pic that I don't know if I can trust. He seemed to feel it was next to the fuel pump relay :/ that doesn't sound correct to me, but if he's got the lid with the diagram on it to reference.. I'd trust that more than some randomly sourced pic.

Richard

Gotcha. I missed the part where you mentioned you don't have the truck with you.

Bottom right IPC fuse location seems right to me as well, based on my 04 project Suburban.

 

[99Sierra2500]

Fuses, grounds, harness, cluster; there is also a diagnostic with a scan tool. Harness and clusters going bad are sort of a known issue. If the fuses are good, grounds attached, I check the harness connectors next.

 

[someotherguy]

Wellllll kinda dead in the water on this one. His truck is at someone's shop, also on the other side of the planet, and I don't know the status. I think it's just sitting there, not getting worked on. I don't imagine I'll be getting out there anytime soon to put hands on it. I really feel like he's looking at the wrong fuse but what do I know. I find it tough to believe all his stepper motors went out at once but I guess stranger things have happened.

Thanks for the tips y'all; I hate leaving this one unsolved. I'd like to help my friend but cooperation level isn't the best.

Richard

 

[someotherguy]

OK, so apparently the situation is he was taking it to a friend's shop to get lowered a bit. I'm guessing the gauges went out on the way to the shop. So it's not getting any attention there for that issue.

Hoping at some point soon it'll be back at his place and I might be able to pay a visit to put hands and scan tool on it. Known this guy for decades but he's lived way across town for a long time and recently moved even further out, so we don't get too many opportunities to visit. It's a hike, about 1.5 hrs one-way, which also means I've got to plan my tool packing carefully so I'm not missing anything.

Last time I saw him was when I dragged a '98 RCSB parts truck out of an overgrown field for him, belonged to a friend of his. Bought some of the parts off it that he wasn't going to use, and they went for critter (grille, bumper, headliner board)

The pic he sent me ahead of time so I'd have an idea what I was getting into. Doesn't look like much until you get there and find out there's little maneuvering room and huge fire ant mounds everywhere! All 4 tires flat off the bead and brakes locked up


No biggie...


That's ol' boy in the back throwing the hang loose


Richard

 

[ORVietVet]

You sure the tow truck driver and the friend are not related?

 

[Cadillacmak]

Nice ZZ Top shirt, been one of my favorites since I was young.

 

[someotherguy]

You sure the tow truck driver and the friend are not related?

Those two would be good friends, dude with the ZZ Top shirt is his buddy the parts truck came from.

The tow truck driver is me, not pictured.

Richard

 

[stutaeng]

Tow truck driver must be some other guy...

 

[AuroraGirl]

the gauges if they arent fried or bad fuse would have a Sweep at key on engine off

If you have ANY gauges sweep then its fine but if none its most likely all failed somehow at once or more likely fuses/grounds