Gauges resting? What the hell...

[TheDarkness]

My gauges go dead now every once in a while, the needles drop and nothing reads, no speed, tach, gas, or temp ...the needles go from functional to just dead. Then it resets itself, and all the lights for check engine, service, battery, and airbag light back up, then its back to normal...

What the hell is causing this? Easy fix?

Is it some crossed wires somewhere? I just installed a battery capacitor for my amplifier in the trunk, hooked up to my regular battery, but it hasnt given me a problem before,
help

-Thanks,

[jijacob]

Pull the cluster out and put it back in. Clusters are really difficult to figure out though, so you might end up having to replace it. Does anything on the cluster work, or does the entire thing go? When you turn on your lights while the cluster is out, do the needles light?

[TheDarkness]

the gauge lights are always on, the needles just drop out when it dies, then resets itself again, all while im driving

[jijacob]

Do bumps seems to cause it? Taking the cluster out is not too difficult, and you really would just need to unplug and replug the cluster. No need to even take it all the way out.

[Bluebimma]

Is the capacitor connections covered up so it doesnt get grounded some way?

[jijacob]

Is the capacitor connections covered up so it doesnt get grounded some way?

I was thinking it could be a grounding issue as well, but I would doubt a little corrosion on a cap would cause what he is having.

[Bluebimma]

Well, im saying, maybe he has it somewhere where there is metal around, and the capacitor sometimes hits it with the positive side causing it to ground. Maybe it was even install improperly and is causing drain on the battery or making the alternator work harder which would mess with the cluster.

[TheDarkness]

The cap is new, I did a quick install on it, the connection are not covered, and I didnt use a fuse breaker in between the ground wire from the cap connected to the battery, or from the positive wire that runs from the cap to the battery and the amp.

This is probably my problem now that i thikn about out it

[jijacob]

Ohhh cap like one people use for systems, not a capacitor inside his gauges. Wouldn't you notice flickering or your system restarting if you had such a serious grounding issue? I figured it was just a loose wire behind the cluster. :shrug

[TheDarkness]

looks like im cluster-fucked

[jijacob]

looks like im cluster-fucked

:lol

[Bluebimma]

looks like im cluster-fucked

:buttrock :lol

[scabzzzz]

i havnt seen too many e36 clusters crap out but im told its not uncommon. however, if it was just making the needle freak out and move around, its a cluster issue. If its dropping dead like Fred then its a intermittent ground wire issue. Next time it happens, see if its in accordance to the music. Putting a fuse in the path to the battery from cap wont really change much. It will just bust when the voltage gets too high. Describe your sound system topology...

[TheDarkness]

bump. still happening, similar post on here earlier