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Cadillac Repair/No speedo, gas gauge, or trip displayed on dash

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Expert: - 10/12/2010


Question
1990 Cadillac Brougham.  Drove it 1 mile last week round trip.  Next morning came out and started it to find NO dash lights (no fuel, no speedo, no trip).  This is a digital dash.  Checked all fuses..good.  Where do I check next?  And why would it go out all of a sudden?  Never done this before.
Are the electronics for the dash on a relay?
Radio works fine...climate control works fine.  Can't read codes as I have no dash lights displaying.


Answer
Hello,

matter of fact, just helped fix one of these digital dashes today from a thousand miles away! He is so happy he is sending mea dinnercertificate for me and my wife!

This is after he paid some Cadillac goof mechanic all sorts of money and wanted $400 more to get the dash workung.

I don't claim to have all answers, but I was right on his.

Most of these suckers have more than one fuse box. You need to see if there is another box in your car either under the hood or in the trunk area.

Do not check the fuse by sight. It can be bliwn and you won't see it. Use a test light or a meter.

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Rob Painter

Expertise

Alarm system questions cannot be answered on this forum. These systems are not what I can answer. Without being physically at the vehicle and not knowing what kind of electrical service has been done on the vehicle, there is no possible way to give an accurate answer over the internet. My expertise is in Ignition/key based anti-theft systems. These issues include GM VATS (resistor chip in key blade) PASSLOCK (MRD)-ignition lock rotation based, no special ignition key and the PKIII Transponder (computer chip in key) systems. These systems are not alarm based and are integral with the starting of the engine. This is why I cannot diagnose alarm problems without physically looking at the vehicle: Alarm systems are a completely different annimal than ignition key/lock based anti-theft system. Many alarm questions come from vehicles 10 years old, and since older, many hands that had been involved over the years.I am an expert in all GM factory (ignition/key based)systems. Alarm system questions pose to many situations beyond my knowledge as to what has been done to the vehicle over the years. Some guy may have actually wired the stereo into the alarm system. Who knows? Over my past 30 years in vehicle wiring repair, I have seen unbelievable wiring disaters done by guys that consider themselves "mechanics." I have seen stereos and alarms intalled using surgical tape. I have seen modules burn up, un-fused circuits, wiring jambed between the doors and even lamp cord used for a starter kill. To answer alarm questions over the internet without examining the vehicle is like asking; What does it take to remove a dent?

Experience

Education/Credentials-ASE certified. 11 years with a GM dealer and 17 years with a repair facility dealing with only the repair of theft recovered vehicles.

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