Topcat9pet Posted August 8, 2008 Report Share Posted August 8, 2008 <_<Speedometer went black while driving, temp gage also inop. Cannot read codes-will not display. Fuel mileage and odeometer still work. A/C panel still works. This occured while driving home from haveing the EBTC replaced, which was shortly after having the fuel pump seal replaced which wasn't that long after having the Eng. and Trans. replaced with a '99 unit. Thanks, Topcat9pet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted August 8, 2008 Report Share Posted August 8, 2008 My 96 dash is fully digital, I press Information to toggle through coolant temp, volts, etc. Is yours that way? Does it light up at all? Maybe this is related to your VSS (Vehicle Speed Sensor) sensor, check the connections. Did this happen all at once, its possible that when the tranny was out the (ECT) Engine Coolant Temp sensor and VSS connections might have been left off. Try a code reader and plug it in under the dash, it will only display P codes I believe. Bad/disconnected VSS/ETC should show up. If you don't have access to a reader, some parts stores will read the codes for you for free.. Getting the stored codes codes might help. What happens when you try to pull the codes? What happens when you push the INFORMATION button to pull up data? Does other data come up? How is the engine running? rich?, higher than normal idle? Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topcat9pet Posted August 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2008 My 96 dash is fully digital, I press Information to toggle through coolant temp, volts, etc. Is yours that way? Does it light up at all? Maybe this is related to your VSS (Vehicle Speed Sensor) sensor, check the connections. Did this happen all at once, its possible that when the tranny was out the (ECT) Engine Coolant Temp sensor and VSS connections might have been left off. Try a code reader and plug it in under the dash, it will only display P codes I believe. Bad/disconnected VSS/ETC should show up. If you don't have access to a reader, some parts stores will read the codes for you for free.. Getting the stored codes codes might help. What happens when you try to pull the codes? What happens when you push the INFORMATION button to pull up data? Does other data come up? How is the engine running? rich?, higher than normal idle? The speedometer and the temp gage did go black all at once and at the same time. The car runs and idles normally otherwise. Nothing displays on the center panel. the Avg. fuel mileage and odometer still work which would seem to indicate the VSS is still working. Check Eng. and DTC's do not display, although everything else lights up like it's going into diagnostics mode. Car has been driven about 500 miles since engine change with only the fuel pump seal and the EBTC(motor stop) problem. Car sat for several months before the engine change. I had a '97 Eldo that burned an IC inside the IPC, but that killed everything in the cluster. I havent had one where only part of the cluster goes out. TC9p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted August 8, 2008 Report Share Posted August 8, 2008 OK good, that helps a lot. Let me look at the wiring diagram to see if there is a common ground for the VSS and Temp sensors. The added problem is that you can't get DTCs to display. What do you mean, check engine does not display? When? Are you saying you expect a check engine and it does not display or when you turn you key to ON, it does not display. When you turn your key on (just on, not started), as soon as the dash turns on it lights up all of the indicators, do they light? PS, the reason I asked about your idle, rich was to determine if your coolant sensor was in fact operating, if the coolant sensor is not operating the engine will not go into closed loop, and the engine runs rich and the idle can remain high because the PCM thinks the engine is cold. Since you cant pull codes I am trying to analyze this via deduction Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Jim Posted August 8, 2008 Report Share Posted August 8, 2008 It sounds like the whole instrument panel cluster has lost its power or ground. I'd start by checking the connectors and fuses. -- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data -- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topcat9pet Posted August 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2008 It sounds like the whole instrument panel cluster has lost its power or ground. I'd start by checking the connectors and fuses. I'v only been around Cadillacs about forty years so don't say anything about this. THE GROUND CABLE ON THE BATTERY WASN'T TIGHT ENOUGH. Removed both cables cleaned them and re-installed-everything works normally. I'm still not sure why the car would start, and everything else worked except the center of the cluster.Weired. Sorry to bother you. Guess I shoulda known that with any electrical problem, always start at the battery. Apparently when they changed the EBTC they disconnected the battery and being a Friday afternoon, just didn't get it quiet tight enough. Many Thanks, Topcat9pet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted August 8, 2008 Report Share Posted August 8, 2008 Well you might have needed to disconnect the battery and 're-boot' the system, it sounds like you system was not fully initialized or there was an error on initialization. Because if the ground cable was THAT loose, like you said, the starter would have flamed out. I was going to suggest that you disconnect the battery actually typed it, but I wanted you to get the codes first Glad you got it going.. 'maybe' they didn't disconnect the battery at all... Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterset Posted August 9, 2008 Report Share Posted August 9, 2008 yep, happened to me a few months ago. battery was dead/partially dead. I charged it up, and I didn't have my full display. I got scared. I disconnected the battery, charged it up. and connected it, and all was fine. one other time, I couldn't get my 12disk to get recognized after a dead battery. I disconnected it, re-connected, and all was fine. I think voltage variations cause havoc, and a powerdown/up should be considered. You probably had either a dead battery at one time, or loose connections caused a voltage flux. Glad you got it fixed without needing parts or dealer diagnostics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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