No gauge in the instrument cluster working while engine running or driving. However, ETS and ABS lights stay on all the time and illumination lights working. Checked all the fuses in the fuse box and they were all good. The strange part is once or twice a week all gauges start working when you start the car and drive but ABS and ETS lights stay on. I don't know if ECU is bad or something else and how to diagnose this problem. I will appreciate help on this. Thanks
Dashboard Gauges intermittent 1997 C230 W202
- Thread starter Chaud
- Start date
Well I had something similar in a company Vauxhall fearing the worst I pulled into a main dealer who basically took the leads of the battery for 20 mins this solved the problem,it did not happen again,I would think that it is worth a try.
Your suggestion looked good and I tried it today. I took the ground cable off from the battery for one hour and then reconnected it back. After 30 minutes I started the car and it did not fix the problem. But thanks for your input.
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2004
- Messages
- 1,145
- Location
- Leven, Fife / Northampton
- Car
- 2006 320 CDI Avantgarde . 1997 312d Sprinter
Hi,
Welcome to the forum from "over the pond ". Several things spring to mind here, :-
1. How old is your battery? a failing battery can cause all sorts of gremlins in the electronics.
2. Where in the USA are are you, hot part , wet part, Alaska brrrrr , perhaps the SAM unit has some corrosion as does the fuse holders. Just because the fuses are ok does not mean power into the fuse and power out of the fuse. Time to get the multimeter out, as they need checking.
3. What about a leaking front screen? water ingress onto the electrics. Check the front floors under the carpets to see if they are wet.
4. Have you had the codes read... but then on a 1997 car ... there will be no OB2 port for reading codes???
5. When did your problem first begin, after some bad weather perhaps?
Well that will keep you busy for an hour ....or so.
Steve.
Welcome to the forum from "over the pond ". Several things spring to mind here, :-
1. How old is your battery? a failing battery can cause all sorts of gremlins in the electronics.
2. Where in the USA are are you, hot part , wet part, Alaska brrrrr , perhaps the SAM unit has some corrosion as does the fuse holders. Just because the fuses are ok does not mean power into the fuse and power out of the fuse. Time to get the multimeter out, as they need checking.
3. What about a leaking front screen? water ingress onto the electrics. Check the front floors under the carpets to see if they are wet.
4. Have you had the codes read... but then on a 1997 car ... there will be no OB2 port for reading codes???
5. When did your problem first begin, after some bad weather perhaps?
Well that will keep you busy for an hour ....or so.
Steve.
Here are the answers to all your questions.
1. Battery is 2 years old and no sign of weakness as engine cranks fast and quick.
2. I Live in San Diego California which has the world's best weather. No chance of corrosion or rust in this area. But I agree good fuses don't equate to all is ok.
3. No leak or wet spot anywhere inside or out.
4. All vehicles here after 1995 are mandated to have OBD2. I read the code and it was P0460 which relates to Fuel level sensor A circuit.
5. It started last july or August which were somewhat hot (95F) months. But now we are in the 70F during day.
Here is a new information which might help.
When dashboard is not working, OBD analyzer cannot establish a link with ECU or engine computer. When dashboard is working, this link gets established. This leads me to believe the problem is with the computer because it outputs data to dash as well as establishes a link with OBD port. I see 2 options which could cause this.
a. Intermittent power to ECU. This power should be on all the time. I can check or probe the power wire or pin to computer if I know which wire or pin it is. But I don't know the location of this power terminal or wire to the ECU.
b. ECU is getting power as it should but it is defective. Only way I can check that out is to install a new one. It is expensive and non-returnable. So it is a big gamble. Thanks
Chaud
1. Battery is 2 years old and no sign of weakness as engine cranks fast and quick.
2. I Live in San Diego California which has the world's best weather. No chance of corrosion or rust in this area. But I agree good fuses don't equate to all is ok.
3. No leak or wet spot anywhere inside or out.
4. All vehicles here after 1995 are mandated to have OBD2. I read the code and it was P0460 which relates to Fuel level sensor A circuit.
5. It started last july or August which were somewhat hot (95F) months. But now we are in the 70F during day.
Here is a new information which might help.
When dashboard is not working, OBD analyzer cannot establish a link with ECU or engine computer. When dashboard is working, this link gets established. This leads me to believe the problem is with the computer because it outputs data to dash as well as establishes a link with OBD port. I see 2 options which could cause this.
a. Intermittent power to ECU. This power should be on all the time. I can check or probe the power wire or pin to computer if I know which wire or pin it is. But I don't know the location of this power terminal or wire to the ECU.
b. ECU is getting power as it should but it is defective. Only way I can check that out is to install a new one. It is expensive and non-returnable. So it is a big gamble. Thanks
Chaud
