Odometer display blank

[ZapMan]

2004 Chevy Silverado 6.0 4-door

Sometimes when I start truck, the odometer display is blank. I started a few months ago but it happens more and more now. No mileage or MPG or Range, etc.

This is not a guage problem or speedometer problem, they all work correctly.

[CaptainMusky]

I know on my truck I can cycle through the items on the display, odometer, trip, fuel mileage, etc and the last item it cycles through is a blank display. Is it possible it is just that is what is happening? There is a button on the dash which I am sure you know about, but you keep pushing it and eventually the display will be blank. Push it again and its the odometer.

[ZapMan]

I just went out and checked, no such luck on the buttom push theory.

[leechlake]

ran this by a buddy of mine, he said most likely a faulty ignition switch.

[BoxMN]

That vintage GM has a history of chitty instrument clusters... I had one in my 05. Son in his 05. Not sure of the years but + and - 05 for sure...

It could be just the start of the whole cluster going out. Mine started with the speedo, but eventually got to about everything. Something to check out if you have not replaced or rebuilt it yet.

[ZapMan]

I had the speedometer motor cluster rebuilt and all bulbs replace a few years ago.

I think this is a separate problem.

[Hookmaster]

Where did you have the bulbs replaced?

[ZapMan]

gmgaugerepair.com

In Wisconsin

[Jeremy airjer W]

When it doesn't work, forcefully tap the instrument cluster with your hand. If it starts to display dimly or displays correctly it is the cluster. I have the same problem with one of the plow trucks I use. A good whack and she's back in business!!

[ZapMan]

A good whack didn't do anything either. Although this morning it was working again. See how long it works this time.

[ZapMan]

Well it did it again, after work it didn't light up. See pictures.

As you can see, the PND123O is always lit up. Seems it does it more when cold.

[Macgyver55]

It's the cluster, possibly a cracked solder on the circuit board and it flexes when it's cold.

Search D&D Instruments and look up GM cluster repair. They specifically guarantee their repair will correct any light or display problem. I have had them repair several with great results.

[Hookmaster]

My driver information light works by my PRND32L doesn't.

[ZapMan]

Sent in for resoldering, reinstalled. Hopefully this will fix it.

[delcecchi]

Just happened to come across this in Electronic Design News.

http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/row...-clock-go-dark?

Quote:

A few years ago, the clock display on my 2001 Subaru Forester went dark. The display lit up again a few weeks later and showed the the clock was keeping time but not always displaying it. A few days later, the clock went dark again. It remained that way for another few weeks before illuminating again. A new clock would cost more than $200—not worth it, even if I were to install it myself.

Assuming this problem occurred on other Foresters, I searched online. Sure enough, someone provided detailed instructions on how to fix the problem. A 30 Ω resistor had a poor solder joint. When the clock's board was manufactured, no solder paste was added on one end of the resistor. The solder joint relied on the solder from the SMT resistor and the board, which was not enough. Over time, the connection between the resistor and board failed because of vibration and temperature fluctuations.

A dab of solder fixed the problem—for a few years. When the display again went dark, I assumed another solder joint had failed.

The clock is running, but the display is dark.

With my nephew taking the pictures, I removed the clock module. A quick pry with a screwdriver revealed a four-terminal connector. Clearly, two wires power the clock, and two power the display. The connector unplugged easily.

Taking the clock inside, I removed it from its case and looked for a cracked solder joint, but none was visible. Thinking that the crack was too small to see, I checked the connections with a multimeter. All seemed good, but maybe that was because the warmer indoor temperature had caused enough thermal expansion to remake the broken connection.

The clock board has two 30 Ω resistors and one 51 Ω resistor. Not knowing which might have the intermittent solder joint, I heated all the connections around the resistors with a soldering iron. We took the clock module to the car and attached to the connector before putting the clock back into its housing.

The photos below show the steps needed to remove, repair, and replace the clock. (have to go to the link to see the pictures)

A screwdriver is all that's needed to pop open the clock's housing.

Once the clock is free, its four-pin power connector is visible.

Pressing a tab allows the connector to slide out from its housing.

Once we went inside, we removed the clock module from its plastic housing.

Though the connections around the power resistors tested OK with a multimeter, we took no chances. Touching up the solder connections on a few resistors should repair the failed connection.

Before assembling the clock board back into its housing, we went back to the car

and connected it. The display worked again.

The clock is back in its housing. Now we can see the time without looking at our phones.

odd coincidence.