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Gauges go crazy! *VID*

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Old Feb 9, 2007 | 09:32 PM
  #21  
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My 99 did the same thing...got it replaced under warranty. It was in 2000
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Old Feb 9, 2007 | 10:17 PM
  #22  
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If its fixed I would say to just leave it, but if you let your battery drain completly, unless it's a gel type battery it will never charge to 100% agian. There a bunch of ways to test the battery but I would just take it to Advance or another store of the like and have them put it on the tester for free.

Last edited by LS1IMPULSE; Feb 9, 2007 at 10:23 PM.
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Old Feb 9, 2007 | 10:42 PM
  #23  
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what the **** did you do
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Old Feb 9, 2007 | 10:59 PM
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I got this same problem on my 99 camaro ( lights flickering sometimes and guages sweeping ) !!! Will the dealership replace the cluster still, regardless mines got like 79,000 miles on her ???
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Old Feb 12, 2007 | 11:39 AM
  #25  
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I own a '99. When I use to turn the car on the gauges would go crazy for a few seconds then be fine sometimes. Would also reset my oil trip too. Craziest thing... It is under warranty and I got a new cluster from the stealership so its all good now.

Kyle
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Old Feb 12, 2007 | 11:40 AM
  #26  
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I bought an extended warranty on my car. I just bought it last year to clear that up.

Kyle
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Old Feb 12, 2007 | 12:49 PM
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I've had the same problem with both my 96 Camaro and 99 Trans Am, although I always knew what the problem is. Bolts were both stripped on the terminal for the negative post. Left room for the connection to wiggle around. Just have to make sure its tightened for me.
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Old Feb 12, 2007 | 01:19 PM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by Amoretti
I've had the same problem with both my 96 Camaro and 99 Trans Am, although I always knew what the problem is. Bolts were both stripped on the terminal for the negative post. Left room for the connection to wiggle around. Just have to make sure its tightened for me.
when I first got the car it did the guage dance also not often

I fixed it / spacing the battery connections / a brass washer both + & -
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Old Feb 12, 2007 | 02:22 PM
  #29  
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When I go over harsh bumps, my gauges spaz out. All my warning lights come on and my speedo needle goes as far right as it can. After it does that, my gauges return to normal. What's up with that?
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Old Feb 14, 2007 | 04:55 PM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by Amoretti
I've had the same problem with both my 96 Camaro and 99 Trans Am, although I always knew what the problem is. Bolts were both stripped on the terminal for the negative post. Left room for the connection to wiggle around. Just have to make sure its tightened for me.
Just kidding guys. My alternator died yesterday, lol. Replaced today, no more problems.
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Old Feb 18, 2007 | 01:36 PM
  #31  
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I have the same problem on my 99 formula. On cold starts my tach and spedo spike hard then fall, then read normal. trip odo resets. after reading this thread it sounds like it could be one of these three.

battery
alternator
gauge cluster

I'll have the battery tested and go from there.
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Old Feb 18, 2007 | 01:52 PM
  #32  
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My brother's 02 does it. The gauges will wig out and then go dead - speedo, tach, and fuel, IIRC - usually just after starting the car. After driving a while they will magically come to life again. He has the original battery. The connections are clean and it's charging fine. My guess is that it's shorting internally.
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Old Feb 18, 2007 | 03:36 PM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by RevGTO
My brother's 02 does it. The gauges will wig out and then go dead - speedo, tach, and fuel, IIRC - usually just after starting the car. After driving a while they will magically come to life again. He has the original battery. The connections are clean and it's charging fine. My guess is that it's shorting internally.
what is shorting internally, the battery? My battery is about 2 years old and I'm reluctant to change it but I just may swap it to see what happens. It's nothing special, just pep boys brand or something. What would be good, red top?
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Old Feb 18, 2007 | 05:13 PM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by 2formulas
what is shorting internally, the battery?
Yes, that's my guess. It would be more typical of an older battery than yours, but anything is possible. I had it happen on one of my GTO's and it caused all kinds of strange symptoms and problems till I got it diagnosed.
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Old Mar 17, 2007 | 01:40 AM
  #35  
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I replaced the battery and it seems to work fine now.
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Old Mar 18, 2007 | 08:19 PM
  #36  
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I have this problem on my 99 as well. I notice that it does it on idle and sometimes on harsh bumps. One time I was driving and I went over a railroad crossing everything turned off from the headlights to the guage cluster. Then after about 5 seconds it came back on. Freaked the crap out of me! I think Im gonna take the guage cluster out and see if I can retighten its connections?

Whoever finds the problem out for this will be worshipped! lol
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Old Mar 18, 2007 | 08:45 PM
  #37  
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Mine did the same thing at random..I had the battery load tested as well as the alternator/ They both tested fine. At first this seemed like an isolated incident, but over time, there would be days when it wouldn't crank and sometimes it would die while at highway speed. I would have too pull over wait and the try to crank it again. I eventually replaced the battery anticioating replacing the alternator. As soon as I replaced the battery, everything was fine The old batter had a broken plate inside the battery...When I was driving the plate would shift inside the case and dead short the electrical system. The guages was go crazy, the car would die, idle rough. All the things you have described. I would replace the battery soon. If it did it once I think over time the problem will show up again and more freuquently. The load test on the battery may or may not show the problem.
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Old Mar 18, 2007 | 11:12 PM
  #38  
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I'd be fooled into thinking the problem was with the ignition switch by the symptoms described above. You did well to figure it to be the battery.
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Old Jul 1, 2007 | 09:26 AM
  #39  
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I have 2 99 ta's and when i swapped the guage clusters, the problem moved to the other car. So that elimanates the everything except the cluster. Will a 00-02 cluster have the same plug on the back? Im assuming yes but thought i should ask.


JG

ps my monsoon HU displays heiroglyphics half the time. Is my car possessed???


867
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Old Jul 2, 2007 | 06:36 PM
  #40  
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Could very well be low voltage. Have you tested your voltage with an actual meter?
What is the check engine light??? anything important?
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