For a couple years now, the dash gauges on my 2000 Sentra will spontaneously go off (I’m talking speedometer, odometer, gas gauge, tachometer… everything). The problem has increased over the years, and I have noticed more recently that they seem to go out after I’ve been driving for a while. I have also noticed that if the car has been sitting in the hot sun all day (like while I’m at work), the gauges simply don’t come on at all when I start my car. Every once in a while they will come back on and then go in and out. I also noticed last night that while they are out, mileage is not registered (gauges went out last night when trip meter read 92 miles; I drove another 15 miles or so; today after another 6ish miles the trip read 98).
Nissan took a look in November and wanted to fix all kinds of things that MIGHT be wrong (which would have cost more than I could afford), and no one seems to know what the heck is going on. Since my car runs fine otherwise, I have just lived with it (and I can pretty much stay the speed limit without much trouble).
So, let’s review: gauges have been going out for the last couple years while driving and frequency has increased since the problem first presented; heat seems to have an effect; gauges sometimes come back on after a few minutes, but often go in and out after that; mileage is not recorded while gauges are out.
Any ideas? Thanks!
One possibility is that a ground connection is bad. There may be a common ground for these gauges. I would look for a shop that specializes in electrical problems. These shops have technicians that can read wiring diagrams and figure things out. It sounds as though the dealer just wants to throw parts at the problem.
I would suspect there is a power connection problem at the connector to the gauges. You may be able to clear that by simply taking the connector apart and reconnecting it.