Hi all. I have a 1996 Grand Am SE with a V6. The engine is running great but all my gauges stopped working and some of the Dumb Dumb lights came on when the gauges went out. I was just riding down the road and they went up and down a couple of times them qiute all together. I checked all the fuses and cleaned the grounds to the battery and body. Everything looks in place. Has anyone else had this problem?? Does anyone know how to text the gauge pack? Thanks for any help I can get. GG

use scan tool to check IPC, but you can try disconnecting battery negative and reconnecting after 30sec

it never happen to me while driving, but it did when the engine was on and I was checking IPC for codes and when I turned the scan tool off all gauges stopped working. So in order to avoid that the best is to turn off the engine first and then turn off the scan tool (at least in my case only for ipc)

Welcome to AF passnbyu !!

If 3100's info didnt help, chances are your cluster has a short.
Typical of this model/year. If you search the grand am forums, you'll find many others with the exact same issue.
Usualy needs a new/rebuilt cluster which you can purchase at online auctions.

IMO a rebuilt one if better then new one because the problem areas are resoldered. :2cents:

Thanks for the replys! I tried disconnecting the battery and hooking a scan tool up but they both didn't work. The part that has me stumped is that when I drive it the gauges start working for a second or two and all the dummy lights go out. Then when the gauges stop again the lights come back on. When I say the lights, I mean the low fuel and lights like that. I was thinking it could be a ground and that its feeding back though the lights ground. Does anyone know where the gauge pack gets its ground from. I checked for a wiring display but couldn't find one. It could be through the ECM.
If it would be a short it shouldn't work some of the time. Right?? :banghead:
This one has my head scratching!!! Thanks All!!

most likely not a short but bad solder as stated, vibration make an intermittent connection I.E. intermittent opperation. get a new cluster. simply the best answer, only other thing that can cause this is a break in a serial B.U.S. line. if it were a ground problem it would be effecting the ECM as the ECM supplies it's ground as well as all information thru a serial B.U.S.

Thanks for all the help!
Well today I went out and bought a gauge cluster from a used auto parts place (junk yard). I put it in and everything worked like it was supposed to but after it started for a second or two the theft system light started flashing and now it will not run. It starts for a second or two then shuts down. Do I need to program something???
Thanks again!!

you will need to do a pass key relearn as the pass key information is tranmitted by the IPC to the PCM. Just turn the key to the run position and let it set 10 minutes. if that doesn't work you may have gotten a bad IPC and it cannot communicate. GOOD LUCK!

Cars79
Thanks for the info. I'm going to do a relearn tomorrow morning and see if that works. I have a question. The ICP transmits to the PCM. This is something in the new gauge cluster that changed when I replaced it? I'm wondering if it is just another problem. The key is worn and sometimes I have to play with it to release it to the on/start position. I looked at some theads that say this will cause the theft system light to come on.
Thanks again!

Well I started a relearn today. I turned over the engine till it shut off. Then left it sit for 11 mins with the key on. About half way though the head light turned on then went off. The theft system light stopped blinking. after the 11 mins was up I turned the key off for 30 seconds and went to start my second engine start. The engine started up at ran fine. We put everything back together at the car is running fine with all gauges working. I payed $17 dollars at a junk yard for the used gauge cluster. This was about the cheapest fix I have had in a long time! Plus my car went from 187,000 to 138,000. Not bad??:runaround:
Thanks to all that helped!!!! Passnbyu