Altima 2000 gauges dropping to zero!

[elacesar]

Hello all! I would like to know if anyone could help me with my Altima 2000 that is having problems with the instrument cluster. After driving for about 10 minutes the gauges drop to zero for a while and after 15 minutes it goes back to normal. I changed the speed control with no luck. I changed the entire cluster twice with no luck. I checked all of the connections and it is the same. Can anyone give me a heads up because i am about to give up. Thanks for any help..

[vpnavy]

Originally Posted by elacesar

Hello all! I would like to know if anyone could help me with my Altima 2000 that is having problems with the instrument cluster. After driving for about 10 minutes the gauges drop to zero for a while and after 15 minutes it goes back to normal. I changed the speed control with no luck. I changed the entire cluster twice with no luck. I checked all of the connections and it is the same. Can anyone give me a heads up because i am about to give up. Thanks for any help..

Wow - I just checked the net and you are not alone! Only one person was able to fix the problem by replacing his speed sensor. The rest replaced the cluster and made sure that the connection between the cluster and electrical was nice and clean. Unfortunately, even when replacing the cluster the problem came back again.

[elacesar]

I replaced the speed sensor and it did not help. I hope there a way out of this.. I think its time to go to Nissan!

[elacesar]

Thanks for the help! I need to mention something that i have noticed.
The moment the gauges drop i feel a sort of hiccup in the engine and the same when the needles return to position. It loses power for a split second and maybe this can help in finding a solution. Thanks again

[vpnavy]

Originally Posted by elacesar

Thanks for the help! I need to mention something that i have noticed.
The moment the gauges drop i feel a sort of hiccup in the engine and the same when the needles return to position. It loses power for a split second and maybe this can help in finding a solution. Thanks again

Check your battery terminals (make sure they are clean).

[elacesar]

The terminals are very clean and the battery is new Thanks

[stanen8871]

Did you ever find this problem????

[kbattles]

Mine does this after about 30 minutes, I lose guages and A/C blows warm. I was told it was the ECM.

[tech22]

Check all the grounds that are attached to the metal parts of the assy.that supports the dash as a whole.You will have to remove most of the plastic parts to accomplish this.And sorry to say this may not fix the problem.Maybe a master tech can shed some lite on this problem.

[uhewson2]

I am having a very similar issue with my 2004 Quest. The problem got progressively worse over the course of three years until the ECM finally gave up (vehicle would stall, no restart), now its back to how the problems first started (gauges all drop to zero, rest of dash lights come on, then some go off, SES stays on). The new ECM did make the vehicle run normally other than when it has these fits (so I think something is damaging the ECM when these problems occur).

After the problems were still happening with the new ECM, the dealership put in a new Power Distribution Module, but no change, problem still occurs. Then the dealership spent two days cleaning and checking all grounds that were "reasonably" accessible. Problem is still occurring. I am out $1300 and still have the same problem I originally took the vehicle in for. Another symptom it has is the transmission will shift really hard (1-2) when its in this state.

Also it will occasionally have the issue described in service bulletin NTB04-144a, which I was told could not be related, but I think it probably is (and I took it to Nissan while still under warranty for this problem and they said it was not the same issue..despite the fact that I even showed them the TSB).

The dealership is completely out of ideas and I have a vehicle that does not function properly.

[d0ugmac1]

Had this problem on another car. Turned out the gauges were all connected via a flexible mylar-backed printed circuit which distributed the signals from a single harness connector to the various gauges and lights. Over time the star washers that were supposed to ground the guage housings to the mylar PCB corroded enough that some guages stopped being grounded and stopped working. I have not, and don't plan to ever, remove my Altima's console gauge cluster.... YMMV

D.

[calyanne]

just an FYI ive had this same problem for the past few years off and on

-gauges zero out or get stuck
-car going into "limp mode"
-seems to be worse in very hot weather or when raining, bt also happens randomly
-may come right out of it or take several minutes
-stopping the car and turning it off, then back on after "resting" it doesn't help
-sometimes triggers check engine light, usually doesn't

ive been to two nissan dealerships to have the problem fixed, had several things done, but no one really knew what the problem was and it hasn't been fixed! seriously tired of this problem. if anyone knows a definative fix for this, please email me! forjnkml@yahoo.com. thank you sooo much!

[jacjm]

hi all!
i was searching the altima site and came across this thread-my 2000 sentra gxe does (did) the same thing! i had the gauge cluster out, looked everything over, and put it back together WITHOUT THE PLASTIC BACKING! (I believe it is grounded thru the attaching screws) well, this did not completely fix the problem 100%, but now it VERY rarely acts up, and if it does, a quick rap or two on the dash gets everything back to normal again! i know this may not be a good enough fix for someone who has a fairly new car, but for my sentra (219,000 miles) it is good enough and saves me the $328 the stealer wanted for a new cluster and STILL couldn't guarantee that was the problem. hope this helps somebody!