2000 Xterra Spedometer and Gauges Failure

[tjindeface]

Hi all. I have a 2000 Nissan Xterra. When I drive on long trips or for a period of time, the oil guage, temp. guage, spedometer, and all of the other guages go dowm to the down of the guage or down to 0, there by showing that I have no gas, traveling 0 mph, etc., but the car runs normally. This seems to be an electrical problem that has been occurring off and on for the last 3 yrs. I am now getting concerned because it seems to occur more often now. Does any one know the source or problem, and a fix? Also, is this a major concern? Is there a fix? I am going on a long trip tomorrow and would like to know if I should be concerned?

I have also lost power about every 6 months when this occurs. Should I be concerned and what is the cause of this? Please help.

[helofixer]

Something is def. amiss. Im not sure if your year vehicle has an electrical connector at the back of the gauge cluster that passes all wires to their respective instruments, but if it does, that would be a good place to start. Perhaps the gauge cluster itself is having problems? When this problem happens, do you get any warning lights? When you say you lose power, you mean electrical power or engine power? You might have a bad battery or a bad ground somewhere...could be as simple as a partially shorted or chafed wire/wires. Sorry I cant help more...you might need to take it to a dealer next time you have these problems.

[reconomy]

I'm having the same problem. I just bought my 2000 Xterra 2 months ago with 80k. Yesterday the gauges froze in place while driving. This morning they were working fine, but on the way home from work it started again. On mine, the spedo, tach, odo, and temp gauge fail. They either move wildly or cut out altogether.

My cousin is a Nissan mechanic and said it may be the gauge cluster or wires leading to the cluster. I haven't had the cut of power problem though.

[Xterra_MB]

I have the same problem on my 2002 Xterra. I am the original owner and this problem has occurred repeatedly over the years. It has cost us over $1,000 in what seems to be guess work by both factory trained and stand alone Japanese car mechanics. One of the mechanics that I trust tried replacing the Mass Air Flow Sensor (ridiculous $$$$ for the apparently simple part) which seemed to stop the problem for almost a year but now the problem is back. We service the car regularly. On the freeway to Seattle with my wife and two of our kids in the carpool lane and all of the guages go to zero, the blinkers do not work but the radio and head lights are working fine. Battery leads are clean. The car will not accelerate and is now slowing down in the fast lane. If I let off the gas and slightly depress it it seems to work at slower RPM which allows me to work my way over to the right had side of the road. The car is ideling fine but no gagues. This is not a fuel problem. After waiting about 5 minutes the guages come back on and all appears normal. Back on the freeway to try to get somewhere to take a look at it and it happens again but now it does not affect the acceleration and I am able to make it to the off ramp. After waiting approximately 1 hour with the car turned off it drives normal with all guages, lights, acceleration etc. seeming to be fine. Please let me know if anyone has found the solution to this one. I would not want my wife to be driving the car alone when it is like this.

[sergey85]

do u have a check ingine light on or anyother warning lights on?? if so have autozone scan them for you for free. usually when the maf is bad on nissan it will just cut out at a certain rpm range like 3 or 4 k, but u said it will still drive after the gausges go off. seems maybe a wire is exposed or a short somewhere. has your mechnic tried to take it it apart(the gauge cluster) and inspect it.

[szaske]

I am the original owner of a 2000 Xterra and have been having this problem for a few years.

I have found that it occurs when the dash gets warm, always worse in the summer or when running the heat, night driving with dash lights bright.

If I turn on the AC and the heater controls set to defrost, and keep the dash lights dim they gauges will come back.

I have seen on other boards that the problem is the Printed Circuit Board in the instrument cluster.

I have tried to order the part in the past but the order was kicked back. I am planning on trying again in a few weeks.

[sergey85]

u might want to think about having it repaired here is a link for u if u choose this route Mr. Whizard Technical Services - Instrument Cluster Repair, Speedometer Repair, Odometer Repair and Digital Dash Repair