Gauges Going Crazy

I have a 2002 L-Series. The change oil light came on not two weeks ago (not changed yet) but today while picking up my son I turned on the engine and the Security light, ABS, Service all came on and while driving home (5 minute drive) the fuel gauge and Temp gauge kept going down to Empty/Cold respectively then they'd bounce back up. While the gauges were down the care would studder and all panal lights would dim.

We have been having issues with a rough idle while stopped in gear or not. Are these related?

Reply to
Kimberly
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I have a 2002 L-Series. The change oil light came on not two weeks ago (not changed yet) but today while picking up my son I turned on the engine and the Security light, ABS, Service all came on and while driving home (5 minute drive) the fuel gauge and Temp gauge kept going down to Empty/Cold respectively then they'd bounce back up. While the gauges were down the care would studder and all panal lights would dim.

We have been having issues with a rough idle while stopped in gear or not. Are these related?

Reply to
Kimberly

Check your alternator or a lose or dirty connection.

Reply to
Paul

As Paul Wrote, check that the battery and charging system are in good order first. These cars seem do do strange things at low battery voltages.

AFIK the instrument cluster is driven by the BCM. Best to get the codes read out first by a good shop and then decide what to tackle. Sounds like a loose circuit but whether it's a power circuit or the CAN bus, can't say.

Bob '01 lw300

Reply to
Oppie

I had a similar problem and somebody in this group (thank you to who ever gave me the suggestion) told me to have the dealer check the server to the computer (BCM?), the dealer could not find anything wrong with the computer (no codes) every time I will take it. but I have to give them a signed permission to go ahead and change the server since they did not have an could not find an error code. Once they changed the server they had to reprogram it at a tune of about $400.00 + the car has been running better than when it was new. The car is a 2002 L300 with about 90K miles, and yes the engine ran rough, and the instrument panel will go crazy every now and then. Again sorry about not know the part name but it was the server/switch for the electronic part of the car.

Good luck

Reply to
J Ponce

Yes, Body Control Module

Somebody named Karen posted that suggestion and they never posted anything else before or since. And you never posted what the fix was until now. Good to know.

Reply to
BläBlä

gone are the days where the gauge (electrical or mechanical) connected directly to the transducer. Now, everything on the insturment panel is driven by a CAN bus from the Body Control Module. The instrument panel receives the data and drives the various lights and 'gauges'. Gauges these days are like mini-electric motors driven by two sets of coils. Took me a while to understand that the fuel, temperature, speedometer and tach all came off a digital bus.

Reply to
Oppie

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