Dash gauges

If the gauges are working normal after that then there is no worry. That is the car just doing a gauge sweep checking things.

They stay at 0 , not working at all .

Then your going to have to get a full computer scan with a scan tool that can read codes from all the cars computers. A basic auto parts free scan cannot read all the computers just the engine and transmission codes. You can get one of those free auto parts store scans and see what codes it says. Write down the exact code numbers the come up with. The temperature, gas gauge etc does not work at all?

None of the gauges work at all after they make the initial sweep .

This is a car I can buy for a song. Cosmetically, inside and out it is in excellent condition. I just received some history on the car that might help. The car is owned by a middle aged man whose mother bought the car new and then later gave it to him when she bought another new car. He said he was driving and the car quit on him. He had it towed to a shop that diagnosed a bad PCM and the shop installed a new one. He also said the shop told him the car would run but everything would not work unless he took it to a dealer for programming which he never did. He bought a new car. The car starts right up and the engine sounds good and the transmission shifts good. Does this story sound logical? I replaced a PCM in a Jeep I had and it would not run at all without the PCM being programmed. Thanks for the replies .

This sound more like the cluster is no good. I would test the power and grounds and then get a used cluster and install it. Here are the wiring diagrams so you can see how the system works and a guided to help you test for power and grounds with a video showing how to get the cluster out (not the same car but the process is the same:

https://youtu.be/_HEC44xENxw

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-a-test-light-circuit-tester

Check power and grounds. Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know what happens.

Cheers, Ken

Thanks. I just found out the owner said the gauges have not worked since the new PCM was installed. Do not know the owner personally, he is a friend of a friend of mine and I am getting information from him through my friend. My friend and I did start and drive the car but the owner was not present.

The gauge is controlled by the PCM so that is possible the new PCM did not get programmed correctly or it is bad. Here is the location of the PCM. I would try to find a used one or get a reprogrammed unit. Let me know what happens please.