1998 Dodge Neon Gauges Fail When Warm

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MAG922
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
1998 Dodge Neon 5 speed 2.0 lt SOHC, approx. 79000 miles.

When cold the gauges work fine. After approx 10-15 minutes they do not. Often they don't work at all, but usually just the speedometre is dead. When ever the speedo is dead, the mileage counter doesn't work either.

Once the gauges start messing up, I hear a clicking, which sounds like a relay in the fuse panel clicking on and off, and sometimes some really weird things happen like the "airbag" light is illuminated and the interior light flickers in time with the clicking from the fuse panel. Kind of like visual and audio static really. Another weird one was the right inicator light stopped. Everything worked, it's just for a while, the dash indicator light didn't light up.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks.
May 31, 2006 at 1:43 PM
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LSUSSEL
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 252 POSTS
check your fuses, sounds like you have an electrical issue. fuses, fuses,fuses :)
Jun 5, 2006 at 8:17 AM
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SYNCRAIT
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 235 POSTS
if a fuse is blown they wont work at all..... not all electrical problems are fuses if they work on and off sometimes it becomes a grounding issue or a connection problem
Jun 5, 2006 at 8:23 AM

Suggested Repair

Check the related fuses, then inspect grounds and wiring connections at the fuse panel and instrument cluster. Intermittent gauge failure with clicking and flickering is more consistent with a ground or connection problem than a fuse that is constantly blown.

Conversation Summary

A 1998 Dodge Neon owner reports that the gauges, especially the speedometer and mileage counter, work when cold but fail after about 10-15 minutes. Clicking from the fuse panel, an airbag light, flickering interior lights, and a temporary indicator problem can occur at the same time. One reply suggests checking fuses, while another says a blown fuse would stop the gauges completely and that intermittent operation points to a ground or connection issue.

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