What could be causing the speedometer and other gauges on a 2001 Dodge Neon to sometimes stop working but the dash lights still work?

Answer 1

I have exactly the same problem with my 1996 Dodge Neon. It seems like the problem comes from the Power Control Module (PCM). It's due to either bad contact on wiring or the PCM is getting old and not functioning properly.

AnswerThere is good instructions of how to repair this problem at the following post. You must type it in at the top of page yourself.

http://www.neons.org/modules/news/article.php?storyid=18

AnswerI went threw the very same thing with my father's 1996 neon, it turned out to be cold solders (cold solders are solders that were not heated properly are the components may have moved while the solder was cooling) on the back of the instrument cluster. what you do is remove the instrument cluster (pop the cover and unscrew the cluster) put it on a bench face down you will need to unscrew the printed circuit board off of the instrument cluster, and take a soldering iron and heat the solders opposite the connectors until they melt than let them cool and reinstall it back in the vehicle. This should solve your problem it did mine on a 95 & 96 neons. Answeri have had my 1997 neon for 7 weeks now,and its done that to me 3 times,the first two times i removed the key and restarted the car,which worked , but didn't work the 3rd time ,,,so i banged on the dashboard, and that worked,so i assume there is a loose connection some where in the dash

You can just jam a rigid ball between the steering column and the speedometer

and it will work.

Answerhere's the solution to these problems. pull up on your dash board panel.It's only on with clip's.I belive you need the number 20 star bit to undo the hole instrument panel.There maybe some Philip head screws to. pull panel straight out (both sides have plug contacts.gently,take a small screw driver and bring them closer to each other.trust me, I heard it all, my fuel pump is going .on and on and on.I fixed the problem mechanic's.gentley work them to the center 0f each plug (do not bend them to much)they have to go in my 95 neon is working awesome with 88k's PS, buy yourself a 5 piece star bit's and damn metric socket's , if your really into it AnswerHad a 95' doing same thing. Started doing it at different outside temperatures, which made me curious about the expansion/contraction of the plastics used in the connectors etc. Most times I only lost my speedo,but other times all the gauges failed to work including tach, as time went on. You will notice when you remove the cluster, that the connector is clipped into the plastic panel behind cluster. I simply unfastened it the first time, and pulled it outward,to allow male spades on connection at cluster to be inserted fully without chance that maybe they weren't reaching far enough to make a good connection, and re-installed the cluster. This cured it for about a year, then the same happened again. This time I took the time, with a pair of tweezers, to bend each male spade on rear of cluster, slightly, one way or the other to insure better contact with the female connector in the dash. Evrything has been working excellent since. When it only takes about a half hour of your time, and no special tools, it's worth a try. The NO_COST part is always nice too.

Mike Butler, Ontario Canada

AnswerThese cluster are very bad about going out. I have a 96 neon, and they stopped all together, but the lights did stay come on, and all the warning lights worked. After a little research I found out that these cluster do burn out, because they are digital. They are analog gauges, but no manual cables, they receive a signal through the two plugs that they hook into. Therefore they are considered digital, and the printed board in the back burns out just like a PC's motherboard. I replaced my cluster with another and it works fine now. AnswerI have a 1997 Plymouth neon and have the same problem, I tried checking the connections, and bending them little spade connectors, nothing worked. Except for reheating the little cold solders on the back of the connectors, in msome cases re-soldering some of them. It works fine now. Eric Yanush, Saskatchewan Canada