# New Digital Dash Issue



## sleeperZ (Nov 5, 2012)

I am looking to pick up a 1986 N/A that I found on the side of the road. It appears that the only major problem with the car is non-working digital gauges. The owner of the car says that it had an aftermarket radio previously and he decided to reinstall a factory radio. He claims that after he put it back together with the factory radio the gauge cluster quit working. 

I'm assuming the power supply or cluster could have failed at just the right time to be blamed on the radio install.
But, does anybody know if the radio or climate control wiring is tied into the gauge cluster and how I could remedy this problem?


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

Most of the time when the digital dash fails it's due to melted solder points in the digital dash control unit, or "power unit," as it's sometimes called. I would remove the power unit for the digital dash and open it up for inspection of the circuit boards. Bad solder joints can be re-soldered.


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## i r teh noobz (Apr 26, 2007)

They also have problems with the pins losing contact to the dash and power supply. Some have had luck bending the pins with a small pick to improve contact. Smack the dash in a few spots and see if turns on.

When my old dash failed, a heat gun to the power supply fixed it right up.




Xenonz31.com has service manuals for download.


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## sleeperZ (Nov 5, 2012)

Thanks. And you're sure there's no possible way the stereo wiring could have any effect on the gauges? I'm going to drive the car on Friday and hopefully bring it home. I had an 84 and went through quite a bit of hell with the gauges but I think I understand it all now.


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## i r teh noobz (Apr 26, 2007)

ZBUM's Nissan Z31 300ZX Aftermarket Stereo Installation Guide

Maybe use that list and a service manual to confirm, but I've never had dash issues from changing my radio (3 Z31s so far).


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