The DIC on my 2001 LeSabre has been doing crazy stuff! In the display area where you would normally see the odometer, etc, it has shown symbols, numbers (all sevens once), parts of words, all segments lit up, or blank. Then a couple of minutes later it comes back and acts normal. No other effects to instruments noticed. Sometimes it does it once a week for 15 minutes. Other times every other day for 20 seconds. Is this a ground issue? Can the DIC module be replaced by itself? Where is the odometer information resident (can i lose it)? Anybody have any ideas? I have the multi button version.

thanks for any help

 

I'll have to do some homework on this one.
Couldn't you ask something really complicated like, "Why do my wipers work only when it rains"? Just kidding.
Most times digital displays act up the whole unit has to be replaced unless you're an electronic genius and can troubleshoot them without a diagram. Will check to see what I can find that might help. ,,,,,,,hanky

 

Well, I'm not an electronics genius that's for sure. If I start having to replace things (assuming it quits functioning altogether) is the DIC separate or integrated with the rest of the instrument cluster?

thanks for the assist
Dave

 

BTW wife said yesterday it was all 9's on top row and all segments lit on the bottom before it turned blank and restarted itself.
Do I lose the odometer data when I change it out?

 

See if you can pull up this website;
Eastern Electronics Service
located in Elnwood Park, NJ
They offer free help with display problems either via phone or e mail.
Anything requiring odometer changes requires special forms signed by the owner etc.
For now, that's the best I can do to help.

 

Thanks for the help, I have their phone number and I'll give them a call.

Dave

 

Digital readout gets garbled, or totally blank, or sometimes works normal. Indicates probably just a bad connection.

PREVIOUSLY I SAID IT WAS THE CONTACTS ON THE BLUE CONNECTOR. THIS IS NOT THE PROBLEM!
The "Blue Connector" fix did not last very long. It appears the only reason it worked at all is that it applied some pressure (temporarily) on the Digital Display module.
After much experimentation and testing, it appears the true culprit is the Digital Display module itself.
I believe there is a bad electrical connection somewhere within this module, or within its external connections.
Not likely that this module could be disassembled and fixed, so I just experimented with placing pressure in various places on the module.
I found that light pressure on the left side of the module produced the best outcome. You should experiment for the best location for pressure.
I simply stacked up a number of small duct tape strips on the left side of the module until that stack was about 1/4", such that WHEN INSTALLED, the Instrument Cluster Face Plate would constantly put a little pressure on the Digital Display module.

Obviously this requires removal and disassembling the Instrument Cluster. There are videos online to remove the Instrument Cluster.
Here’s the one I used:
To disassemble the Instrument Cluster, all you need is a flat blade screwdriver to unhook the plastic tabs around the front cover.
Now to get to the Digital Display module itself, the Instrument Cluster Face Plate must be removed.

Here where it gets tricky:
Unless you cut the Instrument Cluster Face Plate, the speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, and temp gauge needles must be removed.
These needles have been on for many years, and mine where tough to remove, ESPECIALLY the speedometer.
When I had everything back together, everything worked except the speedometer.
So, disassembled the Instrument Cluster again, and found that the pin on the speedometer stepper motor was very difficult to turn, while the other 3 stepper motor pins turned very easily.
With a small screwdriver, I was able to pop the back off the stepper motor and found that the plastic sleeve around the pin had expanded.
Turns out when I pulled off the speedometer needle originally, the pin on the stepper motor pulled partway thru its plastic sleeve, and actually expanded the plastic sleeve such that the sleeve was too tight for the motor to turn it.
So, I painstakingly filed the plastic sleeve down until it would turn appropriately within the stepper motor, and it now works.

Considering the tight tolerances within these tiny stepper motors, this speedometer fix might not last.
So if I were to do this again, I would neatly cut the Instrument Cluster Face Plate in half between the tachometer and speedometer.
This way you only need to remove the tachometer needle, and if that breaks, its just the tach.

I also recommend adding some layers of duct tape (and one piece of black electrical tape on top to match) to the Instrument Cluster Face Plate above the stacked up duct tape strips on the Digital Display module.
Enough layers such that the front cover of the Instrument Cluster rests on these layers.
That way if the Digital Display messes up again, you can just press on the front cover, and the pressure will transfer to the Digital Display module and hopefully straighten it out for a while.

See attached pictures of duct tape stack on Digital Display module, and duct tape stack (and electrical tape) on Instrument Cluster Face Plate.
Duct tape stack on Digital Display module

Duct tape stack (and electrical tape) on Instrument Cluster Face Plate

 

Hi Joe,
Thanks for the help on this one. Most folks are not probably going to try your cure because they either don't have the time or patience.
It was a nice job and corrected the problem. Thanks again.