87 Sentra Fuel guage and Temp Guage not Working

[James D. Bengard]

Im having a proplem finding out how to go about fixing the problem
with the fuel guage and water temp gauge, they both responds to nothing,
is there a seperate fuse for those Items somewhere that I don't know
about? Any help on this would be appreciated.

[Miles]

Do the turn signals also fail to work? Is the problem continuous or intermittent? I had a similar problem for six years. Whenever the guages were out, I also had trouble getting the ignition switch to work. Sometimes I would have to turn the key 20 or 30 times--it was like trying to start a rock. Dealers and other mechanics scratched their heads; said they wanted to rip apart and/or replace the works inside the steering column. I had a bad feeling about that. If all of this sounds familiar, read on...

I found that if I opened the door to the fuse compartment (low on the dash, left of the wheel), and just poked around with my fingers in the tangle of wires on the right side of the box, I could usually get the car to start, and the gauges and signals would come back--sometimes not. This got tiresome after a few years, and then it stopped having any effect.
Just 3 weeks ago, I took a closer look. Found a simple, easy, and FREE fix.

Inside the right third of the fuse box--the actual fuses and spares occupy the left two-thirds--you'll see a bridle of wires that ends in a sort of socket. There's absolutely nothing plugged into the socket. That black plastic socket may be floating free inside the box, it may be mounted on a small bracket with the socket facing you, or it may be taped and just jammed up in there.
Inspect the socket edge-on. You'll see that it has a line of six holes on one side. The opposite side has two holes, a gap, and then two more holes. Bend a small paperclip and insert the ends as a jumper between two adjacent holes on the side of the socket with four holes. If you position the socket with the four-holed side facing left, you'll want to connect the bottom two holes on the four-holed side.
With my paperclip in place, I've always got fuel & temp gauges, turn-signals, and the car starts the first time every time!
Post back to the ng if this is any help!
--Miles

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James D. Bengard wrote in message <361B3B68...@teleport.com>...
Im having a problem finding out how to go about fixing the problem
with the fuel gauge and water temp gauge, they both responds to nothing,

[Aaron 'dremu' Shephard]

James D. Bengard <jben...@teleport.com> spoke thusly:
: Im having a proplem finding out how to go about fixing the problem
: with the fuel guage and water temp gauge, they both responds to nothing,

: is there a seperate fuse for those Items somewhere that I don't know
: about? Any help on this would be appreciated.

It's not a fuse. You'll have to remove the instrument cluster; on the back is
a silver box about an inch on a side, called a voltage regulator.

They fail regularly, which is why they call them regulators ;-)

Anyway, get your butt down to your dealer and pay the $30 or so a new one will
cost, pull your dash apart, and replace. Took me about 30min in my Pulsar, but
then I know that dash intimately (alarm install). An average Joe who knwos how
to use a screwdriver can do inside an hour, easy.

-- A

--
dr...@slosh.com - Doctor Emu - http://www.slosh.com
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his (Ishara) '93 300ZX NA (T-tops) Life is a journey. Enjoy the ride.
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theirs (Tank Grrl) '74 K5 Blazer (full convertible) Like A Rock.
for sale (Natasha) '88 Pulsar NX/XE (T-tops, SportBak) SF Bay area; inquire.
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[Everett Culbertson]

I had the same problem in my 91 Kingcab. Took 30-45 minutes and I'm an
average Jose who knows how to use a screwdriver.

Everett Culbertson
Aaron 'dremu' Shephard wrote in message
<361babb4$0$26...@nntp1.ba.best.com>...

[Ken]

I had the same problem with my 89 sentra, it's a voltage regulator
located behind the dash, costs about $30.00 at the dealer. Make sure
you read the instructions that come with the new one, there is a
change in the way the wires go, it easy good luck.

[Aaron 'dremu' Shephard]

Everett Culbertson <tur...@pioneer.net> spoke thusly:
: I had the same problem in my 91 Kingcab. Took 30-45 minutes and I'm an

: average Jose who knows how to use a screwdriver.

Also appies to the average Joan who operates a screwdriver, my fault for being
chauvinistic ;-). Anyway, point being that it's not hard to do -- and, as
Nissan owners, we better get used to it ;-)

(My feeling is that I can put up with a gas gauge failing every other year.
Better that than say, the engine <g>)
: Everett Culbertson

: Aaron 'dremu' Shephard wrote in message
: <361babb4$0$26...@nntp1.ba.best.com>...
:>James D. Bengard <jben...@teleport.com> spoke thusly:

:>: Im having a proplem finding out how to go about fixing the problem

:>: with the fuel guage and water temp gauge, they both responds to nothing,
:>: is there a seperate fuse for those Items somewhere that I don't know
:>: about? Any help on this would be appreciated.

:>
:>It's not a fuse. You'll have to remove the instrument cluster; on the back

:>