Gauge Pack, Instrument Cluster: Operation

All analog gauges in the Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) receive battery current on the IPC printed circuit board only when the status of the ignition switch is ON. When status of the ignition switch is OFF, battery current is not supplied to any gauges and the IPC is programmed to move all of the gauge needles back to the low end of their respective scales. Therefore, the gauges do not accurately indicate any vehicle condition unless the status of the ignition switch is ON.

Each of the analog IPC gauges contains an electronically controlled stepper motor unit. The IPC circuitry completely controls the activation and deactivation of these stepper motors to position each gauge needle in the appropriate position based upon IPC programming and electronic messages received from other electronic modules in the vehicle over the Controller Area Network (CAN) data bus.

The analog gauges are diagnosed using the self-diagnostic IPC actuator test. Proper testing of the CAN data bus and the electronic message inputs that the IPC uses to control each gauge requires the use of a diagnostic scan tool. Refer to DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING .