New twist on the EEP-1 issue - gauges are receiving input, they just aren't moving the needles.

[DABiggs]

I have one of those instrument clusters that throws the EEP-1 error when it's chilly outside, resulting in the fuel, temp, and tachometer not working. I'm fairly certain it's a solder issue somewhere on the circuit board - when I warm up the cluster and restart the car it works fine. So it seems to me when the solder connection is chilled it contracts and doesn't connect, but when it's heated it expands and makes a good enough connection.

Today was a chilly day and I happened to cross into the low fuel range. The low fuel light came on even though the needle itself wasn't working. So whatever connection isn't working, it's only controlling the needle itself - at least for the fuel gauge. At some point I'll disassemble the cluster enough to get at the solder points and see if I can find the culprit. Has anyone had any luck figuring out where to look on the circuit board?

Any input or thoughts are welcome. Apologies if this has been discussed elsewhere, I haven't seen another thread that highlights this particular twist on the problem.

 

[motco]

I can see your logic, and it's a route I explored when mine did it. However in my case two facts militate against that cause. Firstly mine started playing up when I had a flat battery when the car was unused for an extended period and left locked and secure and dry in my garage. I put the battery on charge in situ and whilst that was progressing, being an impatient type, I wanted to know whether I had lost my radio code. So I switched the ignition on and EEP-x (mine might have been EEP-2) appeared. That's factor one. Factor two was that the 'cure' ended up after much trial and error to be a replacement coding plug. I acquired a used cluster with 80,000 miles more on it than mine. Once I discovered that I swapped one coding plug for the other on the assumption that the cluster held the mileage record. Still too high and still faulty. The next thing was to put the original cluster in with the second hand coding plug and et voila! No EEP-x showing but a starship mileage. I employed a local mileage 'corrector' and he managed to restore the recoded odo reading to my figure. The only remaining problem is a tamper dot showing. The conclusion is that it's the coding plug, not the cluster that threw up the fault and nothing to do with dry joints. That's my case; yours might be different.
A quick search shows that mine was EEP-2 but that aside, don't overlook the plug as a possible factor.

 

[RickyBobby]

Not sure if this helps?

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