Anybody have this happen?

For the past few months, i have noticed my tachometer on my 06' Hemi 1500 has seemed to be weak. At idle the needle was barley above zero. On the highway it seemed to be fine. Then a few weeks ago it stopped moving all together and just sat at zero. A few days later, it came back to life and was acting normally but when i hit the gas real hard on the highway the needle went all the way around to the other side of zero stopping at the pin. When i let off the gas, it slowy went back down to zero. But as soon as you gave it any gas, back around to the other side of zero. That is where the needle sits now, even with the truck off. And for the past three days, it stays there, even when i drive the truck.

I have no Check Engine lights lit and the truck behaves normally. Anybody have any clue what is going on?

 

I have recently had something similar happen to my tachometer. It would show 0 RPM while driving normally then would shoot up to around 2000 rpms and go back to zero. and would also slowly go back down.

Took it to the dealer and they said that it was a faulty cluster module and would need to be replaced. They gave me a price of just over $500 but what sucks is they said because the VIN # and mileage has to be burnt into the module when they order it, so they told me they would have to keep it in the shop for about 1 - 2 weeks because it couldn't be driven once the order was placed.

I plan to fix it eventually...

 

$500ndy and they keep your truck, that's a bunch of bullsh*t!!!

 

Yes, same thing with mine.

No way i'm leaving my truck there unless they pay for a rental. Their has to be some way around that? In any event, it's not that big of a deal to warrant that kind of money and aggrivation. What about a junkyard? I wonder what would happen if you put a cluster in from a truck with less mileage?

 

Do a cluster test yourself!
Press and hold the trip button and turn the key to acc(don't start) and release the trip button. Your gauages will do a full sweep test. If your RPM needle fails to sweep then your cluster needs to be replaced.
I had to replace my cluster for a different problem. COST WAS $300 plus tax AND I installed it myself.
I went to the dealer, they read my mileage and ordered my up a new Cluster. There was no keeping it and I was allowed to drive it for the time it took for the new one to come in. It only took 5days.
I pulled my bad one out IN the dealership parking lot, brought it in for the core charge and walked out with the new one...Installed it and was on my way. Total labor was 1/2hr. Book time is .4hrs for the mechanic which is 24minutes.

The odometer does not need to be programmed by the dealer. It's an Automatic learning but only to the first vehicle it's hooked to. It's programmed with your mileage and vin# by the 3rd party company who rebuilds odometers.
I would advice against buying a used cluster for ANY 2006+ TIPM controlled vehicles. If the previous truck it came from had different/limited options, then you will be stuck with those diff/limited options and it may/may not set off the engine light. 2005-prior is a different ballgame.
Good luck.

 

Thanks for the detailed insight as always DirtyDog. I will do that test when i head out tommorow. And glad to hear i don't have to surrender my truck to the Stealership to have this done. I am actually surprised the cluster is only $300.00. I thought it would be much more. And you say it's a simple unplug the old, plug in the new job? If so, ill do what you did, swap it at the dealer.

In any event, the issue is not annoying me enough to go out and replace it this week. But maybe next month.

 

i will have to confront my local dealer... I asked them if I could just pick up the part and put it in myself and they basically told me a instrument cluster is something that the dealership is REQUIRED to install. Otherwise they can't order it.


This place takes "Stealership" to a whole new level.

 

The TIPM is the ONLY part that you need the dealer to install. Every other part on these trucks can be done by the owner including the Cluster as I have already done myself. They do need to be pre-programmed for your vin option but that is done by the 3rd party rebuilder whom the dealer buys the cluster from. The cluster is an auto-learning device and picks up signals from your tipm.