Instrument Cluster Failure

[bzjeep]

Yesterday, I got in my Jeep to pick up some food and the instrument cluster did not come on like it normally does when you open the door. I proceeded to start the vehicle and still nothing - all black. The speedo and tach were functioning normally as were functions such as cruise control, albeit, I couldn't see what speed it was set to. I flipped through the owner's manual and looked over the diagram on the lid of the fuse box, but couldn't figure out which fuse belonged to the cluster. Anyways, without disconnecting the battery or removing any of the fuses, I simply just tried starting the vehicle again about 30 minutes later and the cluster appeared to be operating normally.

Has anyone else experienced intermittent failure of the instrument cluster? I just had my Jeep in two separate times for an oil change and then a CEL (P0456), so I'd really prefer not to take in it for a 3rd time in two weeks, but if this becomes a "thing", I guess I'll have to since without that cluster, you lose visibility of fuel levels and other pertinent vehicle information.

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[mjf4241]

Yesterday, I got in my Jeep to pick up some food and the instrument cluster did not come on like it normally does when you open the door. I proceeded to start the vehicle and still nothing - all black. The speedo and tach were functioning normally as were functions such as cruise control, albeit, I couldn't see what speed it was set to. I flipped through the owner's manual and looked over the diagram on the lid of the fuse box, but couldn't figure out which fuse belonged to the cluster. Anyways, without disconnecting the battery or removing any of the fuses, I simply just tried starting the vehicle again about 30 minutes later and the cluster appeared to be operating normally.

Has anyone else experienced intermittent failure of the instrument cluster? I just had my Jeep in two separate times for an oil change and then a CEL (P0456), so I'd really prefer not to take in it for a 3rd time in two weeks, but if this becomes a "thing", I guess I'll have to since without that cluster, you lose visibility of fuel levels and other pertinent vehicle information.

I have a 2018 JLUR and a couple of times over the past couple of weeks my cluster of controls for the AC/Radio controls has done the same thing. I'd start the Jeep and for a couple of minutes or so, that section would be dark. The volume knob would not turn up or turn down the volume. The middle dial for the AC fan would not turn the fan up or down. Then after a few minutes all of that section on the center dash would "wake up" and begin working like usual.

 

[dsgrey]

Mine did that the same day I bought it. Driving down the road with probably 15 miles on it, cluster and radio went dark, a few miles later it all came back. That was just over a year ago so your cause might be different. Mine hasn't done this since.

 

[bzjeep]

I have a 2018 JLUR and a couple of times over the past couple of weeks my cluster of controls for the AC/Radio controls has done the same thing. I'd start the Jeep and for a couple of minutes or so, that section would be dark. The volume knob would not turn up or turn down the volume. The middle dial for the AC fan would not turn the fan up or down. Then after a few minutes all of that section on the center dash would "wake up" and begin working like usual.

I've experienced similar behavior maybe a handful of times with the steering wheel controls not working until I press anything on the touchscreen. I've also had the touchscreen just "restart" a number of times over the last couple of years.

As an update, I haven't had any reoccurrences with the instrument cluster in the dash - it's lit each time I open the door and stayed on during each drive cycle.

 

[digitalbliss]

Yesterday, I got in my Jeep to pick up some food and the instrument cluster did not come on like it normally does when you open the door. I proceeded to start the vehicle and still nothing - all black. The speedo and tach were functioning normally as were functions such as cruise control, albeit, I couldn't see what speed it was set to. I flipped through the owner's manual and looked over the diagram on the lid of the fuse box, but couldn't figure out which fuse belonged to the cluster. Anyways, without disconnecting the battery or removing any of the fuses, I simply just tried starting the vehicle again about 30 minutes later and the cluster appeared to be operating normally.

Has anyone else experienced intermittent failure of the instrument cluster? I just had my Jeep in two separate times for an oil change and then a CEL (P0456), so I'd really prefer not to take in it for a 3rd time in two weeks, but if this becomes a "thing", I guess I'll have to since without that cluster, you lose visibility of fuel levels and other pertinent vehicle information.

Did you get a resolution to your problem? I started my Jeep up and this is what I got this morning.

 

[jeepoch]

All,

The reason I purchased my Sport S was in fact indirectly due to the exact same thing (a dark cluster). I bought my 2019 3.6L Auto 2 door for a song, $28.5K. The original owner returned it with a little over 900 miles with the dysfunctional 'dark' cluster. However, it took the dealership (now defunct) over three months to repair it. And when they did, they even screwed that up. They replaced it with a Sahara configured unit which then continuously displayed an 'Automatic Headlamp" fault (of which the Sport has absolutely no circuitry).

So I got over $8.5K in savings on practically a brand new JL simply because the dealership didn't know how to fix it and just wanted it off their lot. I was very happy to take this particular vehicle off their hands.

I have since taken it to a different dealership and they repaired everything with the correctly configured cluster completely under warranty. It is indeed nice to finally see "No Messages" in the EVIC fault display.

So as a takeaway, this problem does happen, is repairable but does require your Jeep to be quarantined for a few days. The replacement cluster has to be ordered, delivered and replaced with the vehicle stationary, due to the odometer must be certified. Just set up a loaner and your Jeep will be whole again soon. Crappy that it happens, but with a competent shop it is a relatively easy fix.

This dark cluster issue put a lady in an upgraded JL and kept a significant wad of cash in my wallet. From my point of view, I couldn't be any happier that these clusters sometimes do fail. Good luck with your repair.

Jay

 

[bzjeep]

As an update, since the original occurrence, I've had this happen a couple more times. I recently took the vehicle in for service and they were unsurprisingly unable to reproduce it over the 3 days they kept the vehicle. They said they also can't perform software updates unless an issue is present, so at this point, I guess I just hope to catch it and take a video next time as the screenshot I showed them was not enough?

 

[bzjeep]

Did you get a resolution to your problem? I started my Jeep up and this is what I got this morning.

Unfortunately, not yet. I took it in and they weren't able to reproduce. I showed them a screenshot of a similar issue, but it was not enough evidence for them to do anything about it.

 

[digitalbliss]

As an update, since the original occurrence, I've had this happen a couple more times. I recently took the vehicle in for service and they were unsurprisingly unable to reproduce it over the 3 days they kept the vehicle. They says they also can't perform software updates unless an issue is present.

yeah, so

Unfortunately, not yet. I took it in and they weren't able to reproduce. I showed them a screenshot of a similar issue, but it was not enough evidence for them to do anything about it.

Yeah, so guess what mine did when I got in it to take to the dealer?

 

[keyrose]

It just happened to me this morning leaving for work. I drove to a gas station, filled up, and started up again and the display was back and has been working normally since. It still bugs me I don't know the cause.

 

[bzjeep]

Just to give some closure on this - I was able to reproduce the error again several months ago and drove straight to the dealership where they performed a software update which (fingers crossed) seems to have resolved the issue for me.

 

[Vil]

Just to give some closure on this - I was able to reproduce the error again several months ago and drove straight to the dealership where they performed a software update which (fingers crossed) seems to have resolved the issue for me.

Since you were able to recreate it, do you know what caused it, I’m having the same issue started a day ago and hasn’t came back on. Just trying to figure out why it happened.

 

[bzjeep]

Since you were able to recreate it, do you know what caused it, I’m having the same issue started a day ago and hasn’t came back on. Just trying to figure out why it happened.

It was by pure luck that it happened again and I had time to drive directly to the dealership and show them. Since they updated the software this last time, I've not seen the issue reoccur... *knock on wood*

 

[Mack.]

Yesterday, I got in my Jeep to pick up some food and the instrument cluster did not come on like it normally does when you open the door. I proceeded to start the vehicle and still nothing - all black. The speedo and tach were functioning normally as were functions such as cruise control, albeit, I couldn't see what speed it was set to. I flipped through the owner's manual and looked over the diagram on the lid of the fuse box, but couldn't figure out which fuse belonged to the cluster. Anyways, without disconnecting the battery or removing any of the fuses, I simply just tried starting the vehicle again about 30 minutes later and the cluster appeared to be operating normally.

Has anyone else experienced intermittent failure of the instrument cluster? I just had my Jeep in two separate times for an oil change and then a CEL (P0456), so I'd really prefer not to take in it for a 3rd time in two weeks, but if this becomes a "thing", I guess I'll have to since without that cluster, you lose visibility of fuel levels and other pertinent vehicle information.

Yep I have been living that nightmare for 4 weeks now and all out dealers on Florida west coast are booked out 6 to 8 weeks.

 

[jeepoch]

@bzjeep,

Brian, yep happened to me. Had to replace the cluster. It sucks but it's certainly fixable. In fact it's the best possible luck I could have ever had. Long but interesting story.

Just let me know if you want to hear about it.

Regardless, the dealership will likely need to sequester your vehicle while the cluster is being replaced. This is to ensure that the new cluster is programmed with the exact same odometer value as the old. Very few dealerships can do this directly. A special certified shop must do this.

Hope this helps.
Jay

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