Did you check the solder joints on the back of the cluster? I would think the cluster would be easier (though not easy) to remove than accessing the PDC.

 

Thanks for the quick response. Yes, I checked all of the solder joints on back of cluster about 6 months ago, and they were all perfect. I wish that was the problem!
I also cleaned all the chassis grounds I could find, pulled all of the fuses and cleaned and tested them.

In my case the wire that supplies power to the cluster harness plug Pin 14 is dead (only getting 0.02 volts instead of 11-12). I ruled out a bad ground by testing Pin 14 both with ground through the ground pin on the connector, AND by grounding to a large piece of steel on the chassis. So, it's definitely not getting power to the plug that plugs into the instrument cluster. I suspect it's due to either corrosion where it connects to the Power Distribution Center (fuse block in engine bay) or a damaged wire. Problem is, I have no idea how to get the PDC off its mount so I can access the electrical connections on the bottom of the PDC. Any idea how to do that?

 

Faulty solder connections in the instrument cluster was a problem over the course of time with the 2nd generation of minivans. Mine (1996 Caravan) always came back on either from driving into a pothole or over a bump or a well placed whack to the top of the dash above the cluster.

 

. . .The instrument cluster on my 2005 Pt Cruiser Limited Edition (2.4L Turbo/Automatic) started cutting out on and off about a year ago. Sometime the cluster works, other times, totally dead, sometimes both (like a wire is loose). This problem does NOT affect starting/running the car at all. It always starts right up and runs like a champ. .

The cluster is currently dead. Ran the following tests:
1. Self-Diagnostics Test: FAIL - Cluster is getting NO POWER, so can't run this test.
2. Check for ignition voltage at Pin 14 of the 26-way cluster wire harness connector (bottom row, far-right): FAIL - Only getting 0.02 volts. Result is the same whether negative lead on multi-meter is grounded via Pin 1 (GROUND) on the harness plug or grounded to the steel plate behind the cluster.
3. Check for battery voltage at Pin 4 (BATTERY FEED - M1) of the 26-way connector. If no voltage, repair as necessary: PASS - Got 11.42 volts, which is a little low, but assume OK.

The wire to Pin 4 is tan. Checked the wiring bundle (where visible) for any signs of damage and don't see anything wrong. Squirrels and rats have spent time in the engine bay, but cannot find any chewed wires. . . . .

See attached image. Check all fuses shown for continuity and power pass through.

Note splice S224 in diagram. That may have failed.

. . . I want to pull the Power Distribution Center (PDC) in the engine compartment to check out the connections on the underside, but cannot get the damn thing loose.
Removed all visible bolts (IIRC, there were 3), but it won't budge. . . .

Follow YT link. Presenter shows how to remove PDC from Chrysler minivan which should be the same for PT Cruiser.
Time interval 2:28

 

See attached image. Check all fuses shown for continuity and power pass through.

View attachment 73346

Note splice S224 in diagram. That may have failed.



Follow YT link. Presenter shows how to remove PDC from Chrysler minivan which should be the same for PT Cruiser.
Time interval 2:28

Thanks for the great diagram that shows location of splice S224 (I have the service manual PDF, but most diagrams are turned sideways, very hard to read). It looks like getting to the wires under the dash is going to be a real nightmare, and I am strongly leaning towards the problem being in the engine compartment, under or in the PDC (see below for why).

Please explain what "Follow YT link" means. I don't see a hyperlink (except the TIPM IPM video), nor anything marked "YT" on the diagram.

I pulled, cleaned and tested ALL of the fuses (and pulled/cleaned the relays) in both fuse boxes (PDC and the one under dash), INCLUDING the IOD FUSE, multiple times. All are (or were) GOOD:
"2/22/2020: Tested ALL of the "maxi" fuses from main panel for continuity (all good). Tested ALL of the small fuses in main panel and secondary panel for continuity (all good).
Started engine. Instrument panel started working again after removing/testing the fuses. Tested instrument panel again 30 minutes later, still works."

My car definitely has the PDC, not TPIM. See attached photo of my PDC. Note the rat turds on top and all of the seed husks below and on top of intake manifold.
The seed husks showed up around the same time as the instrument cluster started acting up. There is no sign that any wiring inside the car has ever been disturbed, no signs of any damage.

The PDC has several plastic clips on the sides. Have pried on all of them, but I cannot get it to budge. This is my 5th attempt to remove it. The manual does not explain how to remove it. All it says is, "(6) Disengage and remove the PDC housing from its mounting bracket.". HOW DO I DO THAT???!!!

 

Can you post a pic of the box you are trying to remove?

Your '05 may have been in transition period and you may have either the PDC or a TIPM.

 

Look closely at your connectors. It's not uncommon on the PT's for a pin to kind of retract into a plug and lose contact. Kind of a pain in the [I should have my mouth washed out with soap for using such terms] to track down, but if one is receded, you should be able to spot it if you find the right connector.

 

OK. I got the PCD loose and pried it up to where I can see all the wires underneath. The wiring bundle and bare wires all appear to be clean and intact, no signs of gnawing, etc.
Found one tan wire of the right size going into the PDC. I assume this is the wire that goes to Pin 14 on connector C1, but it appears to be connected to the relay circled in red in the attached photo, not to a 10 amp fuse.

NONE of the fuses and relays in the PDC have any identification at all, and I can't seem to find any diagrams identifying each fuse and relay in the PDC in the service manual. Is fuse A21 in the PDC, or is it in the fuse panel under the dash? IIRC, the yellow 20 amp fuse in the special holder is the one that supplies power to the cluster.

Section 8W-40 INSTRUMENT CLUSTER table of contents has listings for Fuse 1, 2, 8, 10, 13, 15, 19, and 22, but nothing indicating their positions in the PDC. All these wiring diagrams have my head spinning.

I would like to try running a jumper wire from a switched power source to Pin 14 on connector C1 to see if I can confirm that the cluster works when there is a reliable power source, without doing anything permanent until I know for sure. If this fixes the problem, I will make it permanent. Thinking I can wrap a piece of solid-core wire around the post on cluster and connect it to a 10a switched fuse in the interior fuse panel. There are TEN 10a fuses in the inner fuse panel--which ones are switched power?

I read somewhere online that the instrument cluster is turned off if the multi-function switch is not in the correct position. To clarify, there are TWO rotary switches on the turn signal stalk. The outer switch turns the headlights on. The INNER switch is not described in the owner's manual, but pretty sure it controls the cluster lighting (they claim it must be set to the position with the "indented circle" for the cluster to have power). I tested every position of this switch multiple times when cluster not working, and it had no effect.

 

. . . .Found one tan wire of the right size going into the PDC. I assume this is the wire that goes to Pin 14 on connector C1, but it appears to be connected to the relay circled in red in the attached photo, not to a 10 amp fuse.. . . .

The wire going to pin #14, connector C1 at the instrument cluster is a PK / pink wire; not tan. Attached is a rotated image of your PDC along side the service manual schematic for the 2003 PT Cruiser PDC. Note that the relay in red is the starter relay. The tan wire goes to the starter relay but that is NOT the wire that goes to the instrument cluster.

Go to service manual page 8W – 40 – 2. That shows pins #4, #14 with paths from the applicable fuses to connector C1 at the cluster. In your original post #1 date Jan 8, 2021 you indicated no power at pin #14. Note that the ignition key switch must be in the ON / RUN position for power to appear at pin #14. Turn ignition key switch to ON / RUN and retest for voltage at pin #14. Pin #4 has a PK / pink wire. Pin #14 has DB/BK - dark blue with black tracer stripe.

. . . Section 8W-40 INSTRUMENT CLUSTER table of contents has listings for Fuse 1, 2, 8, 10, 13, 15, 19, and 22, but nothing indicating their positions in the PDC. All these wiring diagrams have my head spinning. . . .

Service manual page 8W – 10 – 2 shows the PDC legend and identifies by reference number all the fuses. PDC is an acronym for Power Distribution Center. So if you look at the table of contents for chapter 8W you will see a listing for power distribution that starts at page 8W - 10 - 1 so logically it would be in that grouping of diagrams.

. . . I read somewhere online that the instrument cluster is turned off if the multi-function switch is not in the correct position. To clarify, there are TWO rotary switches on the turn signal stalk. The outer switch turns the headlights on. The INNER switch is not described in the owner's manual, but pretty sure it controls the cluster lighting (they claim it must be set to the position with the "indented circle" for the cluster to have power). I tested every position of this switch multiple times when cluster not working, and it had no effect. . . .

Two rotating switches on the turn signal stalk. Outer switch controls the headlamps. Inner switch controls intensity of the back lighting for viewing the instrument gauges at night time. When rotated completely it will activate the interior dome lamp. Inner rotating switch does NOT control power to the instrument cluster and gauges. Power for the instrument cluster is provided as shown by diagram on page 8W -- 40 -- 2.

 

BTW, thanks for the tip on rotating pages! I'm using a different PDF reader, but it has the rotate feature too.

 

OK, I found a diagram of the PDC fuses and relays on the bottom side of the top cover. Moving on...
Made a jumper wire with soldered ends, one end about an inch long. Inserted the long end of the jumper wire into the back of Pin 14 on connector C1, and tested it for continuity from the front side of the pin (female connector) to the other end of the jumper, and it tested good. Plugged the instrument cluster back in and reconnected the battery. First tried powering the cluster with ignition off, by touching the jumper to the battery positive terminal, got no response from the cluster. Started the car and tried again, and still no response (not even a blip)! This should have worked. No idea where to go from here.

 

You mentioned that your stereo is also acting weird.

There is this thread from PTCL that apparently the Gen1 can suffer from a grounding issue near the steering column.

See this post and I will post the pics that were in the thread as you won't be able to view them because nobody new can join PTCL:

Horn and Radio Screen Intermittent? - PT Cruiser Forum

2001 PT Cruiser 96,000 miles. Radio and horn are original and never been replaced. Car engine running: -Radio screen turns on and off intermittently

www.ptcruiserlinks.com

It might affect grounding to the cluster. Either way, it won't hurt anything and might help with the stereo issue, though that is probably the least of your worries right now, but worth a try.

 

Thanks, I'll try this tomorrow!!! Definitely worth a shot.

 

To clarify: I drilled the hole in the bracket shown in your photo, just below the existing quarter inch hole in the bracket.

 

The instrument cluster may be powering up fine. If the communications bus is down, there may be no response.
Have you tried the cluster self-test?

 

Yes, but there is no power to it now, so of course if fails. Until recently (for 6 months or so), the cluster was working intermittently. Power to the cluster plug has been intermittent. That's why I spent so much time trying to check the wiring from the power distribution center (in engine bay), but everything there looks OK (was expecting chewed/frayed wires). I tried connecting alternative power source to the plug, but that did not work either. Now I'm stumped.

 

Forgot to mention that all of the solder joints on the circuit board look good. I'd like to bench test the cluster out of the car. That's basically what I was trying to do by running a jumper wire from the battery to the back of the cluster plug. I tested the jumper wire for continuity before plugging the cluster back in, but when I tested it, nothing...

 

PROGRESS AND CONFUSION!!! Did the following today:

1. Took photo of wires at connector C1 and mapped them out. Note that the wire connected to pin #14 is TAN (not pink).

2. Drew a chart of connector C1 pin/wire colors (see below).

3. With ignition ON, wiggled instrument cluster wiring harness around in several places to see if I could get the cluster to power up. It went on for a split second when I connected C1 to it, presumably because there is a capacitor inside the cluster that still held a charge. But, could not get cluster to power on while wiggling wires. (Note: I have tested ALL fuses several times, all were GOOD)

4. Ran a jumper wire from battery positive terminal to connector C1 terminal #14 (fused ignition switch output run/start). RESULTS:
With ignition OFF, the odometer LCD display lit up. Started engine, and all instruments came alive and stayed on until switched off. CONCLUSION: No power is getting to C1 terminal #14.

5. Looked at wiring diagram "8W-40 INSTRUMENT CLUSTER" on page 8W - 40 - 2 in the '05 PTC Service Manual (correct year for my car). CONFUSION! Am I looking at the right wiring diagram?
This diagram shows "RUN-START A21" 10 amp fuse, trace labeled "G5 20 DB/BK" at source, with splice "S224" (8W-11-15) in the middle, then "G5 20 DB/WT" at C1 pin 14 (where circuit enters the cluster, it's labeled "14 C1", so I assume this is the correct circuit)! But the wire connected to C1 pin #14 on my car is TAN (not Dark Blue/White as shown on wiring diagram, and not pink as you stated in a previous post)!!! Also, note that the IOD fuse is a 20 amp fuse, NOT 10 amp.

Instrument Cluster Connector C1 Wire Colors on MY CAR (pin #: color):

1: Purple/White
2: White/Green
3: Tan/Black
4: Black/Red
5: Orange
6: White/Black
7: Green/Red
8: Gray
9: Red
10: none
11: none
12: none
13: Blue/White
14: Tan
15: Tan/Red
16: Green
17: Green/Tan
18: Tan/Red
19: none
20: Yellow
21: none
22: none
23: Magenta
24: Black/Yellow
25: Black/Green
26: Black

 

Mine is reversed from yours. Are you looking at the wire side or terminal side of C1?

 

The pinouts on my C1 connector match what is shown in the c1.pdf in your post, facing the plug side of the connector (not the back side where the wires go in). According to the service manual, the pins are numbered right to left, starting at the top, so #14 is the bottom-right terminal. This is where I inserted the jumper, and the cluster worked.

I've attached photos of the C1 plug (shows the wire colors), the cluster with jumper in place but ignition switch OFF (odometer working), and jumper with engine running (guages working).
Do you wire colors match? If not, it could be due to different model year and/or model.

I'm wondering how hard it will be to pull the wiring harness out and trace the offending wire back, or if it's even worth it. Will try to find the first splice and test that section of wire first. If it's farther back than that, I will probably have to bypass the whole wire, but what switched power source to connect the new wire to??? I do not want to try to dig into the main harness back by the PDC, it's too thick and looks impossible to get out where I can work on it properly. Any suggestions?