1989 Buick Park Avenue instrument cluster not working

I have a 1989 buick that was stored over the winter. When he found the
battery dead my dad hooked up the battery charger to it and kept
trying to start it. After charging for about 6 hours without
interruption the car started ok.

The problem is the instrument panel does not work, so no visible
speedo, gas guage or anything else.

I have checked the fuse block and all fuses seem OK except for
positions 8,9,10 which are not installed. This is behind the switch
panel on the drivers left side.

Does anyone have an idea on what I can check or do I assume the
instrument panel is bust and try for a replacement ?

thanks for any replies.

> wrote:
>I have a 1989 buick that was stored over the winter. When he found the
>battery dead my dad hooked up the battery charger to it and kept
>trying to start it. After charging for about 6 hours without
>interruption the car started ok.
>
>The problem is the instrument panel does not work, so no visible
>speedo, gas guage or anything else.
>
>I have checked the fuse block and all fuses seem OK except for
>positions 8,9,10 which are not installed. This is behind the switch
>panel on the drivers left side.
>
>Does anyone have an idea on what I can check or do I assume the
>instrument panel is bust and try for a replacement ?

Get the wiring diagram. Start at the battery, then work your way to the
panel. Odds are there is a fusible link somewhere that is bad now.

It could be the panel, but the meter and the wiring diagram will tell you
for sure.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

> wrote in message
...
>I have a 1989 buick that was stored over the winter. When he found the
> battery dead my dad hooked up the battery charger to it and kept
> trying to start it. After charging for about 6 hours without
> interruption the car started ok.
>
> The problem is the instrument panel does not work, so no visible
> speedo, gas guage or anything else.
>
> I have checked the fuse block and all fuses seem OK except for
> positions 8,9,10 which are not installed. This is behind the switch
> panel on the drivers left side.
>
> Does anyone have an idea on what I can check or do I assume the
> instrument panel is bust and try for a replacement ?
>
> thanks for any replies.

Is this one of the fluorescent or plasma dashboards? If so, they
are very susceptible to oxidation of terminals. Sometimes if you
go ahead and drive them, they come back to life. OR, you can
send them in to have them rebuilt.

Not one of Buick's best efforts