98 Wrangler Sahara. 4.0 5 speed manual. Im trying to solve what seems to be the ever elusive mystery of the TJ cluster issue. My tachometer, speedometer, odometer (shows mileage but never changes), oil pressure, and water temp do not work. Tach will lift when motor is first started(sometimes) and fall to 0 a few seconds later and stay there. Air bag light is always on. As is my right blinker light (always stays lit). Check engine light comes on erratically, gives P0123 code (throttle position censor high input). One minute it’s there, the next it’s not. Fuel level, battery, and parking brake lights work fine.
I was given another used cluster. Removed the old and in with the new and had the exact same results. Odds of both having the same bad connections on the cluster themselves seem unlikely so I cleaned all connections coming from the Jeep and the clusters themselves and applied dielectric grease with no success. All fuses are good. Research led me to believe with the non working gauges and airbag light on, the clock spring was shot. Bought a new one, installed and still the same issues. My next try was to use needle nose pliers to slightly bend the male connectors in hopes of making a good connection. Once again, no success. I have now found a TSB service bulletin for the cluster connection on 98,99 TJ’s and XJ’s. I don’t know if the issue is in the connection from the harness end or the cluster end. And I really don’t won’t to go as far as chopping the entire connectors off of my harness and replacing them if that’s what the TSB calls for. I think the issue could also be the PCM. I just wanted to reach out for some advise before I attempted either or both and surely spent some money.
So does anyone have any ideas on what could be the problem or if the P0123 code has something to do with all of it?
I was given another used cluster. Removed the old and in with the new and had the exact same results. Odds of both having the same bad connections on the cluster themselves seem unlikely so I cleaned all connections coming from the Jeep and the clusters themselves and applied dielectric grease with no success. All fuses are good. Research led me to believe with the non working gauges and airbag light on, the clock spring was shot. Bought a new one, installed and still the same issues. My next try was to use needle nose pliers to slightly bend the male connectors in hopes of making a good connection. Once again, no success. I have now found a TSB service bulletin for the cluster connection on 98,99 TJ’s and XJ’s. I don’t know if the issue is in the connection from the harness end or the cluster end. And I really don’t won’t to go as far as chopping the entire connectors off of my harness and replacing them if that’s what the TSB calls for. I think the issue could also be the PCM. I just wanted to reach out for some advise before I attempted either or both and surely spent some money.
So does anyone have any ideas on what could be the problem or if the P0123 code has something to do with all of it?
