New Member - Instrument Panel Not Working

[DesertVibe]

Hi guys,My name is Justin and I live in Phoenix, AZ. I've used this forum dozens of times over the years and your information has always been very helpful. I have a question that I'm hoping you all may be able to help me with.I've seen this problem posted elsewhere, yet haven't seemed to find the solution.I have an '03 base model Vibe, manual transmission with a little over 115k miles. The other day the gauges quit working out of no where, lights, needles, everything. All of the dummy lights still work though, including turn signals, high beams, check engine, etc...I pulled the instrument cluster out and found that if I unplug it for about 30 seconds and plug it back in and start the vehicle, the gauges will work for as long as I want to drive it. However, if I turn it off and come back to it in an hour or two, they won't work again. If I repeat the unplugging/replugging then they will again work.Has anyone experienced similar problems? Or would anyone know if this is the instrument cluster itself, or possibly an issue with the ECM?Any help would be greatly appreciated.Thanks!Justin

[joatmon]

My guess would be a fuse. Maybe the Gauge fuse, but maybe another one, I can't remember. I wouldn't suspect the cluster or ECMThere rae two fuse blocks, one under the hood, another under the dash. Probably a fuse in the under dash one since that is more incovenient. Some times the exterior lighting is affected, so pay attention and make sure that your running lights and tail lights are on when you need them on, (be seen, be safe)

[DesertVibe]

Thank you for your response. I checked all the fuses and none of them appear to be blown, although I may need to go through and test each one to make sure. It seems odd to me that the gauges work as long as I unplug them for ~30 seconds each time I start the vehicle.If it were a fuse issue it would not work at all until the fuse was replaced, correct? That made me think that maybe it was the cluster itself or possibly the computer I'm no mechanic by any means, so any help is greatly appreciated. Right now I have the bezel and everything taken off, so every time I park somewhere I unplug the gauges. When I come back, I plug them back in and everything works fine until the next time.By the way, your write up on running up the odometer in order to do a swap was very good, though way over my head