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Bizzaro Trouble Code, or Ghost in the Machine

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  • #554639
    lothian mcadamlothian
    Participant

      2000 Honda Accord EX 3.0L V6

      At seemingly random instances, a specific set of backlights illuminate within the instrument cluster (as shown in the attached image). Over the past ten years, the phenomenon appears (always while driving), lingers for some random period, then disappears–I am aware of no discernible pattern or circumstance to induce it.

      The only consistency is the pattern of indicators that appear. Clearly this is a trouble code; clearly it is triggered by something; and, clearly it indicates… something.

      I can find no information specific to it on the Internet; there is nothing within AllData that refers to it; there are no TSB’s from Honda that address it; no mechanic I discuss it with has an insightful opinion. I even mentioned it to Pat Goss (he was also unfamiliar with it) and he speculated without much conviction that it might indicate a momentary overcharge from the alternator.

      Anyone care to best Pat Goss and hazard a guess?

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    • #554648
      college mancollege man
      Moderator
        #554677
        Gumpy GussGumpy Guss
        Participant

          It’s unlikely to be an actual trouble code being signaled.

          Next time it happens, try pounding on the dash, real hard. Also ahead of time locate where the car’s computer is and try wiggling its connectors. If the indications go away you know there is an intermittent connection.

          #555456
          EricTheCarGuy 1EricTheCarGuy
          Keymaster

            I’ve seen quite a few issues with Honda clusters going nuts like that. Honda’s are notorious for connection issues. It may be a connection at the plug in the back of the cluster. You might remove it and slightly bend all the pins so they fit a little more snugly in the connector. It may also be an issue inside the cluster itself. If that’s the case then you may need a new cluster in the end. Another issue with some clusters is a bad diode that fries the board when it goes bad. You can sometimes spot those due to the burned area on the board. If it IS a diode issue you probably wont’ know until it burns out completely unfortunately.

            If it were me, I’d be looking for a connection issue.

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