2004 Bonneville Issues

[agcy68]

My 2004 Bonneville now has a broken fuel gage and speedometer. The fuel gage stopped working a few months ago and I just use the trip odomenter to tell how many miles I have left before I need to fill up.

However, now the speedometer doesn't work. Not cool. Any experience with where I can get this fixed and how much it will cost? I found a couple of non-typical solutions online, but didn't know which options are valid or less expensive.

 

[usedcarguy]

My 2004 Bonneville now has a broken fuel gage and speedometer. The fuel gage stopped working a few months ago and I just use the trip odomenter to tell how many miles I have left before I need to fill up.

However, now the speedometer doesn't work. Not cool. Any experience with where I can get this fixed and how much it will cost? I found a couple of non-typical solutions online, but didn't know which options are valid or less expensive.

Just go to your local salvage yard and buy a used gauge cluster...won't cost that much. You can either swap it out yourself or have a local mechanic's shop do it. car-parts.com is a national used parts online database that most salvage yards use. That way you'll know who has one and can price shop between different yards.

 

[CYKXBUT]

It's probably expensive to fix. Why don't you use/get a GPS. That is what I would do.

 

[Cyclonesrule91]

What non-typical solutions did you find?

You most likely have to drop the fuel tank to pull the fuel pump off so get to the sending unit that makes the fuel guage work.

Is the speedometer digital or is it the dial type. Could be inside the tranny, to a busted cable/ wire to a busted speedometer/guage cluster.

 

[usedcarguy]

What non-typical solutions did you find?

You most likely have to drop the fuel tank to pull the fuel pump off so get to the sending unit that makes the fuel guage work.

Is the speedometer digital or is it the dial type. Could be inside the tranny, to a busted cable/ wire to a busted speedometer/guage cluster.

Could be inside the tranny, but 95% of the time it's the cluster. Whether it be digital display or needle, both are electronic...The days of speedometer cables are LONG gone....

 

[Cyclonesrule91]

Could be inside the tranny, but 95% of the time it's the cluster. Whether it be digital display or needle, both are electronic...The days of speedometer cables are LONG gone....

Ya, I didn't notice the year on the thread title till afterwards......Take the cable part out....

I would agree that it most likely is the gauge cluster especially when they both failed within a few weeks.

 

[SeattleClone]

If you swap out the cluster, I think you have to have the new odometer set to the correct mileage and certified. Not sure of all the rules/details of that. You can buy the stepper motors online pretty cheap and replace them yourself, if you're mechanically inclined. How to replace your stepper motor - Chevy TrailBlazer, TrailBlazer SS and GMC Envoy Forum

There are also places that will replace the motors for you, if you remove and send in your instrument cluster. I think there are several options if you google "gm instrument cluster replacement" here is one- 03 04 05 2003 2004 2005 CHEVY SILVERADO SS CLUSTER IPC - eBay (item 370274662804 end time Jan-06-11 11:44:09 PST)

I had the same problem in my '05 Sierra. While researching the replacement stepper motors, I found a solution someone posted on a forum. Remove the DIC (driver instrument cluster) fuse. Start the vehicle. Shut it off. Put the fuse back in. Apparently that resets the motors or something, it worked for me about 2 months ago and has worked fine since.

 

[ruxCYtable]

My 2004 Bonneville now has a broken fuel gage and speedometer. The fuel gage stopped working a few months ago and I just use the trip odomenter to tell how many miles I have left before I need to fill up.

However, now the speedometer doesn't work. Not cool. Any experience with where I can get this fixed and how much it will cost? I found a couple of non-typical solutions online, but didn't know which options are valid or less expensive.

My friend at work had the exact same problem with the exact same car only his went out about literally a month after the warranty expired. Dealer quoted $600-800 for a new instrument cluster. He did as CYKXBUT said below and just got a GPS so he could keep track of his speed.

 

[ruxCYtable]

If you swap out the cluster, I think you have to have the new odometer set to the correct mileage and certified. Not sure of all the rules/details of that.

I had another friend who did this and they didn't have to reset the odometer, they just put a placard inside the door stating when the odometer was replaced and what the mileage reading was at that time. Same difference.

 

[Cyforce]

Sometimes they just need a good coat of fire.

 

[ISUAlum2002]

Do some Googling and find a good Pontiac forum and do some searching there for this issue. Most of the time, issues like these are common and you'll be able to find a lot of information about where to start so you can minimize the amount of wasted time and money in getting it corrected. Like SeattleClone posted, there are known issues with the stepper motors in the TrailVoys (Trailblazers/Envoys), and there may be a similar problem with the Bonnevilles.

 

[RustyClone]

If only your car was a 1968, I have some great lines for that year. Otherwise, I've got nothing.

 

[CYdTracked]

That sucks, I drove a 1991 Bonneville that was a hand-me-down from the parents. Best car our family ever owned, sold the car with over 240,000 miles on it and the motor still running strong. That 3800 motor GM made was probably one of the best ever made.

 

[CyAndBucsGirl]

I have a 2005 Bonneville and I am just starting to run into the same problems. The temperature gauge and the fuel gauge have both gone out.

 

[iowaboy]

What non-typical solutions did you find?

You most likely have to drop the fuel tank to pull the fuel pump off so get to the sending unit that makes the fuel guage work.

Is the speedometer digital or is it the dial type. Could be inside the tranny, to a busted cable/ wire to a busted speedometer/guage cluster.

You can get to the fuel pump of which the sending unit is attached to through the trunk. Lift up the liner and you will see a circle with lines going to it.

 

[VTXCyRyD]

I had the same problem in my '05 Sierra. While researching the replacement stepper motors, I found a solution someone posted on a forum. Remove the DIC (driver instrument cluster) fuse. Start the vehicle. Shut it off. Put the fuse back in. Apparently that resets the motors or something, it worked for me about 2 months ago and has worked fine since.

DIC is the Drivers Information Center, not the instrument cluster. Some cars the DIC is on the roof, on the dash, or in the instrument cluster

What non-typical solutions did you find?

You most likely have to drop the fuel tank to pull the fuel pump off so get to the sending unit that makes the fuel guage work.

Is the speedometer digital or is it the dial type. Could be inside the tranny, to a busted cable/ wire to a busted speedometer/guage cluster.

I think this generation of Bonneville you can access the fuel pump from the trunk, but from problems others have had it sounds like it is the instrument cluster