Over the course of the last two weeks my gauges Have been showing errors. The needles have swiped to the far right and then back, my cluster has stayed black when I ran the engine and when the ignition was turned off the Christmas tree stayed lite. The fuel gauge went erratic (full to empty and back) and now I have have a few lights

Failure fuel level indicator
Failure oil level indicator
Check engine visit workshop
Check brake pad wear

This all started when the cluster started experiencing electrical problems

The car starts up and seems to run fine, but I've not wanted to drive it very far due to the check engine light.

It will go into the shop soon, but I was hoping for a little advice and insight first.

 

Could be related to the electrical problems at the cluster. Of the cluster was just early in manifesting symptoms arising from some other electrical problem that has now progressed to involving the other things.

When electrical problems appear out of the blue I can think of several explanations.

1) Mice. If the car has sat unused a while and then the problems appeared: Mice.

2) Water is in the car. If the water is making it into the dash is can come from a leaking windshield or perhaps a blocked body water drain.

3) The alternator is not supplying enough electrical power and the car's electricity needs are being met by the battery which over time will be unable to supply the power. Odd and seemingly unrelated errors pop up as the car's various electric power systems react differently to the drop off in power.

I would advise you to get the car to a qualified shop for diagnosis. I would also advise you to have the car flat bedded rather than drive it.

 

The car sits for 10-14 days at a time in a clean garage in So. Cal. I keep it on a Porsche battery tender.


200 miles ago I installed LED DRL's and tail lights. Perhaps I should put the stock units back on. They function correctly, with the exception of a rear fog bulb not working.

 

I would check the battery.

 

Well, how clean a garage is has no real bearing on the risk of mice getting at a car. If a pair of mice are in dire need of a nesting site, and they almost always are, then a car parked two weeks is prime real-estate.

However, I would be more inclined to suspect the LED DRL's and and tail lights. Last thing touched first thing suspected. In some way some lights are part of the car's communication system and if these aftermarket units are incompatible this can account for the behavior you are experiencing.

 

+1 for dying battery.

 

Battery was tested and is in great shape despite being 3 years old

 

Is it the OEM Moll battery? I've had these test good one day and the next not have enough power to crank the car. If it is a Moll you can find the "date of birth" stamped on top of the negative terminal as MMYY or maybe WWYY, can't remember. Electrical problems are always a bear to diagnose - good luck.

 

Get a Walmart K7 Battery. I had the factory battery and I had a bunch of electronic gizmos. Changed to Walmart battery and problem solved!!

 

It's a AAA H6. Tomorrow I plan to reinstall the stock tail lights. If nothing changes I will put the factory DRL's in.
Thanks guys

 

Probably not part of the problem but your H6 battery size is smaller than the OEM H7 size.