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1996 GT Speedometer electrical nightmare

  • Thread starter Thread starter moon96gt
  • Start date Start date Wednesday at 11:12 PM
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    cluster electrical grounding issue speedometer not working temperature gauge
M

moon96gt

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Oct 7, 2026
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Wednesday at 11:12 PM
#1
  • Wednesday at 11:12 PM
  • #1
Hey guys, I am at a complete loss with my new-to-me 96 GT and its speedometer issues.
When I got the car, the speedometer, odometer, trip, and temp gauge were not working. The car had recently gotten a new clutch, so I assumed it was the vehicle speed sensor. I changed the sensor on the transmission and it still didn't work.
I took a test light to all the fuses under the dash and they were all working fine. So, I pulled my cluster and noticed one of the copper bands on the back was burnt(see photo) I also noticed a strange white powder behind where the cluster sits in the dash.
I bought a used, tested cluster from a reputable seller on eBay. Plugged it up and everything works now except the speedometer, trip, and odometer.
I then noticed my temp gauge on the new cluster was not going back down after the engine was turned off. If I unplugged the cluster, the temp gauge slowly went back down on its own, so I'm assuming it's an electrical issue. I'm not at all good at electrical work besides basic stuff.
Here is what I've done to troubleshoot the wiring:
  • Took a test light to all the pins on both the black and white cluster connectors. The correct pins lit up.
  • Unraveled the tape around the harness and didn't see any burnt wires.
  • Took off the driver-side kick plate and didn't notice any burnt wires.
  • Removed the factory radio and CD player to look inside with a flashlight. Couldn't see any burnt wires.
But here is where I am stuck now: I decided to re-test all the fuses under the dash, and now Fuse 13 is not lighting up at all.
I am at a complete loss. Please help me with my next move to fixing my speedometer issues! What should I check next?
 

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DadLife0724

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Mar 22, 2024
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Cooperstown, PA
Yesterday at 7:00 AM
#2
  • Yesterday at 7:00 AM
  • #2
I would figure out what exactly that burnt trace goes to and start working your way back with a multimeter checking continuity. If you had enough of a surge to blow that trace out like that than it could very well have caused another issue along the way.
 
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