Electrical problems, Instrument Cluster and More

[sali65]

I've been having some odd electrical bugs with my 2009 Nissan Altima 2.5s lately. The instrument cluster (speedometer, tach, fuel and temp gauges) goes dark and gauges freeze at whatever location they were last at. I have a bluetooth obd 2 reader and the ecu is still sending the correct info to the port and thus my phone in real time, but it doesn't make it to the instrument cluster I guess.

In addition, when the gauges freeze, I can't turn the car off normally, it goes from the on position to the acc position, then back to the on position (without turning the starter) and finally all the way off. It's a push button start so I don't really control this process. In the beginning, the gauges would come back to life if I flicked the wipers, but not anymore. When they would come back on the intelligent key symbol would be lit, but then shut off later. More recently, my key won't work properly with the push button start or locking/unlocking, I have to use the physical key to lock/unlock, and put the key fob into the holder to turn the car on.

[MalcolmY]

I had a similar problem, but not exactly the same. I went to mechanic to get an OBD reading, one of his devices supplied it's own power. My car then went haywire, The engine wouldn't turn off but all electric power would be cut off when I push the button to turn the car off. Weird stuff.

So he immediately identified the problem as a stuck relay, he took off the negative battery terminal for a few minutes then the car returned to normal.

Have you tested your alternator? Is the problem limited to the instrument cluster or do you see some other electric outlets and lights loosing power etc?