No gauges or power to gauges

[M45Ryguy]

Hi all im new here. Hopefully im posting in the right spot. I just picked up a new to me 2006 m45 thats been sitting for 18 months. I got her running again but I cant get my gauges to function at all and the is no lights in the gauges as well. Is there a fuse or relay maybe im over looking?

[VStar650CL]

You can find the wiring diagram for your cluster on DI-14 here...
https://www.nicoclub.com/service-manual ... 5%2Fdi.pdf
...and the fusebox layouts on PG-111, IPDM layout on PG-29, and power wiring diagrams on PG-5 here:
https://www.nicoclub.com/service-manual ... 5%2Fpg.pdf
Your M also has a PDU in addition to the IPDM, you can find wiring diagrams for that in the PG section as well. The cluster is also complicated by the fact that it's partially driven by the Unified Meter & A/C Amp, which is also tied up with the climate control. See if anything else in the cabin is inop, that may give you clues. In any case, the first thing to do is put a test lamp on all the cabin fuses and make sure they all have power when they're supposed to. If not, trace that circuit back to the source using the power diagrams, you may have a bad relay or something upstream.

[M45Ryguy]

Thank you for the reply. Everything else in the cabin is functiong property thats why im assumingfuse or amp. Ill report back if I find it. Thank you for the links.

[M45Ryguy]

So ive checked all the fuses with my meter. There all good and getting power when they should. Is possible for the gauges just to go bad?

[VStar650CL]

Sure, they have an internal power supply and a controller chip just like any other device in the car. But given that it's been sitting so long, I'd definitely check voltage at the cluster before condemning it. If it has good battery, ground, and ignition, then you can be pretty sure it's a dead horse.

[M45Ryguy]

10 4. I will pull it and check it tomorrow. Should I prob the power with it still plugged in? Or bench test it? Thank you for your help btw brother!

[VStar650CL]

I'd do a bench test first if you're equipped for it. If it powers up and gives you backlights and warning lamps with battery and ignition applied, then you know the issue is in the car and not the cluster.

[M45Ryguy]

Its getting power from the wiring loom. But only the parking indicator lights up. I belive the gauges are bad. I ordered a replacement. I will report back with my results. Thanks again brother!

[M45Ryguy]

So I installed the new gauge. Its still doing the same thing. What am I missing?

[VStar650CL]

It should be waking up with power on the Bat and Ign pins and a good ground. Bench test it to make sure the new one lights up, if it doesn't then it's possible the cluster is waiting for a signal from the Unified Amp before it will switch on. That would mean a problem in the Amp or comm wiring. However, it sounds like a no Ign or no ground condition. If it lights up on the bench, put a test lamp across pin 9 Black to pin 23 Pink and pin 12 Brown, they should both light up with the key on. Use a bulb-type test lamp and not a meter. High-impedance testers don't tell you if the circuit can carry power, a bulb does. If either one doesn't light up then you're probably chasing a bad wire from the fusebox to the cluster, if both don't light up then you're probably chasing a bad ground.

[M45Ryguy]

The gear indicator wakes up as well as the lane light. The fog light highbram and turn signals indicators all function. None of the gauges cycle through or read as well as the orange leds are not working. Could it be a bad bcm or ecu?

[VStar650CL]

On older stuff a lot of those lamps are wired directly and not CANned like the newer clusters, and your M complicates matters by getting its gauge information through a bit-bang bus from the Unified Amp. However, if the backlights light up when you bench test it then they should also light up in the car, so it's important to find out on the bench. Like I said, it's possible (but I don't think likely) that the cluster needs a wakeup signal from the Amp. Only bench power will tell you that, because software is invisible. If it lights up on the bench then you definitely have a power issue. That may not be simple either because the M's also have a PDU, but at least you'll know what tree to bark up.

[M45Ryguy]

Thank you for your help. So the backlights do light up on the bench. It's definitely a signal issue as you stated. I'm just sure where to look from here. Ughhhh

[VStar650CL]

If the backlights turn on in a bench test, it means it probably isn't a signal issue, it's power. Check power and ground across the pins I mentioned at the cluster connector. My bet is there's either no Ign voltage or no ground. Check pin-fit on the Ign pin too.

[M45Ryguy]

Thank you for all your help! I finally found it it was a cut wire coming out of the jb fuse box. All good now

[VStar650CL]