Buick Century:

light on odometer/gear indicator panel

drgrutz wrote:

The light on the odometer/gear indicator panel for my 2002 Buick Century was working on and off for the last month - now it is just off.  How can I fix this?

Hi drgrutz:

Got your message. Sorry, but the sketch in the service manual didn't show the PRNDL/odometer being a separate display, and I believe it might be different in the Regal.

There are still six bulbs illuminating the rest of the instrument panel from behind. But the PRNDL/odometer is illuminated internally.

The lighting voltage for both comes from the 7.5 amp panel dimming fuse. For the bulbs it comes in at instrument panel connector terminal A7, and for the PRNDL/odometer at A5.

There are not any service bulletins for this particular condition, but a couple in reference to general diagnostics, stressing the fact that poor connections are often the cause of intermittent conditions.

You should remove the instrument cluster and be sure there is 12 volts at terminal A5, and all terminals are tight and clean. Also be sure the cluster is fully seated into the connector.

If everything external is correct, you'll have to replace the cluster, or send it out for repair at a specialty electronics shop (ask a local Buick dealer who they use). It's often an exchange deal where they reset the odometer on the new cluster to that of the original.