Dash not lighting up. Instrument panel No Speedo etc.

I have searched but was unable to find a thread that applied to my situation. I went to start my car (04) which had been sitting for about a month, now the speedo display and lights around it do not work. Also the mileage meter is blank. I tried with the headlights off and on, I removed the dimmer switch to check for a bad or loose connection. Checked the 2 fuses that I thought were for the instrument panel. Any ideas?

 

Thanks for the replies, for some reason I was not receiving alerts to this post. Here is a update along with a little past history on this car. First after not messing with the car for 2 weeks, I go out and now the display works , the brake and abs lights are on but everything functions. In the past, I have had the fuel gauge and abs light come and go on different startups.

As mentioned, yes the 12v battery was dead and I had to charge after it had sat for the month. This car mostly sits as I have a 05 that I drive daily. In the past I have disconnected the 12v battery when I wasn't going to drive the car for a while, to save me from having to charge it.

 

The battery is fine, I have been driving the car everywhere the past couple days. The battery has gone dead a few times over the past couple years as result from sitting like it does, after a charge it always runs fine.

 

You both are correct, repeated draining of lead acid batteries is one of the worst things on them, I have worked with them in hard cranking race cars for 40 years lol.

Times in the past when I know I won't be driving that car for a while I usually disconnect the battery.

This car has always had some flute electronic issues, one of the main reasons the previous sold it.

I am interested in looking into reworking the CM, I am pretty good with electronics, I have done a number of repairs on Prius and the early Insights along with my many electronic hobbies.

 

How do I know battery is fine? I have been driving this car now for 3 days solid, making many stops. As I said, I have let this happen (by mistake) a number of times in the past couple years and everytime the battery bounces back fine. It was a used battery in the car when I bought it and when it does go bad, I will replace it no big deal, a lead acid battery life's span is limited to begin with.

The battery clearly is dead after sitting the extended periods, the cables are nice clean and tight. I believe the security system drains these newer cars when sitting.

My issue has not been with the 12v battery, its with the erratic dash lights coming and going.

 

I don't understand you point at all here. Around here with our winters a 12v battery normally lasts 4-5 years maybe a little more if lucky. I'm already ahead of the game with this one no matter what. This is not my daily driver anyway, I have 8 others to choose from if this 12v battery goes.

The dash lights (speedo cluster) in this car has a erratic history even before I got it, only the dash lights nothing else. Even when the dash lights did not come on the car ran and drove as normal.

 

This one (04) has 177K, my 05 has 215K.

 

I don't see where the difference on if it drove or not pertaining to the dash lights?? In my searches in other posts, this did not seem to change the fact as to if the CM is bad or not. Explain to me what difference this makes in the end result?

The 12V battery has been tested quite well this past week, I've driven a half tank out with multiple stops (roughly 10 starts today since my last post a few hours ago). It works like new.

The fact that we have both spent this much time thought and typing over a inexpensive 12v battery that is in the "sunset" of its life anyway seems a little silly to me.

As far as the dash lights go, I will look into a replacement CM. To be honest, as long as the fuel gauge works properly I can live with it.

 

The whole car is not dead, and was not dead......... I don't understand the focus on it.. The 12v battery was low 2 weeks ago, I charged it and the dash (speedo cluster) would not light, The car then sat untouched for 2 weeks and then now it starts and runs fine. I have driven the car now for 4 days solid with no issues. Again the 12v battery is fine, it does exactly what It should do.

And yes using the vehicle for testing the 12v battery is the ultimate test, its job is solely to work in a vehicle, if it works and does what it is supposed to do, its good. It does not get any more simple than that.

You do not need to explain mechanic's to me, I have been working on cars and race cars at a higher level than most for 40 years. I worked in a transmission shop for 16 years, many dealerships in the area would call me for advice at times.

Working with Lead acid batteries is not rocket science, depending on climate and work load they need replaced roughly every 4-6 years. I've seen new ones go bad in a few days and some last 10 years, often times they work fine one day and give up the next without warning. There are no sure things in life, a person can leave the doctor one day with a clean bill of health after multiple tests, and die the next from a heart attack, the same holds true for a 12v battery...