No Bus ???

I have had a no bus code come on and off for about a year now. It happens all the time and most of the time while I am driving. I have researched the forums and found several possiblities. Here is my senario and was hoping some one could lead me to the wright direction. I had no bus code the entire time on the Rubicon.

1. No Bus code comes on all the time but Jeep runs
2. Water temp gauge only works sometimes
3. All gauges work except water temp gauge when everything is acctually working

You might have different problems.

The gauge clusters on the 97-01s are known to go bad and also, the connectors in the back are known to go bad. NO BUS when the Jeep won't run usually means that the CPS died, NO BUS and the vehicle running means the gauge cluster isn't able to communicate with the engine computer.

There are revised connectors available from a Chryco dealer - you'll have to take the dash apart, pull the cluster out, chop off the current connectors and solder in the new harness/connector. It's a bit of an involved process, but not too bad to do if you're decent at wiring.

If the gauge cluster is bad, it's pretty simple to test. When I was having similar problems with my gauge cluster, I just went to the local junkyard and pulled one for $18 and put it in. Plug and play.

Your coolant temp sensor might be bad.

I'd get the gauge cluster working correctly ... that may or may not solve the water temp gauge issue.

chris420 said:

I have had a no bus code come on and off for about a year now. It happens all the time and most of the time while I am driving. I have researched the forums and found several possiblities. Here is my senario and was hoping some one could lead me to the wright direction. I had no bus code the entire time on the Rubicon.

1. No Bus code comes on all the time but Jeep runs
2. Water temp gauge only works sometimes
3. All gauges work except water temp gauge when everything is acctually working

Click to expand...

Temporaty fix, smack the top of the dash

More permenant fix,

Remove gauge cluster.
Resolder connections on the main bus connector
Reassemble

Well documented issue.

As far was the water temp, that may be another bad solder connection on the dash unit, or, and I will have to check the FSM, the gauge for temp may be independant of the BUS. I do seem to remember that when my 98' had issues that there was only 1 gauge that read when the BUS would flake out.
Edit: According to my 01' Manual, the Coolant Temp is read by the PCM and sent on the to the cluster with the other gauges. I would go with the "another badsolder connection or dash unit" diagnosis.

-Ron

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Good advice from these guys....

You could try pulling the cluster, cleaning the connector with a thorough spray of electrical contact cleaner, add a dab of dielectric grease and reconnect. Or new connectors as the others mentioned.

If that doesn't work, a salvage yard cluster might do the trick.

WB9YZU said:

Temporaty fix, smack the top of the dash

-Ron

Click to expand...

Temporary? I have been doing that for the last two years, works great and doesn't take a whole Saturday afternoon to accomplish! :wow:

I removed the gauge cluster cleaned it put electric grease on the plugs and put it back in. The water temp gauge is still acting up but the guage cluster was working fine for two days but today got no bus code. I shut the Jeep off and turned it back on and the no bus code went away. I dont want to go hack wires and replacing plugs until I know for sure that, that problem is. I still need to check the ground. Any chance the water temp sensor is causing the no bus?