2000 XJ 'no bus'

So, heading up the Victoria side of the Malahat (the Island's big scary hill of a highway) I happen to glance down at the gauges ... nothing ... all reading zero, and 'no bus' is displayed ... crap. break out the phone and fire up the gps speedo since the cops were out. She starts up, runs and drives perfectly fine, so I'm hoping just a cleaning of the Cluster connectors/sockets will solve it.
Anyone dealt with this before? Any other suggestions on the subject. I stopped, shutdown, restarted, and carried on a couple times so vehicles function is fine. I smacked, whacked, slapped and smashed the gauge panel and surrounding console with no change so the 'ole quick fix is right out.

I have that problem with mine too... did you by chance see if the airbag light was on at the same time? (Mines a 99' though)
I think that it might be something in the connection to the wires behind the cluster in the dash

If you have a No-bus and the Jeep runs, you have cluster connector issues.

Tim_MN said:

If you have a No-bus and the Jeep runs, you have cluster connector issues.

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THIS ^^^

x3, pretty common with the late models. usually giving it a good push inwards will bring the gauges back but the fix is taking the cluster out, and geasing up the connections with dielectric grease.

It could also be a bad connection with the grounds. That's how that showed up on mine.

i973eat1 said:

I have that problem with mine too... did you by chance see if the airbag light was on at the same time? (Mines a 99' though)
I think that it might be something in the connection to the wires behind the cluster in the dash

Click to expand...

I recently purchased a 98' and the guy told me "if the gauges go out: you can just hit the top of the dash and they'll come on". So that's what happend- not that that pleased me... but now the dash punch technique no longer works (2 weeks later). I noticed this yesterday: So I am guessing the connections behind the dash are bad- but will also check the fuses and interior ground. I don't have a "no bus" lit up if there is such a thing on my 98'- but I think I have what equates symptomatically. I spent time yesterday cleaning up grounds in the engine bay and cleaning the Throttle body (unrelated but desperately needed) so today I will move to the interior.

Found some Write ups- since this dash is so "new to me"
TJ but simular Inst Cluster- "cleaning contacts" http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9/fix-your-tjs-dead-gauges-write-up-179282/
XJ- istructions to take out INst Cluster specific to XJ http://www.cherokeeforum.com/f51/instrument-panel-removal-bulb-replacement-141566/ , this one is meant to instruct on how to swap clusters, but if you combine these 2 link's instructions you should be able to take your dash apart to get to the INST-Cluster and then clean it- if you can hit the top of the dash and make it work/not work- do this....
I am also going to look for the grounds and check fuses/ now that mine don't come back on at all.
Good luck!

ok- I cleaned up the dash connections like in the above video. hooked negative back on and nothing different. I shifted the cluster a little- nothing... I ran the Self Test- Turn Key while holding odometer reset and it ran through the lights and guages- they all worked on Self Test. Still doesn't work upon normal turn key/startup procedures, though... only on self test. I can't find the problem- will try to find the ground and fuse- but it doesn't make sence since it works on "self test" unless that is wired differently (isn't using normal input volts).

NOW they work! and yea the air bag light is now not lit up...

Not entirely sure what i did- but I must have done something.... Right?/!
I never found the specific ground location if there is one on the interior-
I pulled the interior fuses and put them back in- all were good.
I had cleaned up/improved ALL under hood grounds- yesterday, except the one on the dipstick- I cleaned that up- rebolted- it looked fine but....
I disconnected the Computer/ecm's 3 plugs, (driver's side firewall)- and plugged them back in...
connected negative battery terminal- turned the ignition on and Walllah! gauges and lights worked...

still have the dash unbolted- hopefully it remains working after I bolt everything back up.
So... I think I had 2 issues. 1. connector behind dash had intermittent connection fixxed by cleaning and dielectric grease.{for what its worth I used cotten swabs with electrical contact cleaner for the male plug and twisted each contact about15 degrees to the right, and also shot the female connectors with contact cleaner/ using rags to ensure it did not go where I didn't need it...} and 2. unknown- probably resetting computer connectors...?

Good luck to everyone else- if anything changes I'll report back.

well after putting everything back together- still does not work- did now doesn't...
codes: P1694 = no bus, P1698 =?

Mine is working again, pulled and cleaned. Then realized I had no dielectric grease. But it does work now.

put 3 miles on it... and the dash works again : engine light all gauges... maybe its intermittent or maybe it needed time to realize I fixed it... time will tell. I have an engine light- I will check what it says,, again.

Devilfrog said:

Mine is working again, pulled and cleaned. Then realized I had no dielectric grease. But it does work now.

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Probably works because you didn't use dielectric grease.

Sidewinder CC said:

Probably works because you didn't use dielectric grease.

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well mine worked for most the day- then as I pull in the driveway home it went out again-
Think the dielectric grease could do that? should I do it again with just contact cleaner?

history- bought it 3 weeks ago- reasonably cheap (my 91 xj's body is gone so I needed one at least take some of my donor parts didn't have to be "perfect")and it had the p0700 (general transmission warning/could be anything) and it would come and go. It ran fine, and drove fine- no transmission symptoms. That's why I wanted to clean up the grounds, then progress to trans filter and fluid. But then the guage cluster just went out completely- so I figured I'd fix that. Maybe its related to the original problem is what keeps me from cleaning the cluster again. But when it goes out- its out now, none of this tapping the dash stuff will make it go back on...

just looking for justification that I am probably not wasting my time. Thanks.