Haunted Gauges

Let me run you through the story on this:

1) Six months ago I'm driving on highway and stomp it to pass this dude. My tach and speedo die. The other gauges stay on but don't move, including the mileage. This goes on for ~5 miles before I decide to pull over. As soon as I hit the brakes they came back on.

2) Six weeks ago I'm driving down a local road and the same thing happens. I curse and they promptly come back to normal...

3) Two weeks ago I'm driving on the highway and the same thing happens. I hit a red light and they come back on.

4)This morning I'm driving to work and same thing. Only this time no matter how much gassing, braking, jerking, or swerving I do they don't come back on. Hit my parking spot and I'm early so I decide to turn it off and crank it to see if that makes a difference. Sure enough, after 2 try's they're back on.

At first I thought it was a loose wire somewhere, but if that were the case why would the other gauges and lights stay on? Why wouldn't my odometer roll over (it's digital) if it's getting power? Is my junk haunted or what?

There's a plug on the back of the gauges that gets corroded and does everything you've described. You can either get back there and clean it, or do what I do and hit the gauges a few times until they come back on.

mine does the same thing...hit the gauges or tap the box under the steering column with your foot