Has anyone had this just completely stop working? Is there a relay or fuse that controls this digital display? I swear my Montana has gremlins, everything is going at the same time. Any tips to getting this back going would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Driver Information Center(near sun visors)
- Thread starter Joeglia
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look in the owners manual page 6-59
http://www.vadengmpp.com/owners-manual/pontiac/1999-Pontiac-Montana.pdf
http://www.vadengmpp.com/owners-manual/pontiac/1999-Pontiac-Montana.pdf
brianwetzel
New member
Is it a 1999? If so they all have a problem that the display goes blank. I found the fix that you need to re-solder a couple of surface mount resistor but if you have a 2000 or newer it will not be that: (http://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/13879/chevrolet/venture/driver-information-center-repair).
No it is a 1998 Montana but I will see if it is the same issue as the 1999 model. Thank you both for your help. I will dig into it and report back if I find the resolution.
______________________________
my fuse must be good because the manual you shared states the radio is on the same fuse as the driver information center and the radio works so now I will move to pulling the module and inspecting the resistors for cracks and try to solder them if they are broken.
sergeimoskva
Member
Hi !
Here is an excerpt from the text........
Remove the Driver Information Center Module
(See GM manual for procedure)
Push back clips from black housing box and carefully remove circuit board
Place circuit card flat on table.
Place display and component side of circuit board facing up
Rotate circuit board so the display module side is facing you
There are button switches on either side of the display module
Look at the right button switch.
Next to it just left and above are four 1/4" X 1/8" black components attached to the circuit board
They are marked 430, 430, 820 and 820 reading from top to bottom.
These are resistors with 43 and 82 ohm values.
On the two modules the problem was with the top most resistor. It is marked 430 and is 1/2" above and 1/4" to the left of the right button switch. The soldering to the circuit board had fractured. Resolder the resistor into place using a bit of solder and 15 Watt pencil soldering iron.
The resistor came loose due to the metallurgy of solder. The solder often is a mixture of tin and lead. The tin is more strongly attracted to the copper in the circuit board than the lead is attracted. When hot, when within 10% of melting temperature (resistors designed to run hot), the tin near the circuit board face will move. Having moved there is stress in the solder at the locations where it left. These holes create high stress in the solder structure, this leads to a fracture staight across the mounting face of the resistor as smooth and complete as if a knife cut the resistor loose. This only happens in designs which allow parts to heat to values close to the melting point of the solder. This rarely would happen in the past before surface mounted components. The cure would be higher temperature solder, cooler running parts, avoiding flat straight mounting interfaces, etc. Reheating the joint sets it right for a while.
Good luck to you !
Here is an excerpt from the text........
Remove the Driver Information Center Module
(See GM manual for procedure)
Push back clips from black housing box and carefully remove circuit board
Place circuit card flat on table.
Place display and component side of circuit board facing up
Rotate circuit board so the display module side is facing you
There are button switches on either side of the display module
Look at the right button switch.
Next to it just left and above are four 1/4" X 1/8" black components attached to the circuit board
They are marked 430, 430, 820 and 820 reading from top to bottom.
These are resistors with 43 and 82 ohm values.
On the two modules the problem was with the top most resistor. It is marked 430 and is 1/2" above and 1/4" to the left of the right button switch. The soldering to the circuit board had fractured. Resolder the resistor into place using a bit of solder and 15 Watt pencil soldering iron.
The resistor came loose due to the metallurgy of solder. The solder often is a mixture of tin and lead. The tin is more strongly attracted to the copper in the circuit board than the lead is attracted. When hot, when within 10% of melting temperature (resistors designed to run hot), the tin near the circuit board face will move. Having moved there is stress in the solder at the locations where it left. These holes create high stress in the solder structure, this leads to a fracture staight across the mounting face of the resistor as smooth and complete as if a knife cut the resistor loose. This only happens in designs which allow parts to heat to values close to the melting point of the solder. This rarely would happen in the past before surface mounted components. The cure would be higher temperature solder, cooler running parts, avoiding flat straight mounting interfaces, etc. Reheating the joint sets it right for a while.
Good luck to you !
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