Problem
A customer claims that the dash instrument cluster on their 2017 Nissan-Datsun Pathfinder, after sitting out overnight, will intermittently flash, then go black as soon as the engine starts. They also stated that sometimes the engine will shut off completely.
Case details
As soon as he opened the hood, the technician noticed the negative battery terminal was loose. He cleaned and tightened it. The positive cable was already clean and tight.
Using a wiring diagram provided by an ALLDATA Tech-Assist consultant, the technician monitored the instrument cluster power and grounds while driving, and watched cluster data via their scan tool. When the dash blipped, none of the power, grounds, or communications with the cluster dropped out. The instrument cluster had to be the culprit.
Repair
The technician replaced the instrument cluster and there were no more issues with the dash blipping or going black. The engine intermittently dying turned out to be a separate issue that was solved by cleaning and tightening the negative battery cable.
