S10 Gear Indicator Not Working [What to Do]

 

Several of our customers have asked us to post an article on the S10 gear indicator not working problem. This is a pretty common problem and there are several possible reasons why it happens.

If you think you might need an instrument cluster repair or replacement then please reach out to us. Our team offers a Lifetime Warranty on our clusters.

Click here to find your Chevy S10 instrument cluster > Replacement

Why is my gear shift indicator not working?

The problems that cause this can range from a bad instrument cluster or electrical. This can be tricky, and we recommend working with a local repair shop on this particular issue. This can help you avoid a lot of time in troubleshooting.

If your vehicle is not going into gear it could be a faulty ground in one of several locations. The computer, transmission solenoid, or the linkage between your shifter and the transmission.

You would start with the computer as that is usually pretty easy to check and the cheapest. Just unplug it and see if your problem is resolved. If so, you know it's bad ground on that circuit. If it still doesn't work you know the problem is in another location.

Another reason could be a bad transmission solenoid or one that isn't being activated. If you have an overdrive light on the dash your OD solenoid may be bad or not being activated.

You can also check by removing the solenoid and grounding it out with a wire. If the shifter moves to the gear you want it to go to it's bad and needs to be replaced. If nothing happens you have a different problem.

If the shifter does move when grounded out your problem may be in the linkage. The linkage could also cause your shifter not to move and thus not give you a gear indication on your dash.

To check this you would have to remove the linkage at the transmission and try to move it manually. If it moves inside the cab without too much resistance you know it's in the linkage. If it doesn't move without too much effort inside the cab you will likely need to remove the kick panel to check the linkage up at the shifter.

If you can't move it by hand then your problem is in the shifter itself. This would be easily checkable by removing the shifter and noting how freely it moves. If it is really tough to move that would indicate a problem.

If you have a problem with your shifter sticking in the park this post will help you out. Stuck in P is easily fixed. Don't forget to put your transmission in the park when you're done.

Click here to read: Ford Instrument Cluster Repair [All You Need to Know] >

What does it mean when your gear indicator doesn't match up with the gear you are in?

The indicator shows what you drive in, not the transmission's actual gear. So if you are driving in 2nd gear at 20mph, the indicator will remain in 2nd gear regardless of how fast you are actually going. If your vehicle is not in gear, the gear indicator will likely be flashing.

The gear indicator is programmed for different models of cars, so your vehicle might have a modified transmission that doesn't match the factory indicator.

The gear indicator flashes when the vehicle isn't in gear and the brake pedal is pressed. This happens because there is no RPM drop when you take your foot off the pedal.

If you have just replaced or adjusted your clutch cable, the indicator might show that you are neutral when you are in fact in gear.

The gear indicator shows what gear the car is actually in (gearbox display) not the RPMs.

If you have a manual transmission the gear indicator will flash if the clutch pedal is pressed.

It could mean that your worn gear selector is in neutral and will need replacement.

It also means that you most likely have a fault with your gear selector wiring.

Click here to read: Who has Cadillac CUE Repair Service near me? >

How does a gear position indicator work?

The gear position indicator works as follows:

- The gearbox is equipped with a sensor unit that detects the position of the selector forks.

- For each selector fork, the sensor unit detects 2 reference points.

- The transmission control unit uses this information to determine the position of the selector fork.

- Based on the position of the selector fork, the transmission control unit calculates which gear is engaged.

- The display unit on the instrument panel shows the current gear.

How do you reset the shifting solenoid on a Chevrolet S10 truck?

The shifting solenoid (mechanical computer) on your Chevrolet s10 is commonly set due to a faulty shift cable. If your shift indicator reads "N" then your shift solenoid needs to be reset.

This is done by pushing the shift cable out of its holder at the top of the shifter housing. This cable is spring-loaded. You will need to push in (towards the firewall) on one end of the cable and hold it.

Then push in (towards the firewall) on the other end of the cable while holding down on this end as well. Then release both ends of the cable simultaneously and let go.

Take a look at the following video to better understand how to reset your shifting solenoid on a Chevrolet S10 vehicle.

What is the most common problem with the S10 instrument cluster?

The most common problem of the S10 instrument cluster is the gear indicator not working.

The solution is very easy.

Just simply take the S10 instrument cluster apart and unsolder 2 wires from the gear indicator plug(the small white plug) and then solder the wires back.

What is the reason why this happens?

There are 2 reasons that can cause this problem:

1. The small circuit board in the cluster which is responsible for transmitting the signal from the gearstick to the cluster burns out when it gets too hot.

2. The gear indicator chip on the circuit board burns out or gets damaged during or after a battery replacement of the vehicle.

Can you upgrade instrument clusters?

Instrument clusters vary from year to year and model to model.

It's possible to upgrade your instrument cluster with a newer version if it has a different interface.

For example, some very early model S10s used a 5-pin connector for the gear indicator signal, later models used a 10-pin, and some very late model S10s use a 7 or 8-pin plug.

The only thing that you need to do in this case is to buy an appropriate wiring harness that matches your instrument cluster version.

How much to repair the gauge cluster?

The cost of gauge cluster repair depends on the year and model of your S10.

If your S10 is a very early model, then the gear indicator chip might not be available and you need to buy a new instrument cluster.

The cost of a new instrument cluster ranges from $300 to $500.

If your S10 is a later model, then the chip is most likely available and the repair will cost you around $200.

You can also search for a quality used gauge cluster but make sure that your cluster part number is the same.

The part number is usually located on a white sticker on the back of the instrument cluster.

How to fix the instrument cluster?

If your Chevrolet s10 instrument cluster is not working, the first thing you need to do is to check all the fuses.

If all the fuses are fine, then the next step is to check the wiring harness.

If the wiring harness is fine, then you need to check the cluster itself.

Check the gauges, lights, and gears to see if they are working.

If you have a scan tool you can check for codes it is normally a simple plug-and-play.

But if you don’t have a scan tool, then you need to take it to a mechanic or a dealership to have it checked.

They will be able to tell you what is wrong with your cluster and they will also be able to fix it.

Where to buy a new cluster?

If you are looking for a replacement instrument cluster, you can buy it from our company ISS Automotive.

We offer a wide range of instrument clusters for different models and years. We offer our customers a lifetime warranty.

You can contact us at 1-800-548-1195 or email us at support@issautomotive.com to request a price or more details.