I got a good one for the OBDII wizards - 98 XJ cluster half dead and not the cluster.

[CheapXJ]

This one got me stumped.

only saw "no bus" once, 3 different clusters have the same symptoms, oil gauge ALWAYS goes to first notch & stops when the gauges should wake up. Just gauge operation was intermittent for a bit but now it's done for. indicator lights and odometer work airbag light been intermittent for a while now so I'm wondering if possibly the clockspring is somehow involved?

lost the "you forgot your key" chime during this most recent attempt to get gauges again with a pair of other clusters to try.

I'm trying very hard not to do the TSB procedure on the 2nd cluster connector that says "Using wire cutters, remove the instrument cluster harness connector from the harness." because that same TSB tells me I should have a "no bus" indicator in the odometer when I lose gauges and I don't. (the cluster that gave me that message was a "possibly bad" one I tried a while back, not one of the current 3 that are all doing the exact same thing when I plug them into this Jeep)

It's the hangup of the oil gauge when the gauges would otherwise wake up consistently happening to all 3 that really has me perplexed.

cleaned all the connectors as advised in the TSB as well. (this one: https://www.tsbsearch.com/Jeep/08-15-99 )

Been a while since I've been on here, gotta update my signature. lol.

[CheapXJ]

In case this is useful in the future.

cleaning PCM connector C (the one with CCD/SCI bus wiring) cleared it up.

all 3 on hand clusters work just fine too, btw.

[Pete M]

   electrical gremlins are the worst!