Panel cluster fuse is drainging my batter dead. I have to pull it out until I get ready to drive or my car won't start for battery is dead. Then when I get ready to drive I have to plug it back in so my car will start.What can be done about this and is it expensive and what all does the panel cluster consist of.

2008 Grand Caravan 3.8 SXT
car stalled driving, or starter dead 6am,

IF runs is the Charge/battery/gen , cluster lamp off
1: the batter lugs clean and tight, first.
2: fuses good
3: stater motor dead/ (silent, clicks , chatters or?)
HEad lamps are first
they work even no key near the car they work even engine missing.
so when HL fails the battery is dead
no battery ever lasted 15 years, is it?
my wild guess is this is battery #2nd one failure day!
died at 6/7 years now again. ( common as nails)
or alternator is/was dead, and now the battery is dead
or just DISCHARGED

4: so call AAA TOW AND ASK FOR A JUMP
OR BUY YOUR OWN JUMPER CABLES AND JUMP START IT/
OR CALL MOBILE AUTO TECHS. YP.COM

ONCE STARTED WE CHECK THE ALTERNATOR NEXT.
OR IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN FAST.

MOST FOLKS JUST DO #4

the word Toyota, old. not USA car. (else where) Petrol clue 1.
"Pickup-Truck" light.No engine option told, size? cyl?
Battery Lamp error in the cluster means dead alternator.
the Battery word means battery is going dead as you drive.
due to ALT dead. (or 1./3 or 2/3rd weak(bad diodes inside it)
or the HUGE ALT fuse 100ams is burned out, off that huge ALT wire.
here is our car, back when, Pickups by them.
I numbered 6 the fail paths for you, besides wires bad.
4 fuse here.

• fuselink 4 and 3 blown ALT is dead. never change the alt out with battery NEG lug connected or BOOM
• bad alt 2
• bad fuse 5
• bad check lamp 6 (no it glows)

remember this fact a bad battery can make the ALT go nuts.
for sure 1 cell in the battery open or shorted.
or the ALT can be good or bad. or weak < yes WEAK
engine running batter, 13.v to 15vdc measured is good
less bad ALT. or fuses blown of 4.

Hi Anonymous, I want to help you with your question, but I need more information from you. Can you please add details in the comment box?
not told all things that are good and bad
the full picture is that ,
head lamps dead keyon and off
engines dead./"
battery dead? jump starts fail> what?
if battery is 12.6vdc now, it is ok if head lamps work( most times)
starter dead is fix me first event, NOT TOLD. yet.
ok above not dead.
we next..... in order......
all fuses must be good first, or go broke fast buying $2000 car computers not NEEDED.
2007, toyota matrix xr. clear.
no engine told but sure ok. that for now.
the last cigarette lighter on earth LOL
sure the cell phone charge port is dead sure.
a tech first asks their selves, is this direct drive accessorizes or BCM braian run, as most are that year.
or scans it first, sure all tech have the scan tool welded to there hip or goes broke fast

cluster dead if first, and the cluster and PCM and PCM fuses all must be good.
The cluster LCD ODOMETER dead means no power or no comms to the pCM
There are 6 fuse just to power the CLUSTER brain,..
and IG1 relay too.
IG1 dead kills turns.
there are 2 fuse boxs
IG1 fuse
CIG fuse
and GAUGE fuse.
check all fuses.
this car uses a network called CAN_BUS
if any computer fails (or fuse blow) this can kill comms on the can b buss, and renders the ODOMETER dead, (LCD)
the scan tool will show huge errors on this car, scan it and learn.

Check fuse panel blown cluster panel fuse, other than that make shure cluster is getting good ground. Replacement cluster would not be expensive from auto wreckers.

check fuses and relays in the fuse box. could also be a bad ground

check if the fuse for the gauge panel / radio is properly seated/installed. check for loose wires as well. all of this can be seen inside your kick panel

If you have a light in the glove compartment that might be staying on. I would start pulling fuses one at a time until the clicking stops. Pull a fuse, still clicking, put it back and pull another. Repeat until you find the circuit causing the problem. That will narrow down where you need to look.

Just pull out the 10amp cluster fuse and put it back in. The cluster will pop right back up. My 2004 does it every time the battery goes dead.

Sounds like you have a power drain (small-amperage short) in the wiring going to your instrument cluster. The short has disabled some of your instrument cluster lights, but, since is has high resistance, it has not blown a fuse (since it draws to few amps). Once the current drain has wasted enough amperage, there's not enough left in the battery to start the car.
Phase 1: Interim solution: (1) charge the battery with your battery charger (if you don't have a battery charger, attach the battery with jumper cables to the battery in a running car - its alternator will charge your battery).
(2) pull the fuse(s) to the instrument cluster, thus killing power to the short.
(3) start and use you car without instrument cluster lights until you can move
to phase 2 of your repair. If you're not sure that you've killed power to the short, disconect the battery each time you stop the engine.
Phase 2:
(1) isolate the problem (the short) to one specific fuse, meaning one specific branch circuit in the car.
(2) trace the wiring from the fuse block to the instrument cluster, looking for
burn marks, bare wires (all wires should be insulated), or anything touching
a frame ground. Also look for moisture iintrusion - water can cause these types of high resistance "shorts" - with the symptom that the problem disappears after the water dries up.
(3) correct wiring problem found in step 2, plug in fuse. done
(4) if replacing instrument cluster, use instructions below.

1995-99 Models

See Figure 4
Fig. 4: Common instrument cluster found in 1995-97 "S" series Pick-ups.
(see illustration at end of message)

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. Remove the sound insulators/trim panels.
3. If necessary for access, unfasten the steering column nuts and if necessary, the bolts at the lower flange, then lower the column for access.
4. Unfasten the instrument cluster bezel screws located at the lower edge of the bezel. If no screws are present, then remove the bezel by pulling it straight out.
5. Unfasten the four screws retaining the instrument cluster to the instrument panel, unplug any necessary cluster electrical connections, then remove the cluster.

To install.
6. Install the cluster to the instrument panel making sure the cluster is firmly seated onto the connector, attach any necessary electrical connections and tighten the cluster fasteners to 17 inch. lbs. (1.9 Nm).
7. Install the instrument cluster panel bezel by snapping it into position, then if equipped, install the screws along the bottom of the bezel.
8. If lowered, re-position the steering column and tighten retaining nuts to 22 ft. lbs. (30 Nm) on 1995 models. On 1996-99 models tighten the nuts to 20 ft. lbs. (27 Nm). If removed, tighten lower flange bolts to 120 inch lbs. (13 Nm).
9. Install the sound insulators/trim panels.
10. Connect the negative battery cable.

Checked Every fuse in the fuse box (no small task).This includes #4 - Power point Instrument Panel, #14 - Day time running lamps (auto lamps doesn't work nor does auto lock), #27 - ignition switch run feed, #35 - Instrument Cluster, #41 - Instrument Cluster, #42 - Delayed Accessory, #45 - Ignition switch run/start feed, #102 - Door locks body security module, #103 - Ignition switch, #110 - Ignition switch, & #116 - Ignition switch. But I also check all other ones as well, they all register OK. AC panel & radio work. Turn signals work. Mileage does not work, trip computer does. So, basically, everything works except auto head-lights, auto locks, and the dash cluster (no MPH, RPM, mileage display, Fuel, Temp, Tran Temp, and Oil Pressure).