All instrument panel gauges on my 1990 f-150 quit working at the same time.

Instrument gauges need to be supplied by a stable voltage in order to be reasonably accurate and because the vehicle battery voltage fluctuates quite a lot it would be useless to operate gauges.
It is for that reason a voltage stabiliser is used and generally mounted on the printed circuit board of the instrument panel. Assuming the supply to the panel is good and there are no other wiring or connection faults the instrument voltage regulator has probably failed.

In the early days the regulator was an electro-mechanical unit but for many years a semiconductor regulator has been used to stabilise the output voltage. Any voltage lower than the lowest battery voltage will theoretically serve but I find most are either 5 volt or 10 volt.

Certainly it seems you must remove the instruments and apply your trusty voltmeter...

There is a fuse for the gauges. If it is good then you will have to pull the instrument panel(IP). Unplug it and plug it back in first( Don't put it back together yet). Bad connection. Then chase the power wire from the fuse panel to the IP. The gauges run off one fuse, but different sources.

Wire shorted or came disconnected/ bad sensor

If all voltages checked ok,then most probably its faulty instrument cluster board on which gauges are connected.Yes if cluster circuit board looks ok,then also it can be faulty.Somewhere there is minute short or burn on board then such prolem arises.
Also check the fuse box.One under hood and other under dash.Inspect each and every fuse and see if all are fine or not.
---------------For more troubleshooting on these cluster gauges i suggest you to refer the list of help links mentioned below.Its step by step instructions will help you to confirm the exact cause of problem in these conditions:---------
Click the link below:------

2004 Toyota Tundra: Oil Gauge and Temp Gauge Not Working?

http://howtobyme.blogspot.in/2012/05/2004-toyota-tundra-oil-gauge-and-temp.html

--------------

2005 Lexus SC430: Fuel Door, Dome light and Fuel Gauge Fuse Location?

http://howtobyme.blogspot.in/2012/05/2005-lexus-sc430-fuel-door-will-not.html
----------

Toyota 4Runner: Temperature Gauge Sensor

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/04/toyota-4runner-temperature-gauge-sensor.html
------------

Temperature gauge sits over half way mark?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.in/2012/04/temperature-gauge-sits-over-half-way.html

---------------

Heater blows intermittently and temp gauge goes erratic?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/heater-blows-intermittently-and-temp.html

----------

Temperature gauge does not move and no heat when heater is ON?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/temperature-gauge-does-not-move-and-no.html

-----------

2003 Pontiac Grand Prix: Erratic Fuel Gauge?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/06/2003-pontiac-grand-prix-erratic-fuel.html

-----------

Temperature gauge keeps fluctuating up and down close to red?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/temperature-gauge-keeps-fluctuating-up.html

-------------

Temperature gauge on the dash quit working on Pontiac Grand Prix?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/temperature-gauge-on-dash-quit-working.html

---------------

Fuel gauge jumps from empty to full?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/12/fuel-gauge-jumps-from-empty-to-full.html

--------------

Gas gauge stuck on empty on 2002 Mercedes Benz 240c?

http://repairhelpcenter.blogspot.in/2012/02/gas-gauge-stuck-on-empty-on-2002.html
---------------

• Oldsmobile Temperature Gauge Lamp Switch?

-----------------

Fuel gauge drops to Empty?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/fuel-gauge-drops-to-empty.html

----------------

Dodge neon gauges not working?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/dodge-neon-gauges-not-working.html

------------

Temperature gauge went up?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/12/temperature-gauge-went-up.html

------------

Temperature gauge stays At cold on jaguar?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/temperature-gauge-stays-at-cold-on.html
-----------

How to replace Instrument panel and dashboard on Toyota car?

http://repairhelpcenter.blogspot.in/2012/02/how-to-replace-instrument-panel-and.html

-----------

How to remove instrument panel on Chevrolet car?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/how-to-remove-instrument-panel-on.html

-----------

How to remove control panel on Buick regal?

http://howtobyme.blogspot.in/2012/02/how-to-remove-control-panel-on-buick.html
---------------
These details will help.Thanks.

If all voltages checked ok, then most probably its faulty instrument cluster board on which gauges are connected. Yes if cluster circuit board looks ok, then also it can be faulty. Somewhere there is minute short or burn on board then such problem arises.

Also check the fuse box. One under hood and other under dash.

Inspect each and every fuse and see if all are fine or not.

---------------

For more troubleshooting on these cluster gauges I suggest you to refer the list of help links mentioned below. Its step by step instructions will help you to confirm the exact cause of problem in these conditions: ---------

Click the link below: ------

2004 Toyota Tundra: Oil Gauge and Temp Gauge Not Working?

http://howtobyme.blogspot.in/2012/05/2004-toyota-tundra-oil-gauge-and-temp.html

--------------

2005 Lexus SC430: Fuel Door, Dome light and Fuel Gauge Fuse Location?

http://howtobyme.blogspot.in/2012/05/2005-lexus-sc430-fuel-door-will-not.html

----------

Toyota 4Runner: Temperature Gauge Sensor

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/04/toyota-4runner-temperature-gauge-sensor.html

------------

Temperature gauge sits over half way mark?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.in/2012/04/temperature-gauge-sits-over-half-way.html

---------------

Heater blows intermittently and temp gauge goes erratic?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/heater-blows-intermittently-and-temp.html

----------

Temperature gauge does not move and no heat when heater is ON?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/temperature-gauge-does-not-move-and-no.html

-----------

2003 Pontiac Grand Prix: Erratic Fuel Gauge?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/06/2003-pontiac-grand-prix-erratic-fuel.html

-----------

Temperature gauge keeps fluctuating up and down close to red?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/temperature-gauge-keeps-fluctuating-up.html

-------------

Temperature gauge on the dash quit working on Pontiac Grand Prix?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/temperature-gauge-on-dash-quit-working.html

---------------

Fuel gauge jumps from empty to full?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/12/fuel-gauge-jumps-from-empty-to-full.html

--------------

Gas gauge stuck on empty on 2002 Mercedes Benz 240c?

http://repairhelpcenter.blogspot.in/2012/02/gas-gauge-stuck-on-empty-on-2002.html

---------------

• Oldsmobile Temperature Gauge Lamp Switch?

-----------------

Fuel gauge drops to Empty?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/fuel-gauge-drops-to-empty.html

----------------

Dodge neon gauges not working?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/dodge-neon-gauges-not-working.html

------------

Temperature gauge went up?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/12/temperature-gauge-went-up.html

------------

Temperature gauge stays At cold on jaguar?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/temperature-gauge-stays-at-cold-on.html

-----------

How to replace Instrument panel and dashboard on Toyota car?

http://repairhelpcenter.blogspot.in/2012/02/how-to-replace-instrument-panel-and.html

-----------

How to remove instrument panel on Chevrolet car?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/how-to-remove-instrument-panel-on.html

-----------

How to remove control panel on Buick regal?

http://howtobyme.blogspot.in/2012/02/how-to-remove-control-panel-on-buick.html

---------------

These details will help.

Thanks.

Belief it or not your problem may be at one off your electric fans, also a possibility your a/c compressor coil shorted, so disconnect your a/c condenser fan and your a/c compressor check them for short and replace has needed, here is the logic every time you turn your heater on defrost it will cycle your a/c and it will blow your fuse, there is a circuit breaker on fuse box by left kick panel way up make sure it is in good condition push on it and you will feel it click if trigger, is not spring back it may be at fault to, replace it. good luck

If all the guages quit working at the same time, then it is probably a blown fuse. Check your fuse panels in the dash or under the hood. Look for a fuse that is labeled instrument panel or guages, it is probably blown.

If you are talking about the odometer display does not show numbers, here is a detailed instructions on where to find the cold solder joints at :
http://www.f150online.com/forums/electrical-systems/373597-intermittent-odometer-repair.html

This is if the cluster lighting still works, but the display is blank. Don't know if you mean the gauges in the cluster do not work.

Try disconnected the battery for 10 minutes then reconnect that will reset computer, if that does not work then a short is likely in the instrument panel connections

Hi, this is a pretty common problem on these Silverado instrument clusters. We can help you out with that! Click here to learn more about these Silverado instrument cluster problems: Dr Speedometer Instrument Cluster Repair Speedometer Repair Guage...