While driving on the highway yesterday and hitting bumps in the road my instruments, tachometer, speed odometer, fuel gauge would go off and then all come back on a few seconds except for the fuel gauge. It would take several seconds after that for the fuel gauge to return to its original position and a warning buzzer would sounded while needle was on empty. The seat belt light would stay illiuminated the hole time. This happened for the next 8 hours of driving. Then after hitting a large bump in the road this happened again but this time a warning came up saying powering down. So I pulled off the highway and turned off the ignition. after sitting there for several minutes I restarted it and it ran fine until the next bump in the road. This time the powering down and code J1850 came on along with the check engine light. It never seemed to loose power except for the powering down warning. It is a 2008 workhorse with the 8.1 and Allison transmission with 16000 miles on it. We just purchased it last month and this was our first trip. Any help would be appreciated.

Sounds like you have a loose ground wire somewhere in your coach. Does your radio work? How about when your gauges go haywire? If it also goes off when you hit the bumps, turn it on loud and start jiggling wires until it goes off. Start with the ignition switch and work under the dash before going under the hood.....Dennis

I have a 2008 WH as well. About the same amount of mileage. Never had a problem like that. Sounds like some wiring is loose, a short, or a computer related problem. I would take it to a Workhorse shop to check it out.

Check with workhorse about a recall with the cluster, My 2004 had a recall. Some workhorse shops can reflash the cluster while it is in the vehicle. Go to the website and enter your VIN number and ask about any recall for your MH. Also check for a loose ground wire from the cluster and also from the battery.

Check all fuses in dash and under hood to ensure well seated.Had same problem on bumpy road a couple Yeats ago.Talked to Tiffin Tech, took his advice and now annually I check all fuses to make sure they have not worked loose.No problems since.When it happened, scared the behesus outta me.

This sounds like a loose connection rather than the symptoms you get from the recall on the Actia dash.

Workhorse problems | Good Sam Community

Heisenberg
Explorer
May 10, 2014
Dennis is likely right on this one. A loose ground will be common to losing several instrument readouts. It could be in the bundle connectors or frame to block jumper depending on like he asked "radio?" etc.
mfinnerty
Explorer
May 11, 2014
When I first had the gas gauge problem on my 2003 Itasca, they found the fuel level sender to be defective and replaced it. This was in 2006. Cost was about $450 with $250 being the cost of the sender module. After several more years the fuel gauge problem has returned on an intermittent basis meaning it doesn't happen on every trip. So now I just ignore it.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
May 11, 2014
rgatijnet1 wrote:
This sounds like a loose connection rather than the symptoms you get from the recall on the Actia dash.

I agree with that, A loose connection in any case... I did not have that problem (And the dash recall is a completely different issue too which I did have) But I had a problem with the radio cutting in and out. No, it was not a bad ground,, But in the course of trouble shooting I found a number of loose screws with wire lugs under them (loose grounds) and re-tightened.. I also have an onging issue with the ground on the HEVAC blower.

(The radio problem... My Intruder the speakers are shared between the Dash and the HOME THEATER.. Ignition (Accessory lead) controls a relay that transfers them.. the relay is on the firewall, next to the high-power audio amplifier (which is on the kick panel next to the fire wall) and one of the multi-pin MOLEX connectors had not been fully seated.. I pressed on it and CLICK. it worked.

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