Turn Signal kills Dashboard meters

[Toneloc5145]

This problem is kind of weird. For some reason, whenever I turn my turn-signal on, regardless of direction, my tachometer and water temperature gauges die. In other words, I'll be driving at 60 mph in 5th gear, turn on my turn signal to change lanes, and the tachometer will drop to 0, and the water temp gauge will drop to cold.

However, as soon as I return the turn signal stalk to the middle position, the gauges go back to normal, and the idiot lights (seatbelt light, oil pressure light, etc.) light up as if I had just started the car. Usually the oil light will continue to blink until i turn the car off.

This usually only happens after I have driven quite a distance. I would say about 45 minutes of driving. The car still drives fine when it does this, but this is obviously a problem. Can somebody help me out?

['A20A3']

holy shit mang!

sounds like bad wiring...hmmm

[Civic Accord Honda]

grounds?

[Pico]

I may a bit off on this guess, but here goes.
Since the problem is only when you turn your signal on, it could be a faulty turn signal flasher/relay causing the short in the gauges.
or maybe it's just time to replace or rebuild your turn signal/headlight combo switch.

[MessyHonda]

it could also be a bad cluster...try swapping it out with one at the junkyard

[Toneloc5145]

The combo switch is actually pretty new. That was one of the first things that I replaced when I started driving, because the one before it was a junkyard P.O.S. that went out in like a year. So, I just bought a brand new one from the dealership.

Grounds could be a possibility, since I've never replaced the ground wiring. I've never touched the cluster, and everything works like its supposed to until this problem arises.

Pico, your diagnosis seems like the most probable cause. I know that one of my front bumper turn signals has a leak along the seal, so water gets inside the lense. Could that cause a short, therefor blowing out the gauges?

I just think its weird that it occurs intermittently, and even on some long trips, it will never do it. It hasn't happened in 2 or so weeks. I can go months without it happening. But then it will occur one day, then not do it again for a while.