Temp gauge malfunctioning

Hi,

First off I would like to say I'm new here and if I need to do something else rather than how I am doing this now please let me know.

So This started happening yesterday

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzWNI_0Txt0

where the temp gauge will peg itself in the red until I smack the dashboard and it goes back down to where it normally would be. The video is from this morning about a couple minutes after I turned the truck on, so there is NO way it would already be that hot. Any ideas on where along the issue is? I figure its just something loose behind the dash but I would rather know before I pull the instrument cluster.

On a side note, the bulb for that part of the dash is also out (its on intermittently) and the truck was broken into and had the head unit messed with, as well as an amp and sub stolen, and the wires that went to said amp are now hanging down below the dashboard (bought the truck like that and I havent had time to pull them out). It also has aftermarket speakers all around so I wouldnt doubt if there are some wires being run behind the instrument cluster.

 

if anyone sees that and had the same problem I just replaced the gauge and it fixed everything.

I for one hate finding a thread thats unsolved so I figured someone may see this some day and have the same problem

 

I agree, thanks for updating your thread. Closure for the win.