The gauge failure posts cursed my car

Does a 50% duty cycle = 5v? I don't know how "all that" works out.

As I understand it, and IIRC, the mechanical IVR takes the 12-14 V input and regulates it by going ON-OFF-ON-OFF-ON-OFF-ON-OFF ad infinitum. The average voltage that comes out is about 5V.
Similar to the point type mechanical regulator on the firewall.