Instrument Cluster Circuit Board is Bad! $1000 bucks!!!
02-08-05, 12:54 AM
#121
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Let there be light... Thanks, my cluster appears fixed
OK, you guys, thanks so much for providing info for me to repair my cluster.
Symptoms:
Fuel gauge needle only went to 1/4 on full tank or very slow to react,
lights under radio buttons off
my lights on instrument cluster were either dead, or flashing needles , if needles were flashing, the background was black.
Here is what I did, I went to http://www.lexls.com/tutorials.html this was invaluable to make removal of cluster as painless as possible. Great source for info. Highly recommended
Replaced :
C212
C142
C203
C220
Transistor TR109
It took me 1 hr to remove cluster, and 15 min to later re-install it.
THE trick is removing the surface mount caps, the secret is using two pin point soldering irons and heating both ends at same time, when solder is liquid, flick the cap away.
I tried on 8 caps before I realized two irons were the key, otherwise I stripped the surface of my practice electronic sacraficial boards.
I also layed all radial caps on their sides and per my brother who is a electronic technician, only lay a small strip of silicone or hot glue over the top of cap and board to prevent vibration.
I drove my car around 30 miles today and looks good.
My background light that is behind the fuel gauge is a little dim, but easy to see.
Dont know if new bulbs will help here , but overall, I am VERY pleased with the accomplishment.
I strongly recommend having others do the soldering or send it out to one of the two services that are available, Jim or lextech if you are not skilled. Its very easy to damage the boards.
I dont know if there are ANY other caps to change, but , some folks say to change all out.
When I realized there there is virtually no room to stand up multiple caps in place of the SMT caps, I found it hard to beleive that others have swapped out all of the caps since room is an issue. AND , standing them up is NOT safe regarding them vibrating off unless somehow secured down onto the board.
Keep in mind that you dont want to place hot glue under or RTV under the cap because it will expand and contract and eventually fatigue the soldered joint. My brother works for a space agency and does electronic failure analysis.
Dont know how long the other caps will last, but , this worked great and there are so many other caps, I would not know where to start unless I was guided by you folks.
I appreciate all that provided the info to do this , what a hellluva website.
Lg
Symptoms:
Fuel gauge needle only went to 1/4 on full tank or very slow to react,
lights under radio buttons off
my lights on instrument cluster were either dead, or flashing needles , if needles were flashing, the background was black.
Here is what I did, I went to http://www.lexls.com/tutorials.html this was invaluable to make removal of cluster as painless as possible. Great source for info. Highly recommended
Replaced :
C212
C142
C203
C220
Transistor TR109
It took me 1 hr to remove cluster, and 15 min to later re-install it.
THE trick is removing the surface mount caps, the secret is using two pin point soldering irons and heating both ends at same time, when solder is liquid, flick the cap away.
I tried on 8 caps before I realized two irons were the key, otherwise I stripped the surface of my practice electronic sacraficial boards.
I also layed all radial caps on their sides and per my brother who is a electronic technician, only lay a small strip of silicone or hot glue over the top of cap and board to prevent vibration.
I drove my car around 30 miles today and looks good.
My background light that is behind the fuel gauge is a little dim, but easy to see.
Dont know if new bulbs will help here , but overall, I am VERY pleased with the accomplishment.
I strongly recommend having others do the soldering or send it out to one of the two services that are available, Jim or lextech if you are not skilled. Its very easy to damage the boards.
I dont know if there are ANY other caps to change, but , some folks say to change all out.
When I realized there there is virtually no room to stand up multiple caps in place of the SMT caps, I found it hard to beleive that others have swapped out all of the caps since room is an issue. AND , standing them up is NOT safe regarding them vibrating off unless somehow secured down onto the board.
Keep in mind that you dont want to place hot glue under or RTV under the cap because it will expand and contract and eventually fatigue the soldered joint. My brother works for a space agency and does electronic failure analysis.
Dont know how long the other caps will last, but , this worked great and there are so many other caps, I would not know where to start unless I was guided by you folks.
I appreciate all that provided the info to do this , what a hellluva website.
Lg
02-15-05, 12:44 PM
#122
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You can have it fix for $150
Go to Ebay, look under 1998 Lexus. One a while there is a company fix this problem for $150. But you have to remove it from the panel and send to them.
If you look now, you will find it. In ebay -> ebay Motors -> enther this phrase:
"Lexus ls 1998"
It list everything under this model year. Obviously, the LS400 from 1990 to 1998 used this circuit board, they finally fix the problem in 1999 and newer
If you look now, you will find it. In ebay -> ebay Motors -> enther this phrase:
"Lexus ls 1998"
It list everything under this model year. Obviously, the LS400 from 1990 to 1998 used this circuit board, they finally fix the problem in 1999 and newer
03-04-05, 02:23 PM
#123
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Dash problem
Well, I just got my car back...total fix was $315.00 and it works beatifully...all of it, even the gas guage!! If you live in Northern California here's what you do...either remove the module yourself or take it to Fagundes Garage in Tracy. He'll take it out and put it back in for about a hundred bucks. He'll send it to Jim Walker in Fresno and he will recondition the module with the mileage intact and send it back the next day. With shipping, tax, and anxiety all included, you're prolly lookin at around $400.00. That's on helluva lot better than the $1,700+ Pleasanton Lexus quoted me...faster too. Three days.
Good luck,
shoot
PS: He's also working on a fix for the climate control LED's.
Good luck,
shoot
PS: He's also working on a fix for the climate control LED's.
03-08-05, 05:48 PM
#124
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Here' s the fix!!!
I had the same problem with my 1993 LS 400 and here's how I fixed it. There's an automotive electronic repair facility in Canada called Mr. Whizard. Don't laugh. I checked it out first, called the owner toll free, and in two weeks my problem was solved. The culprit is apparently bad capacitors in the circuit board, not a connection or soldering problem. TOM JEROSKY , the owner, is a knowledgeable technician and businessman and he has repaired a number of these modules for under $200, including the cost of mailing it back to you express. I had a local garage remove and replace the instrument clustrer for one hour labor cost. My total cost, about $300. Two local Lexus dealer estimates were $1500-2000. Jerosky is good and deserves your business.
Here's his e-mail whizard@mts.net
Here's his toll free phone 1 888 803 8523
Here's his address
Mr. Whizard Technical Services
5-530 Main St.
Oakbank, Manitoba
R0E 1J0
CANADA
Here's his website http://www.mrwhizard.com/
Here's his e-mail whizard@mts.net
Here's his toll free phone 1 888 803 8523
Here's his address
Mr. Whizard Technical Services
5-530 Main St.
Oakbank, Manitoba
R0E 1J0
CANADA
Here's his website http://www.mrwhizard.com/
03-09-05, 01:41 PM
#125
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I had my instrument cluster and a/c panel light problems repaired by Magnussen's Lexus, Fremont, CA. Lexus Customer Care picked up a substantial portion of the bill.
See my post for details:
"Instrument cluster update - good news" posted 3/7/05
See my post for details:
"Instrument cluster update - good news" posted 3/7/05
03-25-05, 01:58 PM
#126
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LS400 repair from Dash
I almost spent over $1000 from the dealer to repair my instument panel!! I got the quote from the dealer & went looking on the internet & found this Forum!
I just got it back today. I took the advise of one of the posts & sent it into Dash Electronics if you send it in there talk to Steve. He is awesone! (888) 909 9473 www.dashusa.com 2 of my needles were 1/4 lit when they did work & they fixed that along with the typical intermitent lighting & fuel gauge problem.
One note that I didn't see when I was weeding through the posts, Steve @ Dash told me that if a needle is partially lit for to long, it will cause the needle to go bad beyond repair . Aperently it burns through the little tube. Mine were ok luckly but if yours have been out a while you may want to get it repaired before it totally wipes it out.
Thanks for the links on removing the speedometer too. that helped alot.
Thanks again for all the help on this subject! This site rules!!
-Jim
I just got it back today. I took the advise of one of the posts & sent it into Dash Electronics if you send it in there talk to Steve. He is awesone! (888) 909 9473 www.dashusa.com 2 of my needles were 1/4 lit when they did work & they fixed that along with the typical intermitent lighting & fuel gauge problem.
One note that I didn't see when I was weeding through the posts, Steve @ Dash told me that if a needle is partially lit for to long, it will cause the needle to go bad beyond repair . Aperently it burns through the little tube. Mine were ok luckly but if yours have been out a while you may want to get it repaired before it totally wipes it out.
Thanks for the links on removing the speedometer too. that helped alot.
Thanks again for all the help on this subject! This site rules!!
-Jim
07-06-05, 04:15 PM
#127
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Tach not working
I have a 94 LS and my tach. doesnt always work when i start the car. Warm or cold. I have to drive the car around for a few minutes then it starts working. Does anyone know how where to have this fixed? I live in the bayarea. any help will be appreciated.
07-18-05, 07:32 AM
#128
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Trip A/B and tacho/speedo won't work
Hi,
My father is having problem with his 95' LS instrument cluster. The tachometer and speedometer do not work most of the time (sometimes one does, one doesn't) and the odometer for trip A/B won't work. What it is is that right now, well for the past month or so, it only shows lifetime odometer at all time. Generally you can change the display for trip A/B but I can't on mine - it doesn't work anymore. Noting, the odo still rolls just fine.
Now what I like for you guys to help is that to tell me, if possible, what causes and how to fix it;
1) tachometer and speedometer to stop working
2) Trip A/B cannot be displayed
This vehicle is located overseas and will not be able to have repair shops in US work on it. If anyone can help me with as least what to look for so that I can try to guide the mechanic who will be working on it in the right directions.
Any help is appreciated.
Thank you!
My father is having problem with his 95' LS instrument cluster. The tachometer and speedometer do not work most of the time (sometimes one does, one doesn't) and the odometer for trip A/B won't work. What it is is that right now, well for the past month or so, it only shows lifetime odometer at all time. Generally you can change the display for trip A/B but I can't on mine - it doesn't work anymore. Noting, the odo still rolls just fine.
Now what I like for you guys to help is that to tell me, if possible, what causes and how to fix it;
1) tachometer and speedometer to stop working
2) Trip A/B cannot be displayed
This vehicle is located overseas and will not be able to have repair shops in US work on it. If anyone can help me with as least what to look for so that I can try to guide the mechanic who will be working on it in the right directions.
Any help is appreciated.
Thank you!
07-28-05, 12:31 PM
#129
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cluster repair
Hello LamSV, 
I am following the below instructions to solve mt problem with stuck pointers,
However am stuck at step 2,
i would really appreciate it if you could post the pin configuaration for the orrange, white & blue connector to do the diags.
Thank you
I am following the below instructions to solve mt problem with stuck pointers,
However am stuck at step 2,
i would really appreciate it if you could post the pin configuaration for the orrange, white & blue connector to do the diags.
Thank you
Originally Posted by LamSV
Hello ukamath,
Finally I received my box of ECs (about $30) from Newark. Last Saturday, Oct 18th, I did mange to solve my Instrument Cluster lighting problem.
Time taken from start to finish = 2 hours, breakdown as:-
1. Remove Instrument Cluster = 15 minutes (my second time doing this), most time taken to remove the 3 wire connectors (orange(C), white(A) and blue(B)) so as not to damage the pins
2. Setup 12V power circuit, connecting to the relevant connectors, namely C and A (you need the factory repair manual to know which pins for what)
3. Turn on 12V power. Check that problem is there to begin with - no lights!!!
4. Turn off 12V power.
5. Remove and replace one EC (bad->good) at a time.
5. Turn on 12V power.
6. Check to see if problem is getting resolved - lights on!!!
7. Turn off 12V power.
8. Go to the next EC.
9. Repeat steps 3 through 7 for all remaining ECs.
10. Time taken for steps 2 through 9 = 90 minutes, longest because I want to be extra careful and do the replacement one EC at a time.
11. Reinstall Instrument Cluster = 15 minutes.
Problem Description:-
I had a 1994 LS400. Every morning, upon a cold start first time, my Instrument Cluster does not light up immediately. The following instruments are completely dark:-
Tachometer (needle is moving)
Speedometer (needle is moving)
Outside air temperature (dead)
Fuel level indicator (dead)
Odometer (dead ie no mileage incrementing)
D, 2, L gear position not showing (P, R, N is OK)
Cruise, Power EC indicators not showing
Usually after 15 minutes of continuous driving, the lights will flicker for a minute and then come on for the rest of the drive. The process is repeatable every day.
Important Corrective Actions:-
1. Exactly like ukamath said, concentrate on the small PSU circuit board. Note - there are 2 boards, large and small, piggy back on each other. There are many ECs on both boards - but go for the small board first.
2. I went straight for C212, surface mounted EC. It is really a tiny device and can be ripped off very easily (somewhat like ripping the head of a shrimp). I replaced C212 with a redial EC (ie with 2 legs sticking out from the can). See the picture posted by ukamath. I did exactly the same operation. Not very cosmetic but who cares, it works!!! I did not stop with C212 since I had most of my parts ready to clear out the rest of the ECs. I replaced all the ECs on the small PSU board, except for one very tiny surface mounted C221 (25V 4.7uF) because I did not have this part on hand. Remember my point - I did not touch anything on the large PSU board which had a bunch of ECs.
3. ECs are CHEAP!!! The C212 costs 20 cents. However, I recommend that you do your homework first and buy industrial grade (not hobby shop) parts from places like Newark or DigiKey. I am not a rocket scientist, but this is what I actually buy - United Chemi-Con LXY series miniature capacitors, radial leaded termination. The LXY series is useful in low impedance, high frequency switching application, high temperature 105 DegF tolerance (vs hobby shop 85 DegC) and long rated lifetime (2000 to 8000 hours vs hobby shop 1000 hours). Electrolytic capacitors are extremely susceptible to temperature - so you want to hedge your bets by buying those which can survive longer under extreme temperature variations.
4. These are the 7xECs that I replaced on my small PSU board:-
C212 (16V, 10uF) - surface mounted replaced by radial leaded terminations, exact same specs ie 16V, 10uF but KME series (instead of LXY since 16V 10uF is not manufactured here). KME is technically not as good as LXY but no choice for me.
3 other surface mounted ECs (16V, 47uF) - sorry forgot to take Cxxx nos. down. Replaced with LXY 16V, 56uF equivalent.
C201 (25V, 470uF) - replaced by LXY 25V, 470uF
C205 (10V, 180uF) - replaced by LXY 10V, 180uF
C206 (10V, 470uF) - replaced by LXY 10V, 470uF
Difficulties Encountered:-
1. Removing the wire connectors from the Instrument Cluster in Step 1. My advice - just be patient, do it slowly, please do not pull like a mad man, develop strong fingers and take a short break, have a drink, etc, etc - just be patient and gentle - and the connectors will come off.
2. Get a decent 12VDC supply - my tip for you - look around for your discarded PC power adaptors - they are usually rated 16VDC, 3A PSU. I actually used my junk IBM Thinkpad power adapter rated at 16VDC, 2.5A. It works perfectly last Saturday, no smoke, no sparks!!!
3. Get a bunch (about 10) tiny crocodile clips that you can use to grip on connector pins for Step 2. The A and C connectors have pins that are very close to each other. Again - my advice - be patient here - read the pin nos. carefully before you apply the 12VDC power.
4. I am an amateur with the soldering iron. Last time I used one was 7 years ago. Anyway, no choice, I had to do it DIY to save $$$. Right? In my opinion, replacing the surface mounted ECs is easy. But surprising enough, I have some diffculty removing the old through hole ECs from the board. Again, the key is to do this gently because the circuit board is very tight with all sorts of devices that you do not want to mess around with. Get a good soldering iron and sucker handy. I used a Weller TC201, sharp tip model. You want to avoid a fat soldering iron because there is not much manuvering room for something "fat" here. A really steady (not shaking) hand is needed here.
5. I desolder/resolder and test/retest one EC at a time using the steps above. If I make a mistake, I know the exact point and then I may backtrack. If I desolder everything and reolder everything in one shot - how do I backtrack? Remember that we are DIY amateurs. Check each solder joint for looseness or open circuit. Tug the new EC gently and make sure the terminations stay in place before you go on to the next one. Open circuits are CURSES on a circuit board.
6. Finally I suggest that you get a set of Lexus factory manuals to know what and how to get around doing repairs on your car. I had both the Service and Electrical manuals (total 3 books). It is very difficult to repair something without proper mechanical/electrical diagrams.
Future Project
In the future, I may attempt to replace all the remaining ECs from the large PSU board. I am not exactly sure what advantages there are in doing this. Hopefully someone in ClubLexus will share their experieince in due time. For the moment, I really want to just enjoy driving my LS400 again and watch out for any strange behavior, if any, on my Instrument Cluster, before adventuring further.
Conclusions:-
It is a great feeling for me to start my engine every morning and see all the lights come on at once on my Instrument Cluster. Moreover, I noticed that my clock, radio and CD Player had greatly improved illumination. Needless to mention, my Instrument Cluster is now brighter than before and a pleasure to look at again.
I am sharing this experience so that ClubLexus members can have informed options:-
1. Buy new from Lexus, $1000+?
2. Use specialist repair services from EBay, $150+
3. DIY, $30 + burn your weekend
So here we are today, pick your option that suits your particular situation.
Finally I received my box of ECs (about $30) from Newark. Last Saturday, Oct 18th, I did mange to solve my Instrument Cluster lighting problem.
Time taken from start to finish = 2 hours, breakdown as:-
1. Remove Instrument Cluster = 15 minutes (my second time doing this), most time taken to remove the 3 wire connectors (orange(C), white(A) and blue(B)) so as not to damage the pins
2. Setup 12V power circuit, connecting to the relevant connectors, namely C and A (you need the factory repair manual to know which pins for what)
3. Turn on 12V power. Check that problem is there to begin with - no lights!!!
4. Turn off 12V power.
5. Remove and replace one EC (bad->good) at a time.
5. Turn on 12V power.
6. Check to see if problem is getting resolved - lights on!!!
7. Turn off 12V power.
8. Go to the next EC.
9. Repeat steps 3 through 7 for all remaining ECs.
10. Time taken for steps 2 through 9 = 90 minutes, longest because I want to be extra careful and do the replacement one EC at a time.
11. Reinstall Instrument Cluster = 15 minutes.
Problem Description:-
I had a 1994 LS400. Every morning, upon a cold start first time, my Instrument Cluster does not light up immediately. The following instruments are completely dark:-
Tachometer (needle is moving)
Speedometer (needle is moving)
Outside air temperature (dead)
Fuel level indicator (dead)
Odometer (dead ie no mileage incrementing)
D, 2, L gear position not showing (P, R, N is OK)
Cruise, Power EC indicators not showing
Usually after 15 minutes of continuous driving, the lights will flicker for a minute and then come on for the rest of the drive. The process is repeatable every day.
Important Corrective Actions:-
1. Exactly like ukamath said, concentrate on the small PSU circuit board. Note - there are 2 boards, large and small, piggy back on each other. There are many ECs on both boards - but go for the small board first.
2. I went straight for C212, surface mounted EC. It is really a tiny device and can be ripped off very easily (somewhat like ripping the head of a shrimp). I replaced C212 with a redial EC (ie with 2 legs sticking out from the can). See the picture posted by ukamath. I did exactly the same operation. Not very cosmetic but who cares, it works!!! I did not stop with C212 since I had most of my parts ready to clear out the rest of the ECs. I replaced all the ECs on the small PSU board, except for one very tiny surface mounted C221 (25V 4.7uF) because I did not have this part on hand. Remember my point - I did not touch anything on the large PSU board which had a bunch of ECs.
3. ECs are CHEAP!!! The C212 costs 20 cents. However, I recommend that you do your homework first and buy industrial grade (not hobby shop) parts from places like Newark or DigiKey. I am not a rocket scientist, but this is what I actually buy - United Chemi-Con LXY series miniature capacitors, radial leaded termination. The LXY series is useful in low impedance, high frequency switching application, high temperature 105 DegF tolerance (vs hobby shop 85 DegC) and long rated lifetime (2000 to 8000 hours vs hobby shop 1000 hours). Electrolytic capacitors are extremely susceptible to temperature - so you want to hedge your bets by buying those which can survive longer under extreme temperature variations.
4. These are the 7xECs that I replaced on my small PSU board:-
C212 (16V, 10uF) - surface mounted replaced by radial leaded terminations, exact same specs ie 16V, 10uF but KME series (instead of LXY since 16V 10uF is not manufactured here). KME is technically not as good as LXY but no choice for me.
3 other surface mounted ECs (16V, 47uF) - sorry forgot to take Cxxx nos. down. Replaced with LXY 16V, 56uF equivalent.
C201 (25V, 470uF) - replaced by LXY 25V, 470uF
C205 (10V, 180uF) - replaced by LXY 10V, 180uF
C206 (10V, 470uF) - replaced by LXY 10V, 470uF
Difficulties Encountered:-
1. Removing the wire connectors from the Instrument Cluster in Step 1. My advice - just be patient, do it slowly, please do not pull like a mad man, develop strong fingers and take a short break, have a drink, etc, etc - just be patient and gentle - and the connectors will come off.
2. Get a decent 12VDC supply - my tip for you - look around for your discarded PC power adaptors - they are usually rated 16VDC, 3A PSU. I actually used my junk IBM Thinkpad power adapter rated at 16VDC, 2.5A. It works perfectly last Saturday, no smoke, no sparks!!!
3. Get a bunch (about 10) tiny crocodile clips that you can use to grip on connector pins for Step 2. The A and C connectors have pins that are very close to each other. Again - my advice - be patient here - read the pin nos. carefully before you apply the 12VDC power.
4. I am an amateur with the soldering iron. Last time I used one was 7 years ago. Anyway, no choice, I had to do it DIY to save $$$. Right? In my opinion, replacing the surface mounted ECs is easy. But surprising enough, I have some diffculty removing the old through hole ECs from the board. Again, the key is to do this gently because the circuit board is very tight with all sorts of devices that you do not want to mess around with. Get a good soldering iron and sucker handy. I used a Weller TC201, sharp tip model. You want to avoid a fat soldering iron because there is not much manuvering room for something "fat" here. A really steady (not shaking) hand is needed here.
5. I desolder/resolder and test/retest one EC at a time using the steps above. If I make a mistake, I know the exact point and then I may backtrack. If I desolder everything and reolder everything in one shot - how do I backtrack? Remember that we are DIY amateurs. Check each solder joint for looseness or open circuit. Tug the new EC gently and make sure the terminations stay in place before you go on to the next one. Open circuits are CURSES on a circuit board.
6. Finally I suggest that you get a set of Lexus factory manuals to know what and how to get around doing repairs on your car. I had both the Service and Electrical manuals (total 3 books). It is very difficult to repair something without proper mechanical/electrical diagrams.
Future Project
In the future, I may attempt to replace all the remaining ECs from the large PSU board. I am not exactly sure what advantages there are in doing this. Hopefully someone in ClubLexus will share their experieince in due time. For the moment, I really want to just enjoy driving my LS400 again and watch out for any strange behavior, if any, on my Instrument Cluster, before adventuring further.
Conclusions:-
It is a great feeling for me to start my engine every morning and see all the lights come on at once on my Instrument Cluster. Moreover, I noticed that my clock, radio and CD Player had greatly improved illumination. Needless to mention, my Instrument Cluster is now brighter than before and a pleasure to look at again.
I am sharing this experience so that ClubLexus members can have informed options:-
1. Buy new from Lexus, $1000+?
2. Use specialist repair services from EBay, $150+
3. DIY, $30 + burn your weekend
So here we are today, pick your option that suits your particular situation.
08-30-05, 10:40 AM
#130
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Hello Fuz,
I haven't been to this site for some time. My 1994 LS400 Instrument Cluster is brighter than ever (after repair) and I'm very satisfied with the outcome so far (almost 2 years). I need to go back to my factory manual for the electrical diagram on connectors (A and C) because I can't remember the exact pin numbers.
May need some time here.
Regards, LamSV
I haven't been to this site for some time. My 1994 LS400 Instrument Cluster is brighter than ever (after repair) and I'm very satisfied with the outcome so far (almost 2 years). I need to go back to my factory manual for the electrical diagram on connectors (A and C) because I can't remember the exact pin numbers.
May need some time here.
Regards, LamSV
09-02-05, 03:26 AM
#131
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Dear LamSV
Would really appreciate an early responce, am now driving at unknown velocity.
Both the tach & rpm are now down.
Could you please scan the required pages & add your comments aswell.
Thanks
Would really appreciate an early responce, am now driving at unknown velocity.
Both the tach & rpm are now down.
Could you please scan the required pages & add your comments aswell.
Thanks
09-02-05, 03:40 PM
#132
Fuz -
If the only problem you are having with your dash display is dead tachometer and speedometer needles, the capacitor replacement procedure described in this thread does not fix it. This described procedure is designed to fix the problem of the display not illuminating, primarily during cold weather. It also apparently fixes problems with some of the gauges.
The tachometer and speedometer needle problem is very common in the mid-90's LS models. To my knowledge, no one yet has come up with a fix for this. You can usually get both needles to work by rapping on the dash directly over the dash display.
My 93 LS has this problem and has for some time. It has been my experience that the dead needles is more common during hot weather.
If the only problem you are having with your dash display is dead tachometer and speedometer needles, the capacitor replacement procedure described in this thread does not fix it. This described procedure is designed to fix the problem of the display not illuminating, primarily during cold weather. It also apparently fixes problems with some of the gauges.
The tachometer and speedometer needle problem is very common in the mid-90's LS models. To my knowledge, no one yet has come up with a fix for this. You can usually get both needles to work by rapping on the dash directly over the dash display.
My 93 LS has this problem and has for some time. It has been my experience that the dead needles is more common during hot weather.
09-22-05, 04:23 PM
#133
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Fixed back light but getting new problem
I had slow back light problem on my 93 LS400 120K.
I replaced C212, C142 and C147 ( with same spec caps)
The back light is good now but I have a new problem a few days after.
Now I HAVE a dead tachometer and speedometer.
Speedometer after 1/2 minute but tachometer ( RPM) is dead for 5 - 30 minutes.
It happened anytime not only in the morning and thorughout the day on every time starting the car. What elst I should change? Did the fix create this problem?
I used tantinum caps to replace C212, C142 and 105C grade cap for C147.
What is the TR109 for? Slow Gas guage? Is it a transistor problem?
What spec for the transistor I should get?
Help!
I replaced C212, C142 and C147 ( with same spec caps)
The back light is good now but I have a new problem a few days after.
Now I HAVE a dead tachometer and speedometer.
Speedometer after 1/2 minute but tachometer ( RPM) is dead for 5 - 30 minutes.
It happened anytime not only in the morning and thorughout the day on every time starting the car. What elst I should change? Did the fix create this problem?
I used tantinum caps to replace C212, C142 and 105C grade cap for C147.
What is the TR109 for? Slow Gas guage? Is it a transistor problem?
What spec for the transistor I should get?
Help!
09-29-05, 09:44 PM
#134
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Sticking Needles still a problem
Originally Posted by CUMan
Fuz -
If the only problem you are having with your dash display is dead tachometer and speedometer needles, the capacitor replacement procedure described in this thread does not fix it. This described procedure is designed to fix the problem of the display not illuminating, primarily during cold weather. It also apparently fixes problems with some of the gauges.
The tachometer and speedometer needle problem is very common in the mid-90's LS models. To my knowledge, no one yet has come up with a fix for this. You can usually get both needles to work by rapping on the dash directly over the dash display.
My 93 LS has this problem and has for some time. It has been my experience that the dead needles is more common during hot weather.
If the only problem you are having with your dash display is dead tachometer and speedometer needles, the capacitor replacement procedure described in this thread does not fix it. This described procedure is designed to fix the problem of the display not illuminating, primarily during cold weather. It also apparently fixes problems with some of the gauges.
The tachometer and speedometer needle problem is very common in the mid-90's LS models. To my knowledge, no one yet has come up with a fix for this. You can usually get both needles to work by rapping on the dash directly over the dash display.
My 93 LS has this problem and has for some time. It has been my experience that the dead needles is more common during hot weather.
My needles are also "sticking" at times. It appears to be intermittent and not always both at the same time. You're right, a good whack to the dash will unstick the needle(s). I'm reluctant to do this everytime they stick in fear this will loosen or damage something else!Does anyone have a suggestion or fix? I was reading this entire thread in anticipation for a tip or fix but was disapoited to hear that the general dash problems did not relate to sticking needles
12-04-05, 05:27 PM
#135
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can someone look at the small board for me and tell me what the r214 value is(big resistor under r246) . i think thats my problem since its broken into 2 pieces. thanks