evilninja

I just picked up a black on black '95 SC400 a couple of weeks ago (pics to come as soon as I wash/claybar/wax it) from a family member. It's been well taken cared of and all of the scheduled maintenance was done exactly as outlined in the manual. It's got 148k miles, but the interior looks brand new and so will the exterior as soon as I clean it up. I'm going to keep it stock since it'll be a daily driver and I put at least 40 miles on it as the daily commute.

The problem I am having is that I just moved over my GPS from my other car, and I've read that you're not supposed to start your car with the DC power cord in, but I accidentally did so, and now I noticed that the outside temp gauge reads -22F when it's really like 70F outside. It wasn't like this before I had the DC power cord in, so I'm wondering if I shorted something ? Also, is this the temp guage that the climate control uses? I noticed my heater came on and it shouldn't have at 70F.

neurocity

iTrader: (17)

my temp gauge did this also. there was a problem with my fuse block...I was getting a bad contact. The result was intermittent HVAC controller failure, and the temp gauge either reading [ - ] or [-22]...

easy fix....take the tines of the blade fuse and bend them slightly apart. Meaning...while holding the fuse, blades pointing down. One blade should be bent slightly toward you and the other away. The amount or degree of bend should be just enough to pass a dime between the backs of both tines. Then replace slowly.

evilninja

Thanks for the reply! This is exactly what's happening as after lunch my outside temp gauge worked correctly, but after leaving work it went back to -22. Could you please explain which fuse I need to do this to? I searched fuse diagram and see it, but didn't see HVAC on any of the fuses. I assume we're talking about the box and not the junction near the driver side door.

evilninja

A couple of weeks ago I was having a problem where when I tried to start my car, it wouldn't start on the first crank, and when I tried again, it would start fine, BUT my outside temp would read -22 AND my trip meter would be reset to 0. I was advised to check all the fuses, which I have done, and since then, the outside temp would read fine, however, today it had a hard time starting on the first crank, and then when I tried again, it started fine, but my trip meters were reset to 0. Does anyone know which specific fuse if that's the problem, or could it be the something else electrical? I haven't checked any relays as I don't even know how to remove then w/o breaking it.

Anyone have any ideas since it's making me a little wary of my car not starting anymore.

TheMole

iTrader: (13)

Could be starter/battery/alternator issue. Try to get them tested by a reputable shop. I'm thinking either the starter is using too much power when you try to start the car or battery is low or alternator is not charging the system. Easiest thing to start with is to have a shop test the battery.

5sp_jzz30

iTrader: (2)

i had the same problem during the winter last year. there is a fuse in the fuse panel under the hood that controls the trip meter, dome light, memory seats, and something else. my car is a 93 so i dont have outside temp. i dont remember what it was labeled i think it was some kind of second accessory or second ardio fuse. my fuse looked fine but it was bad. i replaced it and never had another issue with it.

evilninja

Looking at this fuse diagram,

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...t=fuse+diagram

Can you tell me which fuse it is? I've pulled every fuse out, and they all looked good (it was still connected in the middle), but as you said, yours looked good too but was actually bad. Could this fuse also be a part of the reason why sometimes, my car won't start on the first crank?

5sp_jzz30

iTrader: (2)

after looking at the link you posted i think i replaced either the "dome" or the "radio 1" fuse. as far as not starting the first time i dont know i never had that issue. i had that issue but it was due to the remote start i put in. i connected the tach sense wire to the injector instead of directly to the igniter.

this might be a long shot but i had another problem this winter. i did the cap and rotor on the car and a tune up and after that my car did not start. it cranked but had no fuel or spark. the efi relay would not turn on and neither did the fuel pump. after taking apart pretty much the whole harness behind the dash i found that the wire in the ignition cylinder(second ignition) that goes to the ecu to turn it on was broken. that wire turns on the ecu in turn the ecu turns on the fuel pump, the igniter, and the all works. i don't know how the wire broke but i reconnected it and it was solved. i wouldn't wish this problem on my enemy. lol. and i hope this is not the case for you. it took me 2 days with a Toyota manual to pinpoint the problem.

thats the only non starting issued i ever had with my car.

evilninja

Oh No, I noticed this problem after I had gotten my cap and rotors and plug wires done also! Did yours happen periodically? Like I would turn on the key, and nothing happened at all. The engine wouldn't turn or anything. Then I remove the key, and try again, and it worked, but I would notice that the temp went to -22, and also my trip meters would be reset. OR the car would start on the first turn of the key, but only after about a second delay of it cranking but not starting. I hope it's just a lose wire that's causing it to periodically not work. Could you tell me where the wire is located so I can check the connection? THANKS a whole lot, I thought I was the only person experiencing this since I searched and didn't find anything !!!

neurocity

iTrader: (17)

El-Mergo

Try to keep from posting multiple threads.

5sp_jzz30

iTrader: (2)

the wire im talking about is a thin 20 gauge wire. its black with a orange stripe. it goes from the ignition cylinder to the back of the fuse box, through a fuse, and in the main wire loom behind the dash to the ecu. if that wire is not getting a signal the engine will crank but will not turn over. that wire, if disconnected while driving will kill the engine. that black/orange wire turns on the ecu and then the wires going out of the ecu go to the fuse box under the hood to turn on the efi relay and the igniter.

i really dont think this is any close to your problem. i have worked at a toyota /lexus shop for 3 years and have never seen the same issue with any toyota or lexus.....i guess its my luck. lol.

do your memory seats and dome light work? if they do then it is something different from my problem or the way the circuitry was made on your 95 sc400 and my 93 sc300 is different.

93 sc did not come with the outside temp gauge on the gauge cluster. try the fuses but i dont really know. good luck with it though.