1998 LS400 Instrument cluster dead,no lights,no gauges,
#1
1998 LS400 Instrument cluster dead,no lights,no gauges,
abs,traction control,airbag and check engine lights work.Turn signal lights and bright lights work.Oddly telescoping steering wheel works,never has before.
Questions
1-Is there just a replaceable power board?
2-any special fuse to check?
3-if i get a junk yard cluster will it show correct miles plugged in,if not any tips on that? How hard to reset mileage gauge?
4-repair services available that wont be a thousand bucks?
Car needs smog in June 2025.Thanks for any advice and leads.
Questions
1-Is there just a replaceable power board?
2-any special fuse to check?
3-if i get a junk yard cluster will it show correct miles plugged in,if not any tips on that? How hard to reset mileage gauge?
4-repair services available that wont be a thousand bucks?
Car needs smog in June 2025.Thanks for any advice and leads.
#2
Best of luck on the cluster. I am only here to comment on the smog test:
I heard this story from an automotive journalist when he was dealing with getting old cars which aren't driven much to pass smog. If your car happens to be sitting a lot before you go get it tested, it may not pass smog for a variety of reasons. They are getting really restrictive that the emissions equipment needs to be functioning correctly, and to ensure that, they force you to unnecessarily drive the car hundreds of miles to make sure you aren't emitting too much pollution if you fail the tests.
Anyway, I've heard of scanners saying the car is good to go, but the smog computer says no. There are solutions which actually work in the real world. The first is to: drive 100 hundred miles at a constant 50-60mph once the car reaches operating temperature. Not 75mph, 50-60. The second is to: ice-cold start, drive the car until it's up to operating temperature, and then shut it off. These may need to be done multiple times, it must be ice-cold start every time. The smog guys may tell you some variation of these procedures, I would listen to their advice if they get more specific than this. I am telling this as a 2ndhand story.
Hopefully that helps prevent some headaches for you when you go into that.
I heard this story from an automotive journalist when he was dealing with getting old cars which aren't driven much to pass smog. If your car happens to be sitting a lot before you go get it tested, it may not pass smog for a variety of reasons. They are getting really restrictive that the emissions equipment needs to be functioning correctly, and to ensure that, they force you to unnecessarily drive the car hundreds of miles to make sure you aren't emitting too much pollution if you fail the tests.
Anyway, I've heard of scanners saying the car is good to go, but the smog computer says no. There are solutions which actually work in the real world. The first is to: drive 100 hundred miles at a constant 50-60mph once the car reaches operating temperature. Not 75mph, 50-60. The second is to: ice-cold start, drive the car until it's up to operating temperature, and then shut it off. These may need to be done multiple times, it must be ice-cold start every time. The smog guys may tell you some variation of these procedures, I would listen to their advice if they get more specific than this. I am telling this as a 2ndhand story.
Hopefully that helps prevent some headaches for you when you go into that.
Last edited by 400fanboy; 09-23-24 at 08:05 AM.
The following users liked this post:
spuds (09-22-24)
#3
So far not having smog issues.Im curious if they cant see mileage on dash it thats a fail,do you know? I have a 7 month window before smog due.I reckon a discrepancy between dash and computer miles is a fail if i go used cluster?California car. OK,google search says if check engine light works,mine does,can pass smog with dead mileage gauge in Calif,hope thats right,that would be a relief.
Last edited by spuds; 09-22-24 at 03:19 PM.
The following users liked this post:
400fanboy (09-23-24)
#4
I sent an email to Jim Walker at... thelexpert@gmail.com
Maybe he can help if still in business,does he have a website? LOL,yes he does,it says email him.
Maybe he can help if still in business,does he have a website? LOL,yes he does,it says email him.
Last edited by spuds; 09-22-24 at 04:11 PM.
The following users liked this post:
spuds (09-22-24)
#6
abs,traction control,airbag and check engine lights work.Turn signal lights and bright lights work.Oddly telescoping steering wheel works,never has before.
Questions
1-Is there just a replaceable power board?
2-any special fuse to check?
3-if i get a junk yard cluster will it show correct miles plugged in,if not any tips on that? How hard to reset mileage gauge?
4-repair services available that wont be a thousand bucks?
Car needs smog in June 2025.Thanks for any advice and leads.
Questions
1-Is there just a replaceable power board?
2-any special fuse to check?
3-if i get a junk yard cluster will it show correct miles plugged in,if not any tips on that? How hard to reset mileage gauge?
4-repair services available that wont be a thousand bucks?
Car needs smog in June 2025.Thanks for any advice and leads.
When the fuse is OK, it needs some extra skills but the next step is to check the voltage regulator measuring the voltage of pin #3 (close to letters AP) of the IC 78DL05AP which is mounted on the heat sink. Following 2 posts may be useful to identify the IC. In order to measure the voltage and others, it would be the best to make and use extension harnesses designed for the whole cluster meter unit. But only to measure the voltage, just add 2 extension wires for pin #3 for the 5V voltage and pin #2 for the ground.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...l#post11186359
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...l#post11200463
This is just the beginning of the troubleshooting because the IC 78DL05AP stops to work when extra too much current is required. I mean that the load is too much. In this case, as a third step, you need to find out the reason why too much, may be grounded or a damaged component may be there.
Anyway without the extension harnesses and human's technical skills, it would not be easy to troubleshoot quickly.
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spuds (09-22-24)
#7
The following users liked this post:
spuds (09-22-24)
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#8
Wow,very interesting.Sounds like the used cluster is way to go.Nephew could do the chip,it just resets from computer on car to correct miles? That sounds like the way to go,will send thread to nephew.Excited to check that fuse,wouldnt that be great if we got stupid lucky.
Reckon next step is get unit out,see the model number and go from there....
Thanks! Please keep info coming.
Reckon next step is get unit out,see the model number and go from there....
Thanks! Please keep info coming.
The following users liked this post:
spuds (09-22-24)
#10
Wow,very interesting.Sounds like the used cluster is way to go.Nephew could do the chip,it just resets from computer on car to correct miles? That sounds like the way to go,will send thread to nephew.Excited to check that fuse,wouldnt that be great if we got stupid lucky.
Reckon next step is get unit out,see the model number and go from there....
Thanks! Please keep info coming.
Reckon next step is get unit out,see the model number and go from there....
Thanks! Please keep info coming.
The following users liked this post:
spuds (09-23-24)
#11
I will add one other thing. When you take these clusters apart, at least for the cluster you are going to put back in, you have to be EXTREMELY careful with the gauge needles. They are very delicate and will break or be thrown off calibration easily if bumped. Take your time and do not rush. I would test the cluster you plan to transplant the chip into first to see how the needles are doing. Some lose their illumination or get sticky over time. If you have any needles stuck at zero, while you have the cluster open, you may want to add needle stoppers which help prevent that issue by having the tach and speedo rest just above zero.
#12
If helpful for a cheap stopper solution see below that I posted recently but no one really cared about haha. To be fair nothing about this is a novel observation but just posting a recent low cost approach. I had sticky needles before and since doing this they have worked perfectly with no sticking at zero.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...eedle-fix.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...eedle-fix.html
The following users liked this post:
spuds (09-23-24)
#13
If helpful for a cheap stopper solution see below that I posted recently but no one really cared about haha. To be fair nothing about this is a novel observation but just posting a recent low cost approach. I had sticky needles before and since doing this they have worked perfectly with no sticking at zero.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...eedle-fix.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...eedle-fix.html
P.S. I care
Last edited by spuds; 09-23-24 at 05:56 PM.
#15
Last edited by spuds; 09-24-24 at 04:26 PM.
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