Sc400 Speedometer

[PimpinDaSC]

I would like to know if any of you know where i can order a new instrument cluster for a 1992 SC400. There is not any on ebay for any Lexus's at all. Should be same cluster up to year 96 maybe even till then end in 2000. If someone could help me out i would greatly appreciate it!

[rakman]

I have a 1992 SC400 and have a problem with the needle on my speedometer. It was sort of flashing on and off and now it has gone completely off. The needle on the tach has a certain area on it that flashes a bit but that's all. What can be done to repair it and do you have a cost estimate for the repair?

Thanks for your help.

[PimpinDaSC]

You can order new needles as this is comon in the SC series. My gas needle is not working. They cost like $800 from the actual Lexus dealer so i would try to find them somewhere else... you can get aftermarket blue ones if you send them your old ones for 100 bucks. Here is the site. http://stores.ebay.com/Lextech-Lighting-Sy...genameZl2QQtZkm

[FifthCity]

Try http://www.intellexual.net/faq.html... It gives some good options.

[PimpinDaSC]

Thanks FifthCIty but it still doesnt help me in my search for a instrument cluster :)

[TMaxxTim]

Are you reaplceing it because the needles are out or because of another problem, maybe that could answer the question better.

[PimpinDaSC]

Replacing because the speedometer does Not work at all. Check all wires it is plugged into the transmission and the back of the cluster.

[LLS]

FYI, the issue of the dead speedometer is more common than most people think. It is caused by the microchip going bad in the speedo. Replacement of that chip is not possible due to availibility. They stopped making the chip years back.

There COULD be other causes, but i have seen over 20 dead speedo clusters due to a failing chip and once the cluster was replaced everything was fine.

This issue does not affect the lighting of the needle, only it operable status on movement.

The speed sensor travels into the cluster and through a network of electronics to the chip. The chip sends the microsignal to the needle motor.

[dedominguez]

Contact Richie at http://www.americanlexusparts.com/

Quote is for a '94 - entire speedometer assy. which is $492.00 plus shipping.

I looked because my tach needle is burned out.

[LexKid630]

if i were you i would not buy a used cluster on ebay etc. You wont know if the needles there are working either and if it's used the needles are going to burn out i guarantee it...the old sc needles are made by placing LED's in a row producing a line of red light when lit. These LEDs don't have a long life deffinetly not enough for the life of a car. Either buy new needles themselves, (possibly cold cathodes b/c they will last forever) and you wil be starting from scratch again. If you are planning to keep the car more than 5 years i suggest lowering the dimmer switch on the dash under the "click".this will make them last much much longer without that much loss of light.

[LLS]

if i were you i would not buy a used cluster on ebay etc. You wont know if the needles there are working either and if it's used the needles are going to burn out i guarantee it...the old sc needles are made by placing LED's in a row producing a line of red light when lit. These LEDs don't have a long life deffinetly not enough for the life of a car. Either buy new needles themselves, (possibly cold cathodes b/c they will last forever) and you wil be starting from scratch again. If you are planning to keep the car more than 5 years i suggest lowering the dimmer switch on the dash under the "click".this will make them last much much longer without that much loss of light.

←

The life of a cold cathode is 25,000 hours, the life of an LED is 400,000 hours. Please state facts :)

[rayikone]

if i were you i would not buy a used cluster on ebay etc. You wont know if the needles there are working either and if it's used the needles are going to burn out i guarantee it...the old sc needles are made by placing LED's in a row producing a line of red light when lit. These LEDs don't have a long life deffinetly not enough for the life of a car. Either buy new needles themselves, (possibly cold cathodes b/c they will last forever) and you wil be starting from scratch again. If you are planning to keep the car more than 5 years i suggest lowering the dimmer switch on the dash under the "click".this will make them last much much longer without that much loss of light.

←

The life of a cold cathode is 25,000 hours, the life of an LED is 400,000 hours. Please state facts :)

←

Under what conditions are these MTBF rates quoted?

[LexKid630]

..the LED's used in the old sc and es needles had a very short life (as seen) because they were the early generation led's. The cathode tubes used in the needles in the later years lasted much longer, therefore that;s what i would suggest.

[1320DRAG]

if i were you i would not buy a used cluster on ebay etc. You wont know if the needles there are working either and if it's used the needles are going to burn out i guarantee it...the old sc needles are made by placing LED's in a row producing a line of red light when lit. These LEDs don't have a long life deffinetly not enough for the life of a car. Either buy new needles themselves, (possibly cold cathodes b/c they will last forever) and you wil be starting from scratch again. If you are planning to keep the car more than 5 years i suggest lowering the dimmer switch on the dash under the "click".this will make them last much much longer without that much loss of light.

←

I have the same issue with my gauge cluster.

can i replace the needles with non working light. and if so were can i buy just the needles

thanks

[LexKid630]

depending on which model and year your car is, i know a well known company that can sell you new needles. They are very pricey, but they work. you can get them from www.lextech.org you can get the set (speedo, odo, fuel and temp needles) for around $99.00. It seems expensive but it's worth it when you get them. These will work fine, but as the stock needles burned out, these will as well in the future. The whole idea of having LED needles was a mistake by lexus's part and unfornunately because of Lexus optitron technology, the needles need to be lit seperately to be seen unlike other car dash's where the needles are lit by backlight, not requiring LED's in the needle itself.

[LexKid630]

you can also choose for a variety of colors as well from that website. They have blue, white, orange, yellow, red, and also green.

hope this helps..

[1320DRAG]

depending on which model and year your car is, i know a well known company that can sell you new needles. They are very pricey, but they work. you can get them from www.lextech.org  you can get the set (speedo, odo, fuel and temp needles) for around $99.00.  It seems expensive but it's worth it when you get them. These will work fine, but as the stock needles burned out, these will as well in the future. The whole idea of having LED needles was a mistake by lexus's part and unfornunately because of Lexus optitron technology, the needles need to be lit seperately to be seen unlike other car dash's where the needles are lit by backlight, not requiring LED's in the needle itself.

←

Hey Thanks, thats cheaper then buying a brand new guage cluster.

93 SC400 black w/ 18' niche bahns.

[LLS]

#1 - Lextech gives a lifetime warranty. They won't burn out.

#2 - there is no such thing as a first gen LED. The reason why Lexus needles fail is here:

http://lextech.org/forum/index.php?act=ST&f=2&t=111

[LexKid630]

what i meant was that the needles "burned" out aka did not work and that it WAS unrepairable as you said. The REASON this happened was; lexus did not know that this was going to happen because it was the first generation in the making of them. But after they found out they were burning they fixed it for the later "generations" aka they didn't use led's anymore they went to cold cathodes which would last as long as the car would.