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Intrument Cluster Lights


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Hi. Has anyone had to replace the illumination lights in the gauge cluster. It looks like there are two. One side lights up nice, and the other is dark but still readable if you look hard. The needles are all lighting up good. Is this common? Is it expensive? I haven't taken the dash apart to see, and was asking for info from others before I attempted it. Thanks

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take the cluster out and unsrew the screws and just replace the bulbs.the number is 24 bulbs and you can get them at pep boys.its very easy to do.just unscrew the first 2 screws and pull off the plate around the cluster then take out 4 screws that hold the cluster in and then just uncrew the plates over the cluster and takes the bad bulbs out and replace.i already did mine and it was easy.when i say cluster i mean instramnet panel.

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My needles, especially the speedometer, are flickering (I have a 92). I read somewhere that these needles are lit by a series of lights, is this an easy replacement or would I need to have Lexus repair it?

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well i just replaced mine because my needles were also filckering like a christmas tree.i went to the junk yard and found one for 150 bucks and got lucky.only thing that had to be replaced was a couple bulbs.i think you can replace the needles but you would need another cluster to get them from.my freind also replaced his bulbs in his car but after he did it the air bag light stayed on so if i was you i would undo the battery before replacing.

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Half my lights were out in the instrument panel of my 1992 ES 300 too. I unsnapped the two plastic covers in the top of the black moulding that surrounds the instrument panel and unscrewed (Philips head) the two screws. Then I carefully pried the top of the moulding toward me. After it was barely clear, I grabbed the bottom of the molding and gently pulled it toward me, only an inch or two. The moulding came free. BUT, I still had to disconnect the coupling that led to the Reset Button.

After that, the moulding was still connected to car by a series of wires that led to the dimmer dial and the security light on the left. I left that wiring intact and simply hung the moulding off to the right side.

Then I unscrewed the screws (four Philips heads) in the corners that held the tinted cover to the instrument panel. After that I carefully pried that cover off. But where were the bulbs everyone was talking about? I assumed that they were behind the instrument panel, so I unscrewed the two Philips screws in the top corners that held the instrument panel to the dashboard frame, hoping to get behind the IP. Alas, the back of the IP was enclosed: not a bulb in sight. Drat! In frustration, I did what all good mechanics and electricians do: I gave the front of the panel a couple of healthy taps. Voila, the lights came on.

I had had no luck tapping the dash with the tinted cover in place; apparently, I couldn't get enough vibration to shift the bulbs.

Then I carefully snapped everything back into place, being careful not to bump the unit excessively and disrupt the fine balance.

I never saw a bulb, but I got the proper tap to get the lights back on. Good luck.

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yep,theres like six screws on the back of the cluster you have to take off and then remove the cover to see the bulbs.acually after you take the cover off you then have to take the board out to get to the bulbs.its about 12 more screws and 4 or 5 wire clips to pull off to get the board out and once you take that out you can get to all the bulbs easily.

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OK I finally had a chance to take out the instrument cluster. I removed the rear panel and then the board. I removed the bulbs that were not working and found that they were not 194 bulbs. I took one of the bulbs to all of the local parts stores, and had no luck finding one. We tried the 24 bulbs and it would not stay in the connector, very loose. The bulb can be removed from the socket, but still no luck finding a bulb and/or one with a socket included. There is not a local lexus dealer,and the nearest one is an hour and half away. They want almost 5bucks per bulb. Does anyone know what number the bulbs are and if there is a different replacement i could use. I even tried the Toyota dealer and had no luck. Thanks

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well i used 24 bulbs.they fit a little loose but was perfectly fine.it worked for me in my 95 es.what year is yours because it might be different sockets then mine thats why there so loose on yours.

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  • 3 weeks later...

there is no bulb in the needle

it is not servicable

the needles can be replaced by getting other good ones from ebay or a junk yard

the backlighting bulbs ( illumintae behind the cluster for km/m and others) can be replaced by removing the whole unit and opening it up then replacing the bulbs

other wise buy a new dash from lexus

get a good one form ebay and live with a different milage

or send it to some guy in the states who want 550 usd to change the needles

i personally think the guy who is changing the needles is

an !Removed! to be charging that much

it is almost the price of a new cluster( oh yah it may happen again also)

the choice is yours

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