2001-2003 Ls430 Gauge Cluster

[LexKid630]

will the LS430 gauge cluster needles go out like the previous Ls400's did? Are the 01-03 needles cold cathodes or LED's

Thanks

[SW03ES]

No, they've changed the way the needles are made. The needles are LED (like they've always been) and the backlighting is cold cathode, the only Lexus to use it.

[blake918]

The needles and cold cathode lighting in my 95LS still gives 110% after 10 years and 254,1xx miles. I'm impressed! B) I think the needle issue was just a first generation deal(across the entire line-up I believe.). ;)

[SW03ES]

I believe they changed the structure of the needles in 1995 to alleviate the problem. I've never seen a 95+ with this issue.

The problem is that the backing of the needle gets brittle with age and cracks, interrupting the connection in the micro LED chain causing the problem.

[LexKid630]

All i do know is that the 90-04 needles ARE COLD CATHODES THEMSELVES. the backlighting is as well.

If you were to look at the 95-00 gauges, the needles appear the same. They look EXACTLY the same. No square black with a white line down the center, but more of a cylinder likt the >95 models.

I think the 00+ nedles are LED's though b/c they do appear different.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...sspagename=WDVW

30 pics down on the gas gage needle; you can clearly see a cold cathode tube ;)

[SW03ES]

I'm not sure where you're getting that but the information I have is that they're a strip of very small LEDs bound together, and thats from someone who rebuilds the needles for a living. I've seen pictures of them taken apart and they are clearly LEDs, my guess is what you're seeing is the cover they're hidden behind.

I also know for a fact that the design was changed in 95, hence why you never hear of failures on anything newer than a 95.

[LexKid630]

Maybe in 95 they were changed. But all i do know is that the 90-94 are cathodes. you can clearly see than the depth of the neelde is bot enough for SMD/s to fit! They look like mini straws; almost like mini florescent lamps!

The sc300/400 and old es300's used the SMD's in their needles. These had the problem i think you're talking about. The circuit breaks half way down by excessive heat, causing them to crack, and no longer work.

This is what i thought...?

[LexKid630]

These links show the sc and old es needles. The tiny lamps are called surface mount diodes, not exactly LED's. They are light emitting "diodes", but are soo much smaller so given the name surface mount diodes. AKA the same just smaller LOL

http://lextech.org/gallery/displayimage.ph...m&cat=5&pos=-70

Here you can see what look like cold cathode tubes in the LS models.

http://lextech.org/gallery/displayimage.php?album=4&pos=20

[SW03ES]

I see what you're saying, why then does the older LS have the same needle problem as the older ES models?

[LexKid630]

I see what you're saying, why then does the older LS have the same needle problem as the older ES models?

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I don't know if it's the SAME problem, it just has a problem. who knows..... :P Maybe it's that the cathodes just don't last very long! or They used the same kind of connection wire that cracks in both cases? Idk

[LexKid630]

i'm pretty sure the LS's problems had something to do with the circuits in the actual clusters themselves. The sc and es's were in the needles themselves. And i'm stillsure that the needles in the LS didn't change until 2001