Is There An Easy Fix For Burnt Out Needles In 93es

[Options20002001]

All four needles in my 93 ES300 cluster are burnt out. Is there an easy fix to illuminate these needles? Has anyone here tried painting the needles with fluorescent paint? Will this work?

How to remove the instrument cluster? Can someone please point to the link that shows the procedure...hopefully with pictures.

Thanks.

Options

[dcfish]

All four needles in my 93 ES300 cluster are burnt out. Is there an easy fix to illuminate these needles? Has anyone here tried painting the needles with fluorescent paint? Will this work?

How to remove the instrument cluster? Can someone please point to the link that shows the procedure...hopefully with pictures.

Thanks.

Options

You owe me a beer

Fix_for_Lexus_Needles.pdf

[Options20002001]

Thanks dcfish. This is exactly what I had in mind. However, I was wondering if this could be done without the dc light, i.e, find a specific paint that would pick up enough light during the night from the cluster itself. I figured that I could just use regular paint for the daytime illumination. What do you think?

Any idea where I can find the method (outlined by Jim Walker) to pull the cluster out?

Yes, I owe you a beer (probably several)

Thanks.

Options

[blk_on_blk]

Who ever owned my '95 before me pulled out the cluster and painted the speedo and tach needles with bright orange paint (non-irridescent). The result is that they are dark and hard to see. If you just paint the needles with a reflective paint with no dc light, then you'll get needles you can only see really clearly in the bright daylight... at least that's my experience. I would (and am going to) go with some 'waterfall' replacement needles for $100.

[dcfish]

Thanks dcfish. This is exactly what I had in mind. However, I was wondering if this could be done without the dc light, i.e, find a specific paint that would pick up enough light during the night from the cluster itself. I figured that I could just use regular paint for the daytime illumination. What do you think?

Any idea where I can find the method (outlined by Jim Walker) to pull the cluster out?

Yes, I owe you a beer (probably several)

Thanks.

Options

Pulling the cluster out is as easy as pie, There are 2 screw covers on the top inside of the cluster trim ( look up there ) remove the covers and then remove the screws, Pull the cluster trim out from the top and then unplug the connector. Now you can see 4 phillips screws ( 2 top, 2 bottom ) remove them and pull the cluster out. There are 3 connectors in the back carefully disconnect them. Now the cluster is out. Oh yeah, Disconnect the neg. battery terminal before you start this. If you don't there is a headache of a time resetting the airbag light.

You owe me another beer

Thanks dcfish. This is exactly what I had in mind. However, I was wondering if this could be done without the dc light, i.e, find a specific paint that would pick up enough light during the night from the cluster itself. I figured that I could just use regular paint for the daytime illumination. What do you think?

Any idea where I can find the method (outlined by Jim Walker) to pull the cluster out?

Yes, I owe you a beer (probably several)

Thanks.

Options

Pulling the cluster out is as easy as pie, There are 2 screw covers on the top inside of the cluster trim ( look up there ) remove the covers and then remove the screws, Pull the cluster trim out from the top and then unplug the connector. Now you can see 4 phillips screws ( 2 top, 2 bottom ) remove them and pull the cluster out. There are 3 connectors in the back carefully disconnect them. Now the cluster is out. Oh yeah, Disconnect the neg. battery terminal before you start this. If you don't there is a headache of a time resetting the airbag light.

You owe me another beer

Best bet = contact brian @ www.lextech.org tell him I sent you.

[Lexucan]

All four needles in my 93 ES300 cluster are burnt out. Is there an easy fix to illuminate these needles? Has anyone here tried painting the needles with fluorescent paint? Will this work?

How to remove the instrument cluster? Can someone please point to the link that shows the procedure...hopefully with pictures.

Thanks.

Options

If you aren't into spending a lot of bucks and taking the risk of your cluster being damaged in transit when you send it off somewhere to be fixed, I posted a burnt out needle DIY (here) that costs about $3 (or less) to do all four needles and can be done in less than a day. The end result of the project is a cluster with all four needles lit up again (not using reflective paint but with new LEDS inside the needles) however instead of the whole length of the needles being re-illuminated, just the tips are lit up instead. They don't look like "factory" new needles but hey, this solution is way better than dead needles and the gauges are completely readable in even the brightest of daylight conditions. There are some pics included with the write-up. Take a look.

P.S. - I did this fix to my needles in April of 2006. They are still all working and looking good. :)

[blk_on_blk]

I have to say, Lexucan's repair is the cleanest, easiest, and gives the nicest results for the effort that I've seen anywhere.

Lexucan, someone could extend the length of the LEDs in the needles, right? It's just a resistance adjustment when wiring them in conjunction, right?

[Lexucan]

I have to say, Lexucan's repair is the cleanest, easiest, and gives the nicest results for the effort that I've seen anywhere.

Lexucan, someone could extend the length of the LEDs in the needles, right? It's just a resistance adjustment when wiring them in conjunction, right?

Thanks, blk_on_blk. I appreciate the comment.

Yes, conceivably the number of LEDs per needle could be increased, but this would take considerably more work to achieve good results. If there is a gap between the LEDs, you will see odd looking "blobs" (hot spots) of light on the face of the needle rather than a nice even light distribution. I originally had in mind to use multiple LEDS before I started the project, but to add more LEDs would also mean needing a tiny circuit board to mount them, otherwise the job would end up looking pretty messy. Also more added mass to each needle could cause issues as far as the weight balancing is concerned.

I found the cheapest and by far the easiest method was to use a single LED at the tip of each needle. After all, the tips are the only part of the needles that really need to be illuminated to be able to accurately read the gauges. And as you will notice in the pics attached to the write-up, one LED is quite effective and the light emitted from it stands out nicely against the dark face of the cluster, even through the cluster's smoked front lens.

And as far as how the cluster looks after doing this DIY, I've had lots of compliments from passengers who said they would never have guessed the cluster had been modified. It took me a day or two to get used to the new look but now it seems like the cluster has always looked this way. And with the black needles against the black cluster behind the smoked face, often (even during the day) I can't see the needles except for the brightly illuminated red tips.....looks pretty cool to me!

[blk_on_blk]

Hey, just gotta give credit where credit is due :D

Okay... I hear ya. Yeah, i can see where added LEDs can ended up being added complications and headaches. I think I'm going to try your repair... with just one LED per needle, too ;-)

Thanks again for taking the time to write up your install notes. They are greatly appreciated.

[Lexucan]

Thanks again for taking the time to write up your install notes. They are greatly appreciated.

Not a problem...sent you a PM.

[John Boy]

It never seems to get mentioned that the easiest repair is to replace. I bought a used dash complete I removed 3 needles that were faulty on mine and and replaced them from the one I purchased. It cost me $80NZ or approx $65US Everything works perfectly now. Care needs to be taken as the are fragile but I had no problems. I still have the rest of the dash with a spare Temperature or fuel guage needle or if I need anymore bits. Surely these are available in the US from the auto wreckers or ebay.

[dcfish]

It never seems to get mentioned that the easiest repair is to replace. I bought a used dash complete I removed 3 needles that were faulty on mine and and replaced them from the one I purchased. It cost me $80NZ or approx $65US Everything works perfectly now. Care needs to be taken as the are fragile but I had no problems. I still have the rest of the dash with a spare Temperature or fuel guage needle or if I need anymore bits. Surely these are available in the US from the auto wreckers or ebay.

Sure, Replacement is always an option, But the replaced needles are soon to fail also. So members look for a FIX. .02 cents.

[Lexucan]

Actually, the easiest solution is to put a flashlight between your legs and aim it at the cluster while you're driving. :whistles:

I considered just replacing my burnt out needles too. So, early last year I contacted the business where everyone likes to send their cluster for needle repairs and asked about buying some used but still working needles, figuring they'd probably have lots of them laying around. I was told, "Sure, I'll sell you some used needles for $45 each". I asked, "Would that be $45 each for the smaller needles or the bigger ones"? He said, "Same price, either size." Well, what a BARGOON! Good thing I've got a sense of humor! Hahaha!

So, that's $180 (minus shipping) for a set of USED needles with no way to tell how long it would be before they too started flickering and dieing. Probably in six months I'd be in the same position all over again!

Unfortunately, the needles in the second generation ES seem destined to fail sooner or later - some sooner and the rest a little later. I'd rather spend a few dollars and a bit of time on what I will aknowledge is a slightly more complicated (but less expensive) fix than just plugging in a different set of used needles, and feel confident that I'm not going to have to do it again a few months 'down the road', so to speak. :P

[John Boy]

It never seems to get mentioned that the easiest repair is to replace. I bought a used dash complete I removed 3 needles that were faulty on mine and and replaced them from the one I purchased. It cost me $80NZ or approx $65US Everything works perfectly now. Care needs to be taken as the are fragile but I had no problems. I still have the rest of the dash with a spare Temperature or fuel guage needle or if I need anymore bits. Surely these are available in the US from the auto wreckers or ebay.

Sure, Replacement is always an option, But the replaced needles are soon to fail also. So members look for a FIX. .02 cents.

That may be true but I was told that by turning down the brightness that it reduces the voltage to the needles, which was the cause of the failure, this in turn should prolong their life expectancy. As the needles are in good condition it should follow that I should get at least a couple or 3 years out of them. which to me is good value. Bearing in mind that I have already owned the car around 6 years I would be ready to update by then