Dead Instrument Cluster On A 2005 Ls430

[HerbieK]

I reutrned from an extended vacation to find that the instrument cluster was not operational. No lights, no gauges, no cruise.

After checking all the fuses, I contacted the dealer and their suggestion was to, and I quote: "Beat on the dash."!!

After extensively surfing the wab, I located a guy in California named, The Lexpert, aka Jim Walker. I called him and he said that he was not able to be of help as he had never worked on a vehicle that new.

Do any of you forum members have a idea how to fix/repair this problem?

[landar]

Herb, Herb....such a rough way to end a nice vacation, huh? ^_^

My first thoughts were to find a new dealer. Beating on the dash suggests a bad connection in a harness or circuit board which is entirely possible.

Does the engine start and run normally, just no dash lights? Oh, and welcome to the club of us Lexus fanatics!

[HerbieK]

Everything runs normally, although the navigation system is not operating with all the normal icons. The problem started while I was gone. The person I had start and drive the cars said that it was out last week, but when he backed it out of the drive it came on. Now it won't come on at all. I am going to try to remove the cluster to see if it is a wiring issue.

The total lack of a knowledge base on this particular problem (both online and traditional), and the hesitancy of anyone to offer concrete suggestions is very unsettling. Normally you see several links on Google or on forums such as this. There is nothing out there. I live 50 miles from the nearest dealer and the only thing my local mechanic said was that he had four or five other Lexus owners experience a similar problem and that it came and went intermittently. This is not reassuring in the least.

Does anyone out there have experience with removing the instrument cluster in an 05 LS430?

[landar]

Probably the reason there is a lack of knowledge base is that there is no one who posts that has had this problem.

Now, I do not know what you have tried but before you pull the instrument cluster, have you tried:

- lightly pounding on the dash? I know, the dealer cannot be serious but I would at least try it. It *might* reveal some clues.

- revisit the fuses again and use an ohmmeter to verify the dash fuse continuity rather than just visual. Sometimes fuses will open up but not look burned.

[cduluk]

I've been kept up to date on Lexus gauge cluster issues and i've worked on a lot of Lexus gauge clusters, and i can say i've never heard of any type of failure of one from the 03-06 LS430. What you're describing seems to be a new issue.

Do any of the gauge needles move as they should? (look closely through the tinted cover). Do any of the pilot (or idiot) lights/icons come on in the cluster? Lights on? Seatbelt not fastened? Door open? etc?

If not, if the entire dash is inoperable, i highly doubt there's a loose wire or plug behind the cluster. No single wire would cut power to every function of the dash. And if you say this issue is happening along with an issue with the nav screen, i'd bet there's something wrong with the car's ECU computer.

[HG LS430]

I too have this problem. Outdoor Temp and notifications on LEFT side of instrument panel were flickering (electronic noise) and then went dead. Lexus replugged in the wire behind the panel and it worked for about a week and then died again.

Anyone have any ideas?

[HerbieK]

I ended up having to replace a module on the back of the cluster at a cost of over $800. The whole cluster is over $1,500. Not a cheap fix but you can't safely drive the car without it!

[philboyj]

I had my 2004 Lexus LS430 instrument cluster go out. Fully dead - no lights whatsoever. All the gauges were dead. The only lights working were the turn signals and check engine light. I tried everything - removed cluster and checked pin connections, rechecked battery connections, read and search for ground wire from battery. I also disconected the negative battery terminal multiple times and during one such time, the panel came back on momentarily. So, I knew it was not the panel and it was some loose connection somewhere.

While removing battery to search for ground cable, I noticed that the battery was more than 3 years old and figured that may also be a cause. Changed the battery and viola - my instrument cluster was back on!!

Not sure why I even suspected my battery - car started on first try always, radio,ac and everything else worked perfectly....just a lucky hunch I guess.

 

 

[Will H]

This just happened to my '05 LS430.  The tl:dr version of my story is a specialist company rebuilt it in town for ~half the price of a new part (~$600).

When my problem started, I checked every ground and fuse with a multimeter and couldn't figure it out. I brought it to my trusted local shop, who couldn't figure it out. They outsourced it to a local vehicle electronics specialist that wouldn't even touch it. Apparently, the bulbs in this part get so hot and just weaken the plastic over the years and makes them very brittle to remove and work on.  I finally took it to the dealer for a replacement, but the part has been discontinued and they couldn't find one in stock anywhere. They subbed it out to the rebuilder who did the job in about 2 weeks. While it was there, I asked the dealer which specific part it was (83801-50200, 83801-50201, or 83801-50221) so I could start looking for used ones, but couldn't get a straight answer.

I hope this helps future owners who have this problem and find this thread!

[Poppah]

On 7/19/2013 at 5:32 PM, cduluk said:

I've been kept up to date on Lexus gauge cluster issues and i've worked on a lot of Lexus gauge clusters, and i can say i've never heard of any type of failure of one from the 03-06 LS430. What you're describing seems to be a new issue.

Do any of the gauge needles move as they should? (look closely through the tinted cover). Do any of the pilot (or idiot) lights/icons come on in the cluster? Lights on? Seatbelt not fastened? Door open? etc?

If not, if the entire dash is inoperable, i highly doubt there's a loose wire or plug behind the cluster. No single wire would cut power to every function of the dash. And if you say this issue is happening along with an issue with the nav screen, i'd bet there's something wrong with the car's ECU computer.

Hi are you still available for lexus advice? 

[cduluk]

On 4/4/2020 at 4:49 AM, Poppah said:

Hi are you still available for lexus advice? 

Hi- Yes, I just came back to the forum. what's your question?

[Majd]

On 6/2/2020 at 1:55 PM, cduluk said:

Hi- Yes, I just came back to the forum. what's your question?

Hi I have 2001 Lexus ls430 and I have a b1266 instrument panel short bus B+ code, instrument panel not working fuel gauge don’t work accurate I have full gas it shows it’s empty with yellow light on, temperature light is wrong always cold, A/c don’t work, help me please, airbag light on abs light on the car drives smooth just a short circuit somewhere and I can’t find it how do I find the location for the short

[Paradoximity]

On 12/6/2019 at 2:54 PM, Will H said:

This just happened to my '05 LS430.  The tl:dr version of my story is a specialist company rebuilt it in town for ~half the price of a new part (~$600).

When my problem started, I checked every ground and fuse with a multimeter and couldn't figure it out. I brought it to my trusted local shop, who couldn't figure it out. They outsourced it to a local vehicle electronics specialist that wouldn't even touch it. Apparently, the bulbs in this part get so hot and just weaken the plastic over the years and makes them very brittle to remove and work on.  I finally took it to the dealer for a replacement, but the part has been discontinued and they couldn't find one in stock anywhere. They subbed it out to the rebuilder who did the job in about 2 weeks. While it was there, I asked the dealer which specific part it was (83801-50200, 83801-50201, or 83801-50221) so I could start looking for used ones, but couldn't get a straight answer.

I hope this helps future owners who have this problem and find this thread!

I realize this is an old thread, but anyone else that happens to have an issue, an issue initially similar to Herb’s, there is a company that will send you a refurbished “looking new”  replacement OEM factory dash cluster complete... You just enter in your info like VIN#, Odometer Mileage, etc and they'll still it to you for $599 + tax of course, but since these clusters are a pain in the a** to find and aren't made really anymore and if you do find them they're like $1600-$1800 which is absurd; well usually unless you know a specialty shop/Toyota Dealer from Japan, then this is a cheaper option I thought I would share. Personally love my ‘04 Lexus LS430 Ultra, and would appreciate this info if I needed it and couldn't find even if this post is way old. **Couldnt ‘paste’ URL, so here's the website....
 

taninautoelelctronix.com
‘under 04-06 ucf30 Lexus LS430 gauge cluster’

You fellas take care,
P