Intermittent Instrument Cluster Blackout And Not Starting

[SAcomanchedude]

Here are my issues/symptoms.

Bought a 1995 Lexus SC300, non turbo. Immediately it had electrical problems, , shorting out and frying the battery. Alternator checked out OK but was replaced anyway.

I thought it was part of the same problem when the speedometer would delay in coming on, stop working. come on again.

Took it to a JDM type place and they fixed the shorts so it would behave and be driveable. Ran perfectly for a while. But then it started something else.

Open the door, lights come on, key in, chime dinging, and the steering wheel motors out to position. Turn the key and absolutely nothing. Dash guages dark and the car won't start. It happened the first time and then about 30 seconds later the car started and ran fine for about a week. Then I did some buffing out of the paint and washed the compound off and it wouldn't start as described above for a couple days. It sat out in the Texas sun a couple days and then started so I first thought it must be water getting into the instrument cluster or some electronics somewhere.

But after it worked perfectly for a about a week and was in the dry sun (no rain during that time) it did the steering wheel out but a dead instrument cluster and no start again. A day later it is running fine again. It seems to repeat this pattern with no rhyme or reason or clues as to why. Weird!!!!!!

I would LOVE to know any thoughts from the forum......

Help!

[SAcomanchedude]

Failed to mention. When instrument cluster blacks out and try to start there is no click, no nothing. Give up and turn it off and the steering wheel stays out.

Tried second key thinking the chip was bad, nothing changed. Jiggled stick thinking parking gear sensor bad, nothing changed.

??????

[VBdenny]

Sounds very much like the symptoms I experienced on another brand. The ignition switch was bad and shorting internally. Much worse on cars that people hang 2lbs. of keys on their rings. First place I would look. Seen it happen on many brands although never a Toyota product.

Welcome to LOC. I hope you stick around.

Denny