92 ls400 speed/tach/temp/fuel background light intermittent but needles stay brightly lite ?

threepwood · November 4, 2020

92 ls400 speed/tach/temp/fuel background lighting has suddenly gone intermittent but gauge needles always stay brightly lite and move? Makes it almost impossible to tell how fast you are going. Then, for a few seconds, dash lights up like normal. Seems like a loose connection somewhere to me but I have no clue where or what fuse might control this lighting. I have rotated the dash dimmer control all the way in both directions and it made no difference. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

1990LS400 · November 4, 2020

https://www.taninautoelectronix.com/product/1990-2000-lexus-ls400-instrument-cluster-repair/

threepwood · November 6, 2020

Thanks, but I am done sinking money into this car. I tried to trade it in when I bought my Honda (my every day drive) and the dealer refused to take it (and that's when the AC and the odometer worked, which they doesn't anymore). The 'we'll buy any car' sites will only give me $500 for it, so for now a flashlight strapped to the steering column will do for this winter. :-) Probably junkyard when summer comes next year. Sad, it is a very comfortable ride.

1990LS400 · November 6, 2020

Well ... it can take a lot of cash to keep these cars going as they age. I spent around $1,000 per year on repairs and maintenance in the last several years I owned the 1990 LS400 that I bought new and sold in 2003. Maybe advertise it on Craigslist. There are people out there who value these cars.

threepwood · December 30, 2020

So, I removed the dark plastic overlay and now I can see all the gauges fine during the day. There were a few complications, like the speedo needle apparently slipped on it's spindle when I removed the cluster. I just slipped it back until speed matched what my gps said I was going. But I think the tach may have slipped also. Does 1800 rpm at 50mph sound right in overdrive? It seems higher than I remember.

RacWolfy · January 5, 2021

Hi I had this happen on my 93 LS 400 all the dash back lighting would blink and go out randomly, it did not go away I found a place on eBay that replaces the transistors in the cluster for $150 I removed my dash sent it off and the sent it back with the blinking back lights fixed,but now my tach doesn’t work and the tip of one of the needles is a little dull but a new cluster is $1900 from the dealer ,the transistors burn out after a while , I had to have my computer for the car refurbished as well . Good luck