ronk33_fl

Does anybody know how the steering wheel tilt mechanism works? I have a 94 LS400 and until 4 days ago the tilt and telescope worked just fine. Now, the telescope still works, but the tilt will not move. It stays in the up posiition and this makes it difficult to drive comfortably. Since this has happened, I have had to drive the car about 500 miles with the wheel in the up position and believe me, it isn't easy to drive it that way at 80 MPH on the turnpike. When you move the switch or let the automatic feature try to move the wheel down, it makes a ratcheting sound, like something is stripped. I tried to open up the cover and got the screws out, but could not completly get the cover halves apart. ronk33_fl

There is a guy named Jim Walker in California who repairs these reasonably. At the very beginning of the forums there is a 190 post, 14 page discussion on this topic. I think his email is thelexpert@yahoo.com. Check to be sure. He will email you complete instructions on how to remove the instrument panel and pack it for shipment to him. I got a 24 hour turnaround and the cost was about $225. Ron Kile

I'll try this once again. I Pulled the instrument cluster on Sunday 2/4. Had it in the mail (Express Mail) by noon on Tuesday. I had it back in my hand by noon on Saturday and in the car on Sunday afternoon. It works beautifully. If you are having this problem, then contact Jim Walker. His e mail address is below! thelexpert@yahoo.com Ron Kile The Villages, Fl ronkile@thevillages.net

OK, I've read the entire 13 pages of this thread and it covers most of my problem. I've had this problem for about 5 to 6 years. Originally, when I lived in Maryland, it only happened in the winter. So, I moved to sunny Florida. Then it only happened when it got really cold. Now it happens whenever the temperature is lower than 72 degrees, even when the car is garage kept. For about the past year, when I start the car and drive, everything works correctly, then after about 5 miles, the dash begins to flash and the entire thing (Cluster and A/C and shifter and even door button lights go out). Then after driving about 20 to 40 miles, everything begins to come on again. First, it's the shifter on the console and the radio buttons and the HVAC lights begin to flicker, Then as they flicker more the dash needles begin to flash. Then these lights stay on and the back lighting on the cluster begins to flash. Each time they flash on, the fuel gauge needle comes off the end pin. After several minutees of this, then everything is lit up like the car was new. While these lights are off, the odometer doesn't accurately register miles driven. Is all this tied to what ever is causing the cluster lighting problem that everyone has been describing on this forum since 2003?