ABS, Diff Lock, Dash Lights ClusterF***!! (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Dec 4, 2022
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Location
Dallas TX
Talk about a cluster***k.

Have been down all week with Covid Pneumonia and was itching to do some wrenching…. It didn’t go well.

I’ll try to keep this to a short version.

I’ve been dealing with ABS light stuck on, but was gonna hit a couple other projects today.

Installed the center diff switch, but the diff switch light wouldn’t come on. I was going to replace the dash bulbs anyway, so I thought I’d start there and see if it was just a burnt out bulb. (It didn’t come on shifting to 4lo either)

Got all the bulbs replaced using LED threads here, but when I put the cluster back in, almost none of the lights worked. EXCEPT the center diff and ABS lights are both on.

So I’m thinking my center diff has shorted thinking it’s stuck on and that’s causing the ABS to deactivate. (Maybe that would cause the 31 and 36 codes?) So I guess that’s progress, but can’t figure out why none of the other cluster lights work except for the gear indicators.

And even though I replaced those, the D still doesn’t work.

I think it’s time for a hot Toddy or two and bed.

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If one or more of the Christmas tree lights don't work, the culprit is usually the connector between the engine and transmission harnesses. It's located just above the starter; it's the smaller of the two connectors there. It's usually a corroded or loose terminal in one or both sides of the connection. Do your back up lights come on in reverse? That's also in that connector.

Just to be clear, this is a 96 LX450?

I think you're probably correct that the ABS and diff lock lights are related to a shorted circuit; I wouldn't say "shorted out" that implies it's cooked.

I'd recommend starting at the start: unplug the diff switch you installed and see if that cures the light failure in the combo meter. It's always best to try to complete one task before beginning another; it makes troubleshooting easier. Also, if you don't already have one, grab a multimeter. It doesn't have to cost much, you're just checking continuity (a complete circuit, or not, as the case may be) or voltage, to start (like when a bulb should have power but it doesn't, where is the closest place in the harness there is power...).

Hang in there...electricity is only frusrtating until you become an expert ;)
 
If one or more of the Christmas tree lights don't work, the culprit is usually the connector between the engine and transmission harnesses. It's located just above the starter; it's the smaller of the two connectors there. It's usually a corroded or loose terminal in one or both sides of the connection. Do your back up lights come on in reverse? That's also in that connector.

Just to be clear, this is a 96 LX450?

I think you're probably correct that the ABS and diff lock lights are related to a shorted circuit; I wouldn't say "shorted out" that implies it's cooked.

I'd recommend starting at the start: unplug the diff switch you installed and see if that cures the light failure in the combo meter. It's always best to try to complete one task before beginning another; it makes troubleshooting easier. Also, if you don't already have one, grab a multimeter. It doesn't have to cost much, you're just checking continuity (a complete circuit, or not, as the case may be) or voltage, to start (like when a bulb should have power but it doesn't, where is the closest place in the harness there is power...).

Hang in there...electricity is only frusrtating until you become an expert ;)

Thanks. I have a really nice Klein Multimeter. It’s just a matter of figuring out where to stick the probes. Lol. And almost all the dash lights were working before I mucked with it. They were just dim and I was hoping to brighten it up a bit. Now almost none of them work. But I’ll figure that part out. Just thought it was interesting how I started out with four completely seperare projects and in the end they were all tied together somehow.
 
Thanks. I have a really nice Klein Multimeter. It’s just a matter of figuring out where to stick the probes. Lol. And almost all the dash lights were working before I mucked with it. They were just dim and I was hoping to brighten it up a bit. Now almost none of them work. But I’ll figure that part out. Just thought it was interesting how I started out with four completely seperare projects and in the end they were all tied together somehow.
@Malleus can verify for me, but I think a few folks realized that the LED bulbs have to go in a certain direction (polarized) or they don't work. That may be why the dash lights don't work.

Also verify that your dimmer is not turned all the way down.
 
Yep
 
Working on that now. But all sockets aren’t labeled. I made another post about it, but some of them clearly go to a IGN+ post. But I’m others, they both go to the connector with no labeling. How to determine which is positive and negative? Other than trial and error taking it in and out of the dash
 
Use the EWD? The combo meter pins are identified by number; you can find the negative side by tracing the ground.
 
My daughter's in big D. You can pay it forward sometime.
 

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