Dash Gear Indicator Not Working...

[450LX]

So I decided to sort out a few things that bother me with my 93 Cruiser. I started by replacing the burnt out lights in the dash that display the gear indication. I haven't really paid much attention to the gear indicator lights for a long time, but I do know that 'P' and 'D' were burned out. So I took out the lights and put 12 volts to the light and sure enough they were burned out. I made sure the lights that I replaced them with came on with 12 volts by wiring two 6volt batteries together and then running the positive and negative to the opposite ends of the light contact. I put the dash all back together and noticed that every light was working except the gear indicator lights. The 'PWR' and 'OD/OFF' and the illumination lights all work fine. I took it all back apart and checked every bulb with 12 volts and they all light up fine.

So the simple question is why do all the lights work except P,R,N,D,L? I suspect there is some switch from the transmission that should tell the dash gear indicator lights to light up. Any help is appreciated!

 

[Blade 80LC]

Did you replace the bulbs with LEDs? I think a fair number of Land Cruiser lights are positive ground, so polarity might be reversed. (The "D" in LED is for diode, so polarity matters a bunch.)

 

[biker1007]

Is pull it apart and double check the insert in the back of the dash is fully seated, especially if the others were working before pulling it out. Mistakes happen and I've made plenty. Sometimes a part is just finicky.

 

[450LX]

I replaced them with the stock bulbs.

I took it apart and checked the connections several times and made sure it seated and 'clicked' I would think that since PWR, OD/OFF, and illumination are working that the connection is fine.

 

[WarWagon]

Where did you get the stock bulbs from?

 

[450LX]

I got the lights from a Land Cruiser in the junk yard. They lit up fine with 12 volts and I even swapped them with PWR and OD/OFF bulbs that I knew 110% worked and it checks fine. All bulbs work, but no signal from the transmission is my guess.

 

[BPFMatt]

Hey guys,

I know I’m digging up an old thread but I’m having the exact same problem. Tired looking for other threads regarding this without luck. Did anyone figure out figure out a fix for this?

 

[COYS]

I thought I was the only one. Lol

I bought new oem bulbs for the transmission indicator assembly. D was out. All other lights were working before the swap.

Post swap, all lights were functional except the N would only intermittently work. It’d light up first start but thereafter it would be off. I swapped out with another new bulb. Same deal.

I just ended up buying a new assembly which comes with the bulbs preinstalled. All is good now.

 

[BPFMatt]

I thought I was the only one. Lol

I bought new oem bulbs for the transmission indicator assembly. D was out. All other lights were working before the swap.

Post swap, all lights were functional except the N would only intermittently work. It’d light up first start but thereafter it would be off. I swapped out with another new bulb. Same deal.

I just ended up buying a new assembly which comes with the bulbs preinstalled. All is good now.


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Hmm I might have to do this. I was hoping for a bad ground or something. How much was the replacement?

 

[COYS]

Hmm I might have to do this. I was hoping for a bad ground or something. How much was the replacement?

Depends on who you get it from, but retail is ~$120 iirc - here's the part # 81860-60080.

 

[BPFMatt]

Updated… All my gear position lights are now working including the D. Turned out to be a bad gear positions switch.

 

[xetura]

Updated… All my gear position lights are now working including the D. Turned out to be a bad gear positions switch.

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Did you just replace the NSS, or clean your existing one? I'm having issues with a couple of my gear position lights (of course the D) and I've already replaced the bulbs.

 

[BPFMatt]

Everything looked good and I clean it up. I put it back together and I ended up breaking the plastic arm in side. Turned the 22mm nut a little to right. Pulled it off and repaired the arm. I ordered a new one because I didn’t want it failing on the trail. When I installed the new one all dash lights worked. Very fortunate the way it worked out.

 

[TheLCProject]

I had similar symptoms and my issue wasn't the NSS (well, the wiring going to it). That same wiring runs in the main engine harness passed the EGR and when the wire retainer clip breaks, it lets that wiring get in touch with the hot EGR tube and starts causing issues. I'd check there too..

This is where it starts..

Wiring near NSS connector - fried and corroded.

 

[Demonic92]

reviving a little bit… all gear indicator lights work but the D light is intermittent. I replaced all bulbs about a year ago. I notice that when i play with the shifter and push it a little towards the 3 position while in Drive (but not actually put it into 3) it will light up, but if i push it forward towards neutral (but not actually put it into neutral) while in drive it will not light up. Just moving it around in the bit of tolerance it has in the D position. It has to be a contact or something in the shifter assembly itself, right? What might that be?

 

[ppc]

Just moving it around in the bit of tolerance it has in the D position. It has to be a contact or something in the shifter assembly itself, right? What might that be?

That contact is called the NSS - Neutral Start Switch on the transmission.

 

[Demonic92]

That contact is called the NSS - Neutral Start Switch on the transmission.

That’s gotta be the problem then. Difficult to replace?

Edit: looks like i may just have to adjust it instead of replacing

 

[joshrabon]

Anyone with experience swapping the NSS? Is it a tough job? Where does that cable go after it leaves the switch?

 

[TheLCProject]

The wiring goes upward toward the pesky heater hose where there are a couple larger 20-30 pin connectors that join the yranny harness to the main engine harness. Older trucks (I think) the wiring crosses over the transmission from the switch on the passenger side to the driver side.

There's a YouTube video or two out there on NSS replacement.

 

[joshrabon]

Yeah I’m still having some trouble finding it the connection. I took the NSS off today and cleaned it out, but after I lost all gear lights on the dash and no reverse lights… truck still starts in park and seems to drive ok. I’d like to take it off and troubleshoot before buying a replacement.