Wonky guages on my instrument cluster

[slider35]

It all started with my fuel guage. I have an '04 LX. Started the car up one day with about 3/4 full tank of gas. I notice after driving a few miles that the fuel guage on my cluster has flatlined. The "low fuel" light did not come on and the "info" screen on the main monitor showed the proper miles remaining for a tank that was 3/4 full. This happens every once in a while. I can not reproduce it as I have yet to find out what is causing it.

That leads me to this past Saturday. I get into downtown traffic after being on the highway for an hour or so. I stop at a red light and notice the tachometer reading 1,600 rpm's and I'm idling! The engine is not revving that fast, but that's what the tach is reading. Light changes and the tach reads 4,000 before a shift from second to third. Totally not right.

I should note that the engine was hitting all the shift points as it normally would. Not once was it actually rapping out at 4,000 rpm's before shifting. It's just that the guage was showing it falsely.

Anybody ever had this happen to them? Any ideas? These are two of little things that are not right about this LX. I've got an issue with a very noticeable vibration while stopped and in gear: https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/350225-vibration-while-stopped-light-gear.html. It's beginning to make me feel like selling this '04 and holding onto my '00 LC and doing the 200,000 mile maintenance on it.

UPDATE: 4/27/2010
Was driving home from work last night. Started the car up. Fuel guage and speedometer flatline. RPMs show up, but seem off. This is after several weeks with all guages running normally without a problem.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

I had the fuel gauge thing, was totally intermitent. Hasn't happened in a year. Dunno if there was some gunk on the float or sender or what.

 

[cmfhsu]

Is there a different sender wire for the OBC and the gauge?

Check your battery. Something as simple as that can make your car go wonky. I don't know how a battery that can't hold a charge affects hundy's, but for lots of other cars (including toyotas) a low battery can cause these kinds of things. I'm hesitant to say that it's the float or crankshaft sensor because it's not likely both would go out at the same time. Go to autozone or pep boys or somewhere and ask them to check if your battery is holding a charge. If not, get a new one. If it is, then you've got a different issue on your hands.

 

[slider35]

Is there a different sender wire for the OBC and the gauge?

Check your battery. Something as simple as that can make your car go wonky. I don't know how a battery that can't hold a charge affects hundy's, but for lots of other cars (including toyotas) a low battery can cause these kinds of things. I'm hesitant to say that it's the float or crankshaft sensor because it's not likely both would go out at the same time. Go to autozone or pep boys or somewhere and ask them to check if your battery is holding a charge. If not, get a new one. If it is, then you've got a different issue on your hands.

hmm, I've got a new battery sitting in my LC. The '04 still has the original Panasonic in it. It still holds a charge, but it's been around for a while.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Have you had the cluster out, like to replace a bulb? I had mine out to replace the infamous "d" light, and getting it to seat back in correctly took some time. Until it did, a couple of the gauges were acting funny.

 

[slider35]

Anyone have a diagram of the dash of a 2004 LX470? The plan is to take it apart this weekend to see what the deal is with my instrument cluster.

 

[ToyotaDon]

PM your email address. I can get you the diagram, the only problem is it's all solid state. The fuel level sensor doesn't talk directly to the gauge, it's just 2 ECUs communicating.

 

[dnp]

Old thread, but just curious to know if you ever found out what was causing your problems?

Came out today, started my 03 LX, and all gauges were flatlined. Ran for about 10 seconds, then all gauges "fluttered" to life. Thought it was just a glitch, because all of my gauges are now all working. Came out about an hour ago, and my tach is dead. Everything else works, but the tach is completely unresponsive......c'mon, this is a Toyota for goodness sakes! I've had a BUNCH of them (both Toyotas and Lexus), and NEVER any electrical issues.....hope I can find the cause of this, because intermittent problems can be a real PITA!

Anyone know of any common problems with LX dash clusters?

 

[1loudLX]

Make sure the connectors into the cluster are properly seated. Was the cluster ever taken out to "fix" something (ie: d light being out)? Pull the black plastic trim off that's below the cluster, and then give a couple turns to the two hexhead/philipshead screws that're on each side.

 

[dnp]

Make sure the connectors into the cluster are properly seated. Was the cluster ever taken out to "fix" something (ie: d light being out)? Pull the black plastic trim off that's below the cluster, and then give a couple turns to the two hexhead/philipshead screws that're on each side.

Actually, no. Unless the PO ever had it out (I bought it when it was 5 y.o. with 60,000 mi), it's never been out. Also, the observations that makes me think it's NOT the connectors are: (a) none of the dash lights themselves have ever even flickered - they're rock solid, (b) sometimes all of the gauges are dead (while the dash lights remain on), and (c) the tach will sometimes not operate completely independently from the rest of the gauges. Now, I may just not understand how the cluster is set up, but, basically, if it were the plugs in the back of the cluster causing the problem, wouldn't the entire cluster either work or not? On the other hand, does the main connector have pins that provide power to each instrument independently?

Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[1loudLX]

I know my cluster acted really funny when only one connector was properly seated and the other wasnt fully.

 

[slider35]

I never did fix the problem with the cluster. I opened the dash up and made sure connections were solid. Lexus dealer said it would be $1,100 to replace because they would have to send the entire cluster off to set and certify the new odometer numbers. I said they could shove it.

I've since sold my 04 and went back to my '00 as my daily driver. It's got 210,200 miles on it and it's still running strong.

 

[100 TD]

My 03 cluster is currently playing up, happened 1 year ago, pulled the clusterr checked pins/plugs, it fixed it self some time later and now the tacho and oil pressure is not working again, I suspect an inter board connection etc.

 

[dnp]

UPDATE: All gauges are working again, so like some others here, I suspect some internal wiring glitches. I'll keep an eye on it and let you know.

NOTE: I have found several places on the 'net that will repair these clusters. I'm not sure what all they do, but it looks like the prices range from $350 to $500. Of course, there's always the option of getting a used cluster from the salvage yard.........haven't checked those prices yet.

As a side note, let me throw this strange occurrence out to y'all: last Tuesday night (5/17), my wife, a friend, and I went to a restaurant to eat. We had all come from different areas of town, so we were all in separate cars. As it happened, we all ended up parking next to one another. When we came out of the restaurant, we all went to open our cars (via wireless remotes), and NONE of the remotes would open the cars. My remote battery light was even very dim, and I just assumed my battery had reached the end of its life. Then I heard both my wife and friend comment that their cars wouldn't open. We then left in my LX (which cranked with no problem), and when we returned later on, all 3 remotes worked fine...........(a) any of you have an idea of what type of energy/interference could cause something like that to happen, and (b) could that event be a possible cause of the current "glitchiness" of my instrument cluster? More of a rhetorical question, I suppose, but I thought I'd throw it out for consideration.....

 

[1loudLX]

well, if you push them all at the same time I've noticed it doesnt work right.

 

[krom]

Resurrecting an old thread. I am experiencing similar issues with a fluttering fuel and volt gauges as well as a dead tach. Everything works as expected when the vehicle is started cold. However subsequent starts after warming up and I get the wonky gauges. Battery is ok and I checked all gauge cluster connections.

 

[d5c5b]

just purchased an 05 landcruiser with 130k on it and have a dead gas gauge. the low fuel light works, but no needle. Half the time i go out to start the car all my gauges flicker for about 5 seconds and then the tach jumps to life to normal idle location. not sure whats going on. havent checked the battery or pulled the cluster out to examine. just adding one more documented case of weird gauge problems

 

[Oakleyguy]

I've experienced this twice as well. But never found a solution to the 'ghost' problem.

 

[parnoren]

Maybe try to "re-seat" the two screws that hold the cluster in place (upper left and right). Don't know if this will fix the problems but it's an easy first step.

 

[jhanley]

I'm in the same boat, dead OP gauge and tach works intermittently. I've already pulled my cluster, everything is seated properly.

I did find a place that'll repair, with warranty, for $300 bucks. If ANYBODY has the cheap answer to this, I'm all ears....