mcfajr

I have a 1992 ES300 and the speedometer and tachometer neeles have lost there glow. The Lexus dealer says it is the paint on the needles but I have to buy a whole new set of insturments to fix it. Can not just get the needles. Has anyone else run in to this and how did you solve it? I thought it was a bulb but they said no.

Thanks in advance for your help.

L_Sport

I have the same problem, the needles are fading in the middle, I doubt that they are painted, that’s hard for me to believe, I think that the needs actually have some kind of elimination source in them and that’s what is going out, it sounds about right that you have to buy every thing though, Hmmm...I wonder if Camay indeglo gauges can be swapped? Any way try looking around for a good wrecking yard, there is one about 30 minutes away from me, and my dad grabbed some parts off of a wrecked up LS400 for his LS. They seem to have the upper class cars at this place, I wonder if there is a place like that around you, so you don't have to pay new prices for them. And also is there and gauges that would work in there other then stock?

93es300Boy

I had the same problem too, to fix this i went to my local junkyard and took the needles off of another es300 speedometer. To do this....pull out your speedometer, thers 2 screws under those 2 clips, and disconnect all the wiring. THen unscrew the speedometer tinted cover, and you got it~!! Now just simply pull off the needle gently and replace it with another one. LEXUS doesnt sell these needles seperately, I dont know why. They should though because its the needle itself, they dont run off a bulb or nothing. I hope it answers your questions for all you out there who have the fading needles, just simply take it off of another model car.

93es300Boy

hey mrb, it doesnt take a mechanic to open up the speedometer. To do so, all you need is a screwdriver. There are 2 clips that you can unclip on top of the speedometer cover. After unclipping them, unscrew the screws out of place which are on top, then take out that coveer. Soon youll realize there are 2 more screws that hold in the speedometer itself. Maybe 4, but im not sure. Make sure you disconnect the 2 plugs in the back. Ones for the odometer reading and the other for the light dimmer. After disconnecting these you can easily pull outthe speedometer itself. The black case that covers the speedometer are held in by 2 screws..unscrew it andtake off the cover and youll have access to the needles. These needles can be pulled off gently and replaced with other ones that work that you can get from the local junkyard or another car. Once you do this to your own car, you can do it easily off of another with the experience.
*I am not suggesting that you go to your junkyard and pull one off of another car, all readers are subjected to their own penalties if getting caught. taking the needles out roughly or in a wrong manner MAY mess up your speed needle*

spinedoc

Do a search for my previous post on this exact same subject.

Beware, after much research I came to the same conclusions. Either replace the entire cluster, or pop in some needles. I do know a guy who sells the needles seperately, but they are not cheap.

Basically if you take the needles out wrong you could mess up the calibration of the gauge. So be careful when replacing the needles.

I still have not gotten around to fixing this on my ES, its hard to find a junkyard with late model Lexus parts.

93es300Boy

what spinedoc said is true, all you have to do is keep calling around local wrecking yards to see if they picked up on a wrecked lexus. Usually, to get a whole new speedometer set from one of these places would run you about $150-200. The mileage on our odometers would also be different if you changed the whole thing. It could be more mileage....or less....depending on the car that you got it from. For me, I took the needles off one of these sets and replaced mines and everything is working GREAT~!!

STAGED

My Lexus dealer quoted $650 installed to fix the problem!

How does one certify the mileage after these replacements. Does dept. of motor vehicle have some sort of form one could use?