DK Audio

My ABS is fine
My Tachometer works 100%

I did ball joints last summer, only removed the drivers ABS sensor was able to do the passenger side leaving it in. My ABS would kick on while braking after the job so I took the wheel back off and noticed the sensor wasn't fully seated. I took it out, cleaned off the sensor put it back in and everything worked great all through winter until yesterday when the speedometer didn't work on the way to work. Yesterday on the way home from work it was good, but again, this morning it did not work. It is fully seated and I put a new o-ring on it last time too. Any ideas?

98 LS400 w/ 150k

billydpowe

iTrader: (1)

sure sometimes they stick and you have to "WHOP" it to get it started, PLUS you can fix it if you want too just do a search, ALL the info is on the forum
you have been a member for 12 years ... and didnt know that??

jojo0428

just hit the dash on top the cluster it should work

lexmoose

lol love it

TaninAuto

Very common with 98-00 LS400's, we fix these all the time. We highly recommend repair because over time hitting the dash won't fix the problem anymore. The needle assembly is on its way out as it is. When it no longer works you will need replacement of the MPH assembly and that cost is higher.

Repair will set you back $99 plus shipping.

DK Audio

I did search heavily prior to posting!

I read that if you hit the dash and it doesn't fix it (it never has for me) and the tachometer always works then it is something mechanical.

TaninAuto

It is a mechanical problem regardless if it works or doesn't work when you hit it. MPH / Tach working or not working has no relation to one another. They both can fail.

DK Audio

You're sure this has nothing to do with the abs speed sensor? Let me explain a little better because it sure seems like it does in my case.

-Did lower ball joints last year.
-abs would kick on when braking, seated abs sensor and abs was good but now the speedometer needle would sometimes not work.
-took sensor all the way out and cleaned it, everything worked 100% through the entire winter (5 months at least).

Sometimes the needle will all of a sudden jump to the proper speed while driving. Hitting the dash has never worked for me, not a single time.

AnitaBjay

This happens with my 94 i just picked up? Do i need to replace it or have sent to be repaired?

TaninAuto

93-94 is different. We won't know until it is here and tested on the bench. All instances and cases are different.

ManjuGrip

So what is the fix? This happens to me occasionally on my 99 just kinda annoying =(

DK Audio

Update, I banged on my dash harder than normal last time and the speedometer jumped to the right speed.

I searched heavily and found a thread from a while ago about how the grease on the needles is what causes the speedometer to stay at 0. This makes perfect sense why banging on the dash can break the needle free. Someone posted in a thread about cleaning the needle bases with a q-tip and isopropyl alcohol, unfortunately this was for a early 90's model.

I tried to do the same tonight on my 98. I took the cluster out and started taking it apart. I took off a couple circuit boards, removed ribbons and connectors and even part of what appeared to be a huge conducting flexible ground sheet that covered the entire top and back of the cluster. This was very different from the earlier LS400's. I got to a point where I didn't want to continue. I still have to remove a white plastic housing that blocked access to the back of the needles. There were dozens of odd black connectors that where tied into the grounding sheet, I didn't want to ruin the needles themselves. I did try moving the needle with my finger slightly in and out bringing it from 0 to the max stop hoping it spreads some of this grease around.