MCA0092

So after doing quite a bit of searching, I know that these issues have been mentioned several times on these forums, but I was hoping that somebody could tell me from experience what has worked best for them. I'm wondering if I should just go ahead and buy a junkyard cluster for around 200 bucks, or send out my cluster to be repaired (which could end up being less or more $ depending what issues actually need to be resolved). My current issues are:

Speedometer either stays at 0, or reads between 10-15mph below my actual speed.
Fuel gauge either reads at full, or half (with gas light on)

I've concluded that the issue is not a speed sensor or a fuel sending unit, as the fuel remaining calculation in the display reads accurately, and the trip odometer and average speed calculation also are ready correctly. I believe the cluster is receiving accurate information, but something in the cluster is causing these needles to be out of whack.

Ebay has some used clusters, and im sure I could poke around a junkyard or two and dig one up for not too much money. Hopefully whatever i pick up wouldnt have these same issues.

Or I could send the cluster to Tanin, or someone else who specializes in these. But I am wary of shipping my cluster, and also being without a cluster for that long since the car is my daily driver. I also don't want to spend 700 on a refurb unit (only paid 2200 for the whole car).

Has anyone had any similar issues and been able to resolve them? I'm not very handy, but I'm confident i could handle simply removing or installing a cluster, but i dont trust myself to do any more than that.

Also if anyone has had experience sending their unit out to be repaired, or has just replaced theirs, i would love to hear about your experience. Thanks!

saleenssc

my 98 LS400 has similar issues. Although mine doesnt seem as bad as yours is. My speedo and tach are fine. My gas gauge is way off. And my temp gauge is one line higher than it should be reading. I have learned to just live with these issues on my car. Very curious to see what you decide to do and what others can share from there experiences.

MCA0092

I'm thinking about just waiting for a cheap cluster to show up at a junkyard, and hopefully it doesn't suffer the same issues. Mileage isn't too much of a concern since I plan on keeping the car till it dies.

My biggest question is- if I find a cluster in a junkyard from another 98 or 99, can I just pop it in and start driving? I had a Volkswagen a few years back and I remember the immobilizer was in the cluster so doing a swap was a very big process.

Hoping someone who went through a similar issue can tell me about their experience

Yamae

The immobilizer is in the ECU and the cluster change does not affect the starting issue.

spuds

https://www.lkqpickyourpart.com/

My local junk yard lists the following prices....
Instrument Cluster (digital)$25.87
Instrument Cluster (manual)$31.00

MCA0092

Was able to locate a cluster for $100, looks like a decent deal since eBay they seem to be going for 250-400. The mileage is quite a bit higher than mine, I've been searching for an easy fix to change it to match the car but it does not look like a simple procedure so I'll probably just end up keeping it as is.

Stereorob

clusters are cheap at junkyards, just keep in mind they have a reputation of failing, and more than most, any 98-00 tired enough to be in the boneyard will probably also have a shot out cluster. if you go that route, have em test it

Yamae

As far as I have investigated failed 98-00 clusters except the needle sticking mechanical issues of the speedometer and the tachometer, some were caused by the 5.0V voltage regulator circuits. Many of them were causing the oscillation. Some others were caused by the failed CCFL driver or the CCFL itself and these caused no lighting problems.

Many of them can be fixed by a person like me. But most of the original parts were not obtainable and I had to use other alternative methods. There are many equivalent parts in regards to capacitors and regulators but the original CCFLs were impossible to obtain. The alternative method may be to use LEDs but this is not simple since the bright level has to be controlled by the rheostat and to match the bright level with the surviving CCFL is another task. I am currently experimenting to make LED drivers.

spuds

Fascinating stuff there Yamae.

MCA0092

Thanks so much for the info. I believe I've found the location of it that you had posted in another thread, image below. Do you have any advice for trying to diagnose/repair/replace? I'm hoping this may be a job I can try to tackle. I have a small bit of experience working on computer hardware.



I've tried searching through the forums for any type of DIY fix for these clusters but unfortunately have come up mostly empty.

Yamae

The fixing job requires you to use equipments such as a DVM, an oscilloscope, an ESR meter and sometimes a spectrum analyser in addition to your good skills. So this is not a DIY job for everybody.

So you have experienced working on computer hardware. Me too. I must confess that I once have worked in Hillsboro, Oregon together with Intel people and I think I still can design computer hardware. Although you understand the hardware, it's still not very easy to troubleshoot the cluster unit since the circuit diagrams are not obtainable. You have to do kind of reverse engineering jobs.

The photo I have posted was a cluster board for a JDM and parts locations were different from a USDM since the location of meters were just opposite. But the circuit itself should be almost the same and you have to find the parts understanding the difference of the board.

First of all, I suggest you to check the output of the 5.0V regulator which is indicated by a red arrow but remember that the parts location are different from a USDM. It would be better to observe it using an oscilloscope or a spectrum analyser since the oscillation is sometimes there. If so, check electrolytic capacitors near there with an ESR meter. In case of a JDM, a capacitor right next to the heat sink to the left is often failed due to the heat. As you see it, the tube covered is shrunk too. If the voltage is away from 5.0V, it may be caused by the failed regulator IC or related circuits. This regulator supplies 5.0V DC to processors and and sensors and when it is failed, almost all the meters don't work properly.

Hope you succeed to fix with your knowledge and the experience + patience.