More On Dash Lights

[davepruce]

My dash lights have been getting progressively worse over time (ie takes longer to come on) and I'm probably like other LS owners - fanatical about MPG so I check the trip frequently. I travel 11 miles each way to work, 8 on a motorway.

Anyway, Sunday, filled up with juice (Superunleaded at Sainsburys, good stuff), reset the trip, and thought no more.

Monday, no ice, so didnt start the car early to warm up (and get the dash on) like I normally do, drove to work, dash didnt come on till I was almost there, checked the trip out of habit on arrival -- 2.5 miles-- !!!!????.

I will continue to monitor it, but has anyone else noticed that the trips dont seem to work when the dash lights are off??

Dave

[2ard]

Dave,

Mate you shouldn't really be driving the car if the dash light's arn't on !!!

Taking a risk for being pulled.

[mjeco]

Ive got an LS400 Aug 03 as well and the dashboard lights don't come on until about 4 miles or so on cooler mornings.

The Lexus main dealer advises he is not aware of such problems and to bring the bcar in for testing. But one of the problems of owning a Lexus is that the dealers tend to be a long ways from home and I do have a business to run so I have not had a chance to take it in.

So 2 Aug 93 models with the same problem. Suggsetions like shouldnt be driving the car in this condition dopn't help/ Work to do, bread to win. Have to keep behind another car when passing a speed camars.

Surely someone has an intelligent answer to the problem!!

MJECO

[mudzs]

Sorry can't help with the dash problem but a road angel or one of the other speed camera detectors would help you to stay legal as they give a very accurate readout of your speed .

[mjeco]

Thanks for that, but erm!! isn't that defeating the object of owning a Lexus?

[ROYT]

There is an answer to this problem on the USA LOC web site.

search for post by Cole Carter November 17 2003.

The problem is apparently caused by failing capacitors on the circuit board behind

instument panel.

Cheers. ;)

[Stu76]

I have a 1993 LS400 but not sure what month. Chap I bought it off told me that a problem with these is dashlights start to not come on straightaway then progressively take longer and longer. Sounds like your story so far.

He told me Lexus can repair it but only be replacing with the same as they haven't found a fix, i.e. problem will come back in time. He told me he removed his (now mine) boards and posted them to someone in the states who fixed them for good.

Don't know how true it is but will find out detials next time I see him.

Incidentally I noticed the dash seemed to be broke when I first took it off him as it does go dim then bright again from time to time, but as I have driven it more I realise that it's when I go under bridges or trees during daylight hours. Is there some kind of auto sensor on them or something?

[mjeco]

Hi thanks for the info. Yep! I noticed that too and wondered if the sensor that controlled the dimming effect got bunged up or misted over as the problem only occurs on cold mornings or on cold days where has been a long delay since driving earlier on in the day and could have condensation on it or frost.

Don't know where the sensor is located but it must be outside the car somewhere I reckon.

br

MJECO

[Chris Skelton]

Hi thanks for the info. Yep! I noticed that too and wondered if the sensor that controlled the dimming effect got bunged up or misted over as the problem only occurs on cold mornings or on cold days where has been a long delay since driving earlier on in the day and could have condensation on it or frost.

Don't know where the sensor is located but it must be outside the car somewhere I reckon.

br

MJECO

B) The dash is on a sensor; at night (or under a bridge!!)the dash dims a bit so as not to dazzle the driver. In daylight, it's brighter. :zee:

[JayBeeBee]

If it helps, the sensors for the auto setting on import LS ar on top of dashboard near bottom left and right corners of screen

[ROYT]

I found my printout for this problem taken from the USA site.

3 capacitors need replacing with better quality ones on the two boards behind the

instrument panel.The types and values are given along with their location numbers.

The writer Cole Carter claims he completed the whole job within two hours at

a cost of a dollars worth of parts. [probably a fivers' worth in the UK!]

A post well worth looking for.... :)

[93_LS400]

In fact the guy who fixes them has a stall on e-bay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...item=7913617257