Temp Gauge Needle Illumination

[dank]

Hi,

Just noticed the last couple of days that the temperature gauge needle illumination does not come on for a few seconds when the key is in the ignition first time round. All other needles are illuminating fine. However when I turn the ignition a second/third time the temp gauge needle illuminates fine.

Has anyone else had this issue? I'm just hoping this is not the start of bad things to come...

LS400 98.

[steve2006]

Hello and welcome to the LOC.

Instrument cluster faults have up to recently not affected the later series LS400 models from 1995 onwards but there was a case the other week where the tachometer needle was sticking and now yours with no illumination.

Perhaps as these cars age similar defects are now showing up.

My advice with intermittent faults of this nature is to first give the dash a slap or thump above the cluster, if the cause is a poor electrical connection this generally shows up by way of the cluster coming back to full working condition and it may continue to do so.

The needles on the LS400s are called something like electroflourescent using a hich voltage supply to makie the needles glow, the voltage is generated on the PCB within the cluster and is then sent to the needles via a long screw connecting the 2 parts electrically. One possibility is this screw has become loose over time so making poor intermittent contact.

Obviously the cluster has to be removed and disassembled to check this so if you're not confident leave it to someone who is.

[dank]

Thanks for the swift reply steve2006. I will give it slap/thump to see if that helps. If it does get worse then I'll get in a bit deeper as you have suggested. Wonder if its all the damp weather we are having?

Cheers!

[soundchaser100]

The end of my Temp gauge needle has been dark all the time I have owned the car (7 years) and has never varied in all that time. I decided to let that particular "sleeping dog" lie rather than risk causing a problem by dismantling the dash,

Paul

[dank]

You're probably right to do that Paul. I've noticed that it illuminates quicker if the car has been standing for only a couple of ours. I'll most likely live with it. The slap/thump didn't resolve the issue unfortunately. I even saw the needle jump when I did it.