No gauge cluster lights, until warm

[Katapl]

I've neglected to post this, so here it is, right now. The car is a '93 S13 with HUD. It has a CA18 swap and he speedo is unhooked, if that's any help to the issue.

Anyway, the digital speedo and all cluster light (minus the warning lights) absolutely will not light, until the vehicle has been ran for a steady amount of time and is warm.

Another interesting bit is that the clock illumination on the cluster will work when the lights are off, but when turned on, it goes black.

Input?

[Hype]

Lots of people report problems with their HUD units. I think the culprit is poor electrical connections. Once things heat up, these connections are restored. There was a link I found awhile ago that described how to fix it, if you're handy with a soldering iron.

[edit] Here's the link: http://www.nicoclub.com/articles.php?id=158878 but it appears I misread your post a bit. For the lights, is it just the instrument cluster, or the lights for other things such as the a/c vents and stuff and radio (if stock)? Check the bulbs in the back and loose connections, fuses, all that standard stuff.... Then give us more info.
Modified by Hype at 4:35 PM 1/6/2008

[Katapl]

It's only the backlighting on the instrument cluster. The heater backlights work fine. I have a feeling it's just an old gauge cluster and worn-out or something like that.

[Hype]

Hmm, I wonder if the dimmer could be acting up...?

[Katapl]

If I had to guess, I'd just attribute it to something on the whole cluster unit itself. There's no reason the backlighting should suddenly kick on after 15 minutes or so. Sounds like a component has to warm up before it actually works. I couldn't imagine that being wiring or the dimmer.

If HUD clusters weren't so expensive, I'd have already tried a replacement. BTW, could I use a JDM HUD in-place of my USDM one? They have a 9k tach and are typically cheaper than US HUD clusters. I would assume so, but the JDM one only reads kmh and not both mph and kmh.

[Hype]

Sorry I can't be of more help, but i'm sticking to my guns: poor connection on there somewhere. That'd be consistent with heat up -> light up. As it gets hot, some connection is restored.

When the car is cold, try taking the cluster out, but leaving it plugged in. Move it around, wiggle the connectors and the printed circuit on the back. With a bit of luck you might find something obviously loose

As for the JDM unit, I'm not sure if they're compatible.

[Katapl]

Bump.

I just replaced the cluster with a used one from eBay. I was assured it worked, and I installed it tonight. The samething happens. I didn't leave it on long enough to see if it would turn on after a while, though. When I ran the car, the clock was illuminated. When I turned the lights on, the clock became unlit, and there were no lights at all. Minus the red warning lights, which were always on.

I think this just may be the last straw for me. I'm so pissed at these cars. I'm not even sure what to do next.

[lovesSkylines]

its ur timing control unit..... a little white box on the drivers side....left foot kick panel

[dstrcto]

Sorry for digging up old threads but this is one that I found when I searched... I have EXACTLY the same problem. I mean even down to how the dash clock acts. Did you ever replace your timing control unit? It controls the flip-up head lights as well, correct? Mine are very weird about not wanting to go up and down when they should... seems intermittent.

I pulled mine and took it apart and looked at it, no trace wires are burned though.
Modified by dstrcto at 3:32 AM 4/30/2008

[danielsan]

do this take out the cluster and leave it hooked up. now take a wire of any length and touch to the screw where the speedo grounds at the back (red wire) and then touch to any ground. now turn on the switch for the lights, im almost certain that the cluster will light up. meaning that the grounds are bad on the harness. even though i tested the grounds on the harness and they came up working just fine (black wires)

i was never certain if any other color wire was also a ground. the fsm does not specify this or i somehow missed it somewhere. and my dimmer works just fine, it dims/brightens the slider lights on the hvac.

[dstrcto]

Freakin internet... damn Grande internet, they freakin suck. I just got your reply today (this morning, whatever) I'll go try that later today.

The stereo wiring in this car is nuts, I was looking through the wiring and I must have shorted something cuz it blew the fuse for the cluster warning lights now. At least that's something, not a mysterious problem like the cluster illumination. I ripped that stereo out btw, and made sure no other wires were shorting together or on the chassis.

I'm also gonna try to get a time control unit this week, see if that's not part of the problem- though I have a bad feeling, there was a 25 AMP fuse stuck in left column, 4th one up spot (supposed to be a 10 ), it goes to the cluster and time control. It seems the previous owner had trouble and didnt know what it was so they just plugged a bigger fuse in there. I hope my HUD isn't fried...
Modified by dstrcto at 3:36 AM 5/2/2008

[beachsidefl321]

I have the same problem as well. It sucks because the mileage on the engine is off because it doesn't turn when the HUD is off.

[dstrcto]

Ok, so I tried what Danielsan said to do, ground the digital-speedo where the wire comes out and screws into the cluster, and the lights came on.

So if I understand this correctly, the digital speedo grounds out the illumination lights allowing them to turn on, so if the speedo doesn't work then the lights don't work?

*Edit*I just replaced the 1uF capacitor (the one that is primarily messed up) as per the instructions on:http://www.nicoclub.com/articles.php?id=158878and the lights now work . It's late and my roommates window is next to the car, so I couldn't start it (disconnected exhaust) but when I turned on the lights the illumination at least worked. Is the speedo supposed to come on even when the car is off, but the key is turned to 'on'?
Modified by dstrcto at 6:04 AM 5/5/2008

[beachsidefl321]

I feel like an idiot asking this question but, how do you go about taking the cluster out?

[danielsan]

my speedo turned back all of a sudden the other day when it was really warm out. so that points to the capacitor being bad, which i know will work just fine when i replace it. also by the way there are two capacitors, gotta test each one.

anyways the digi speedo should show up with the key on the "on" position, it should show 0. replace the other one if you can and see how that works.

where did you get the replacement capacitor, radio shack???

[dstrcto]

No luck yet, I replaced both capacitors now. I guess the thing is busted. I just got the car, it's been sitting for 3 years, there's a lot of weird things that should work that don't. Good news is the lights in the cluster work, but I dunno how fast it's going.

I had the capacitors laying around, I scavenge stuff from dead electronics for this reason. But both of them are just electrolytic capacitors and are common values, you could get them from Radioshack if you wanted. FYI, the bigger board has a 1uF 50V capacitor, and the smaller board has a .47uF 50V capacitor. I'm 99% sure I put them in the right way, I'll recheck again tomorrow (sick of taking it apart and putting it back together). This kinda sucks, I was hoping it would work.

[dstrcto]

I feel like an idiot asking this question but, how do you go about taking the cluster out?

You're willing to learn, that makes you far from an idiot.

[beachsidefl321]

Thank you dstrcto.