3rd Gen Dash Clock Fix

[JM0205]

The springs on the clock were my problem as well

Had my mechanic while replacing cup holder tray follow this Post on how to fix the in dash clock of my 4-Runner 1997. He just stretched the springs and it works before solder the pins. How crazy Toyota wants $300 to replace this simple dumb clock. Thanks for the Post

 

[heybart]

1999 4Runner clock

Thanks for all your pictures and instructions!!! This worked for me....clock now working like it should....without the help and high cost of a Toyota service department!!

 

[T4Rfirefighter]

I don't have the tools or time to do this on my clock. I've looked in the classifieds for someone to do this for me, but I haven't found anything. If any of you are willing to do this service for me (I'll gladly pay you), please send me a PM.

 

[threadlessclimber]

I don't have the tools or time to do this on my clock. I've looked in the classifieds for someone to do this for me, but I haven't found anything. If any of you are willing to do this service for me (I'll gladly pay you), please send me a PM.

Check ebay--there are a few places that do it

 

[velocity]

I just did this clock fix but soldered in 4 tiny cables I ripped from an old network cable. I didn't want to try and re-align the pins and this way the pins were still held by the plastic and kept nice and straight. You have to re-flow all the solder points as well as some of the points probably have cracked and would explain the intermittent clock due to the shrinking and expansion of the solder.

Save yourself some money and do this fix yourself. Re-flowing all the joints in my electronic climate control has fixed it as well.

Took me 30 minutes, including ripping out the clock and re-installing it again.

99' 4runner limited.

 

[CO_FlyFisher]

Glad to hear this guide is still helping some people. If you're in my area and need it done, I can do a few of them here and there for you guys. Life with three little kids is crazy, so I don't have too much free time these days (thus my lack of posting), but I'm still here cruising around in my '99 (that just turned 200k!!!). Drop me a PM and I'll see if I can help.

Later.

 

[mtnwkr]

Thanks for the write up. I just fixed the clock in my 2001. I pulled it apart and stretched the springs and put it back together and it works like new. Less than a 10 minute job for me! Thanks!

 

[JayRolla]

Mine has failed twice, I now have 3 extras from junkyard cars, always grab one when I see it. I solder all day at work, dont want to do it more at home. LOL.

 

[RinoRomp]

Took me less than 20 min to fix my clock! Thank you so much for the guide...

I put a little solder bead at the thinnest part of the pins before assembling, this made it easy to maintain the height and attaching it to the board really quick (not to mention it looks good too).

 

[Johnnie]

sent my clock out for repair

I just sent my clock off to the ebay guy, $16 dollars and that included the return shipping. I think a paid a couple of dollars for shipping USPS. it came back in a week , works great

 

[Mikewhe0421]

Thank you so much for posting this thread. I just purchased my 99 T4R and after three failed attempts on my part. I brought it to my friend who solders professionally and he was able to fix it for me.

 

[wjamyers]

I just did this whole DIY including soldering the pins and when I plugged my clock back in I found that it still did not work. I jiggled the connector a bit and found that it would just jiggling it would bring it back to life temporarily. From this I concluded that my connections had become oxidized/dirty and they just needed to be cleaned. So I srayed some deoxidizer and the plug and the pins and jiggled it some more and unplugged and replugged it a few times to "scrub" the pins clean. This worked.

To make a long story short Before disassibling your clock, just spray deoxidizer on the plug and pins and "scrub" them clean by unplugging and replugging the connection a few times this should fix it in many cases. The springs were not the problem on my clock.

The deoxidzer can be found here: Hosa Caig DeoxIT D5, Deoxidizer Aerosol Spray, 5 oz D5S6

I hope this can save you some time and effort.

this sort of fixed it for me. I still had to push the clip hard into the clock while twisting it clockwise after the fact... and then push on the right side of the clock face after I put the dash back together... but it has stayed on for a few hours since. :infidel:

 

[DJF1953]

Thank you for this descriptive how-to. My recently purchased 1999 T4R had a clock that would work if I pressed the buttons rapidly, but it finally quit for good. I removed my clock and just sent it to a service that rebuilds our clocks. I would not have a clue how to remove it if it wasn't for this post. Keeping my fingers crossed that it arrives all fixed.

 

[Kowitz]

Hey everyone,

EDIT: nevermind on this issue I typed earlier.

But, I think I fried my clock. Before I tried this fix, it showed the occasional sign of life, and after attempting this fix, there is nothing.


I think when I soldered the pins, I accidentally had some of the solder from the different pins touching each other, and I think I must have shorted out the clock or something.

Guess I need to shop around for a new "used" clock.

 

[2Names]

I've leaned on this whole site heavily to purchase my "new" 98 that's in rather fantastic condition for its age (very clean, and only 162K miles at 18 years with minimal rust underneath). The dealer I bought it from had done a bunch of work to it (hoses, belts, water pump, exhaust, tires, battery, wiring, et al) but I've been giving it some TLC, too. The clock thing was one of those things you can just accept from an 18 y/o but I wanted to mend it anyway. Like the OP's wife said, I didn't realize how much I used my in dash clock until I had this vehicle without it functioning!

AAAANYWAY, I signed up for an account just to say THANKS and this worked like a charm!!! I actually went to the local salvage and bought a clock off a scrapped 99 (I think). Tried it, and it also didn't work. So I took my original clock apart, tossed the springs aside, did a crappy soldering job, hooked it into the wiring harness, and bam! It lit right up! I put the whole dash back together and was setting the clock when it went out again.

Suspecting my suspect soldering I went back to the work bench, took apart the salvage clock, did a really NICE soldering job on it's circuit board, put that circuit in my original housing and it's worked perfectly going on a week now!! I put all the non working guts back together in the housing with the scrap yard markings and returned it for my money back! Haha! Score one for the nerds with basic circuit and soldering skills!

A couple of tips: I recommend scratching up the area on the pins where you'll solder them with the corner of a little flat head screwdriver or something, the original finish doesn't want to take the solder really without some abrasion. Also another tip to line them up nicely: get one soldered in just like you want and then use a tiny piece of tape across the top of that and all the rest to hold them in line just like you want. These little things worked like a charm to address the unique little challenges of this particular project.

All in all it was a pretty quick and simple fix!

 

[DJF1953]

First, thank you for this informative "How To". On my recently purchased '99 SR5 4WD I had the bad clock and this post gave me courage to remove my clock. With a bit of careful fiddling I was able to easily remove my clock. FWIW, I used a service I found on EBay that does a clock repair for only $16.00 which includes return shipping costs. My clock now works and I feel like I have a complete 4Runner again

 

[thegipper]

this sort of fixed it for me. I still had to push the clip hard into the clock while twisting it clockwise after the fact... and then push on the right side of the clock face after I put the dash back together... but it has stayed on for a few hours since. :infidel:

I first tried cleaning the connectors but it still would only light up when I squeezed the back of it. I then took it apart and tried soldering the pins directly to the board, it still would not stay on.

I finally re-soldered all of the pins on the back of the board and now it always stays on. I closely inspected it before I did this and didn't see any cracks or void but apparently there was a problem somewhere.

Hope this helps

 

[CO_FlyFisher]

Glad that this thread continues to be of service to the community. I still pop in every now and then, so hit me up with any questions you might have.

 

[idlingmike]

This must be the most reliable platform in the world for there to be a SEVEN PAGE thread on the clock

 

[burwen]

Your are the umpteenth victim of the dummy plug. Your clock harness is plugged in to a blank hole in the center fascia--I think its lower and to the left of the clock. This does not mean it plugging it in will fix the clock, because this often happens when someone is trying to fix an already broken clock--but it might.

So my clock died yesterday while installing a new radio. Read this post and prayed; sure enough, I was the next victim! Plugged the plug into the correct location and the clock is back baby!!!

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