Found Speedo and Tach stuck, odometer displaying - - -

jross20

jross20

New member
I have no idea what happened. I got in and cranked up only to see the trip counter / odometer displaying "- - -". I then noticed that the speedometer read 45 mph and the tach showed about 1.5k rpms.

I turned her off and removed the key, both needs stayed locked where they were. I pulled the battery cables and that reset them. Upon turning her back on the odometer still remembered everything.

Everything seems to be working fine while driving.

What on Earth, any ideas? This really has me concerned

Now that I'm a little less panicked, some additional information...
2000 SR5 4x4, no codes during the issue and no codes now/after.

Update, it happened again and this time I snapped a photo. This was taken with the engine off and key removed. Once again, no codes or anything.

UNdt3yR.jpg
 
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Any kind of addons that could be messing with the gauge cluster. As this is the 3 case of wacky speedometer tach messing up that I seen on this forum in the last week or so?



Sent from my SM-J337V using Tapatalk
 
brillo_76 said:
Any kind of addons that could be messing with the gauge cluster. As this is the 3 case of wacky speedometer tach messing up that I seen on this forum in the last week or so?



Sent from my SM-J337V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Nothing that I know of now. I had the speedometer calibrator hooked up like 2 weeks ago, but everything is back to normal now. Plus I do not believe that the speed reading would affect the tachometer. Would it?

By chance do the clusters have a tendency to go out? If so is it possible to replace it but keep the odometer data?

Man this worries me
 
Maybe but that virus is going to cause issues. It will interrupt a lot of things. Even Car parts will be effected by it. :-(
 
jross20 said:
Nothing that I know of now. I had the speedometer calibrator hooked up like 2 weeks ago, but everything is back to normal now. Plus I do not believe that the speed reading would affect the tachometer. Would it?

By chance do the clusters have a tendency to go out? If so is it possible to replace it but keep the odometer data?

Man this worries me
Click to expand...

Not sure I would imagine a Dealer could replace the odometer data. I am just wondering why all of the sudden folks dash clusters are going on the fritz. I agree that someonething is going on. Hopefully we get to the bottom of it. :-)
 
brillo_76 said:
Not sure I would imagine a Dealer could replace the odometer data. I am just wondering why all of the sudden folks dash clusters are going on the fritz. I agree that someonething is going on. Hopefully we get to the bottom of it. :-)
Click to expand...

I believe the data is stored in that "chip 3" or whatever it is called.

Any new ideas yet? She is still working...but this just bothers me so much.

I still feel like there is some strange underlying electrical nonsense going on. Things just seem odd sometimes.
 
jross20 said:
I believe the data is stored in that "chip 3" or whatever it is called.

Any new ideas yet? She is still working...but this just bothers me so much.

I still feel like there is some strange underlying electrical nonsense going on. Things just seem odd sometimes.
Click to expand...

See I would think the chip for the odometer would be in the ECM but unfortunately I haven't came up with any new ideas. Unless the gauge cluster itself is failing.
 
brillo_76 said:
See I would think the chip for the odometer would be in the ECM but unfortunately I haven't came up with any new ideas. Unless the gauge cluster itself is failing.
Click to expand...
The EEPROM that holds odometer data is part of the gauge cluster and can be programmed with some knowledge... (this is for the 99-02 4Runners, 96-98 was mechanical)

I would start by inspecting the gauge cluster itself, there may be bad capacitors, or other issues that might be visible. You will have to disassemble it for the inspection, the circuit boards are behind plastic covers, etc.

I had a fairly rare problem with the flex board on mine - my reverse lights, turn signals and parking lights were all linked... but that's not the issue here.

-Charlie
 
phattyduck said:
The EEPROM that holds odometer data is part of the gauge cluster and can be programmed with some knowledge... (this is for the 99-02 4Runners, 96-98 was mechanical)

I would start by inspecting the gauge cluster itself, there may be bad capacitors, or other issues that might be visible. You will have to disassemble it for the inspection, the circuit boards are behind plastic covers, etc.

I had a fairly rare problem with the flex board on mine - my reverse lights, turn signals and parking lights were all linked... but that's not the issue here.

-Charlie
Click to expand...

Thanks for the information Charlie, should I be applying normal "old PC inspection" protocols here? Looking for leaking/swollen caps? Does she have large capacitors?

I've been looking up what a new cluster costs, just case of the worst... And it looks like you can no longer buy them new sadly. So I would have to buy one someone to swap it and program it I guess.

As for today, she is still operating normally
 
Leaking capacitors are easy to spot. They will mostly bubbled and if really bad spewing electrolyte out of them.

Sent from my SM-J337V using Tapatalk
 
Happened again, this time it jumped up higher that the speed I was cruising at.

This was taken with the engine off, and key removed.

UNdt3yR.jpg
 
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