ABQjournal: Instrument Panel Repair Is Expensive

Saturday, November 25, 2000

Instrument Panel Repair Is Expensive

DEAR CAR CLINIC: I have a 1993 Lexus ES 300 with 62,000 miles. Everything works fine except the instrument panel.
    It is losing background lighting and illumination of the needle indicators. The tachometer needle has completely blacked out and the fuel gauge, coolant temperature and speedometer needles are half-way out. The car's warranty has expired and the dealer says it will cost $500 to $1,000 to repair or replace it.
    I believe this faulty item is a safety hazard and am trying to report it to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for consideration of issuing a recall. Until then, can you tell me if there is a local repair shop where I can get the instrument panel repaired at a lower cost? — E.B., Albuquerque
DEAR E.B.: Sorry about the high cost of your dash repair, but you are pretty much stuck with using Lexus parts to repair it.
    The way the dash is constructed makes the cluster fairly easy to remove, usually requiring about an hour or so. The cost of repair will depend on exactly what is wrong. It may be as simple as light bulb replacement (digital dash only) or as expensive as a complete unit replacement.
    The other option is to find a used working unit which may cut the cost in half.
    Sorry I don't have a better answer for you, but electronics repair can get expensive. — Jeff Albertson, Jeff's Gasoline Alley Inc., Albuquerque

DEAR CAR CLINIC: I drive a 1990 Nissan Axxess (two-wheel drive, four-cylinder) with 337,000 miles.
    At about 300,000 miles the transmission, when cold, became very difficult to shift from first to second gear, but after it warmed up it shifted fine through all shifts both up and down and into reverse.
    Any suggestions about how to cure the 1-2 shifting problem? — C.A., Concho, Ariz.
DEAR C.A.: The one thing you failed to mention: Is this a standard transmission or an automatic transmission?
    Let's start with a standard transmission. The most common reason for a transmission to shift with difficulty when cold is the oil in the transmission has too high a viscosity — that is, it's too thick.
    There are also other things that can come into play with a car of your high mileage. Inside the transmission any or all of these components — shift rail bushings, shift fork, shift slider and hub — could be worn enough to cause a problem when cold. However, the most common problem is the lubricant in the transmission.
    I would suggest you get the tranny oil changed and have a special oil installed. The product is called BG Syncro Shift. It's expensive as oil goes but it is cheaper than a transmission overhaul. We have had tremendous results with this product.
    Now, if your car has an automatic transmission the most common cause for a hard shift between first and second is the valve body or a shift solenoid. It could also be a simple shift cable adjustment.
    The automatic transmission will require a more extensive diagnosis to determine exactly what the problem is. The best thing to do is have a competent technician experienced in automatic transmissions diagnose your problem. — Jeff Albertson, Jeff's Gasoline Alley Inc., Albuquerque

Answers in this column are provided by Albuquerque-area automotive service shops. Got a question about your car, truck, van or RV? Describe your problem (please be brief!) and fax it to (505) 823-3994 or mail it to Car Clinic, Albuquerque Journal, P.O. Drawer J, Albuquerque, NM 87103.