Changing intrument cluster bulbs on Corolla

Hiya,

I'm trying to replace a few bulbs on the instrument cluster of a Toyota
Corolla 98 plate (UK). The Haynes manual to the previous model makes it
sound very easy...but!

I can get the bezel off and unscrew the cluster mounting from the inside of
the dashboard, but the cable that goes to the speedometer is too tight to
allow me to pull the cluster out any more than an inch.

Should the speedomoter cable be long enough so that the cluster comes out
while still connected? Should I just get the garage to do it? ;-)

Cheers,


Adam Piggott.

"aD" <aD@simplypeachy.invalid> wrote in message
news:43ea20b6$0$1173$5a6aecb4@news.aaisp.net.uk...[color=blue]
> Hiya,
>
> I'm trying to replace a few bulbs on the instrument cluster of a Toyota
> Corolla 98 plate (UK). The Haynes manual to the previous model makes it
> sound very easy...but!
>
> I can get the bezel off and unscrew the cluster mounting from the inside
> of
> the dashboard, but the cable that goes to the speedometer is too tight to
> allow me to pull the cluster out any more than an inch.
>
> Should the speedomoter cable be long enough so that the cluster comes out
> while still connected? Should I just get the garage to do it? ;-)
>
> Cheers,
>
>
> Adam Piggott.[/color]

If it is a mechanical speedometer, I believe that the speedometer cable is
screwed to the back of the speedometer like a coaxial cable. Unscrew the
threaded connector and it should pull out. Another possibility is to
unscrew the speedometer cable from the transmission and see if that provides
enough slack to pull the cluster out further. I thought that the
speedometer was electronic, in which case you would have to unplug the
wiring harness at the back of the cluster.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

Ray O wrote:
[color=blue]
> If it is a mechanical speedometer, I believe that the speedometer cable is
> screwed to the back of the speedometer like a coaxial cable.[/color]
[color=blue]
> I thought that the speedometer was electronic, in which case you would have to unplug the
> wiring harness at the back of the cluster.[/color]

The cable is fairly hefty, seems to be a sort of metal-wound coaxial; I'm
almost certain it's a mechanical unit.

[color=blue]
> Unscrew the threaded connector and it should pull out.[/color]

That's the problem, I can't get the cluster out far enough to get at the
speedo!

[color=blue]
> Another possibility is to unscrew the speedometer cable from the
> transmission and see if that provides enough slack to pull the cluster
> out further.[/color]

I thought this might be the case, but before messing around with it I
figured I'd ask someone that might know! It seems the cable may have been
re-routed around a hose at some point, which could be taking up enough
slack to cause the problem.

Thanks for such a fast reply Ray, it's very much appreciated :-)


Adam.

"aD" <aD@simplypeachy.invalid> wrote in message
news:43ea2884$0$1175$5a6aecb4@news.aaisp.net.uk...[color=blue]
> Ray O wrote:
>[color=green]
>> If it is a mechanical speedometer, I believe that the speedometer cable
>> is
>> screwed to the back of the speedometer like a coaxial cable.[/color]
>[color=green]
>> I thought that the speedometer was electronic, in which case you would
>> have to unplug the
>> wiring harness at the back of the cluster.[/color]
>
> The cable is fairly hefty, seems to be a sort of metal-wound coaxial; I'm
> almost certain it's a mechanical unit.
>
>[color=green]
>> Unscrew the threaded connector and it should pull out.[/color]
>
> That's the problem, I can't get the cluster out far enough to get at the
> speedo!
>
>[color=green]
>> Another possibility is to unscrew the speedometer cable from the
>> transmission and see if that provides enough slack to pull the cluster
>> out further.[/color]
>
> I thought this might be the case, but before messing around with it I
> figured I'd ask someone that might know! It seems the cable may have been
> re-routed around a hose at some point, which could be taking up enough
> slack to cause the problem.
>
> Thanks for such a fast reply Ray, it's very much appreciated :-)
>
>
> Adam.[/color]

You're welcome and good luck!
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

On Wed, 8 Feb 2006 11:05:01 -0600, "Ray O"
<rokigawa@tristarassociatesDOTcomn> wrote:[color=blue]
>"aD" <aD@simplypeachy.invalid> wrote in message
>news:43ea20b6$0$1173$5a6aecb4@news.aaisp.net.uk[/color]
[color=blue][color=green]
>> I'm trying to replace a few bulbs on the instrument cluster of a Toyota
>> Corolla 98 plate (UK). The Haynes manual to the previous model makes it
>> sound very easy...but!
>>
>> I can get the bezel off and unscrew the cluster mounting from the inside
>> of
>> the dashboard, but the cable that goes to the speedometer is too tight to
>> allow me to pull the cluster out any more than an inch.
>>
>> Should the speedomoter cable be long enough so that the cluster comes out
>> while still connected? Should I just get the garage to do it? ;-)[/color]
>
>If it is a mechanical speedometer, I believe that the speedometer cable is
>screwed to the back of the speedometer like a coaxial cable. Unscrew the
>threaded connector and it should pull out.[/color]

I've seen some that plug in with a big latching hook/clip
arrangement on one side, IIRC my FJ-62 LandCruiser is like that. You
only have to get it pulled out far enough to get your hand in there to
find and release the clip, and the cluster pops out further - then you
have to deal with unplugging the electrical connections before it
comes completely out.

It's a bit tricky to get it back together, but I never spent more
than two or three minutes fighting with it before it popped back in.
And I must have had that cluster out 20 times while adding custom
electronics to the car, getting halfway done with something and then
having to put it back together to drive to work.
[color=blue]
> Another possibility is to unscrew the speedometer cable from the
> transmission and see if that provides enough slack to pull the
>cluster out further.[/color]

Forget about that one - the cable casing is supposed to be clamped
down at all the bends so it can't get kinked. They leave a few inches
of slack under the dash specifically to allow for getting the cluster
out, but if you need more slack you have to locate and loosen all the
clamps. And then don't kink the casing or the cable will go bad.
[color=blue]
> I thought that the speedometer was electronic, in which case you
> would have to unplug the wiring harness at the back of the cluster.[/color]

Nah, he wouldn't get that lucky... I didn't think any speedometers
started going electronic till at least the Oughts.

--<< Bruce >>--

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.

"Bruce L. Bergman" <blPYTHONbergman@earthlink.invalid> wrote in message
news:bb7lu1l50fn1h1076vlv1iidufb546hhpg@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> On Wed, 8 Feb 2006 11:05:01 -0600, "Ray O"
> <rokigawa@tristarassociatesDOTcomn> wrote:[color=green]
>>"aD" <aD@simplypeachy.invalid> wrote in message
>>news:43ea20b6$0$1173$5a6aecb4@news.aaisp.net.uk[/color]
>[color=green][color=darkred]
>>> I'm trying to replace a few bulbs on the instrument cluster of a Toyota
>>> Corolla 98 plate (UK). The Haynes manual to the previous model makes it
>>> sound very easy...but!
>>>
>>> I can get the bezel off and unscrew the cluster mounting from the inside
>>> of
>>> the dashboard, but the cable that goes to the speedometer is too tight
>>> to
>>> allow me to pull the cluster out any more than an inch.
>>>
>>> Should the speedomoter cable be long enough so that the cluster comes
>>> out
>>> while still connected? Should I just get the garage to do it? ;-)[/color]
>>
>>If it is a mechanical speedometer, I believe that the speedometer cable is
>>screwed to the back of the speedometer like a coaxial cable. Unscrew the
>>threaded connector and it should pull out.[/color]
>
> I've seen some that plug in with a big latching hook/clip
> arrangement on one side, IIRC my FJ-62 LandCruiser is like that. You
> only have to get it pulled out far enough to get your hand in there to
> find and release the clip, and the cluster pops out further - then you
> have to deal with unplugging the electrical connections before it
> comes completely out.
>[/color]

I forgot about those connections, now I'm not so sure which one it has :-(
[color=blue]
> It's a bit tricky to get it back together, but I never spent more
> than two or three minutes fighting with it before it popped back in.
> And I must have had that cluster out 20 times while adding custom
> electronics to the car, getting halfway done with something and then
> having to put it back together to drive to work.
>[color=green]
>> Another possibility is to unscrew the speedometer cable from the
>> transmission and see if that provides enough slack to pull the
>>cluster out further.[/color]
>
> Forget about that one - the cable casing is supposed to be clamped
> down at all the bends so it can't get kinked. They leave a few inches
> of slack under the dash specifically to allow for getting the cluster
> out, but if you need more slack you have to locate and loosen all the
> clamps. And then don't kink the casing or the cable will go bad.
>[color=green]
>> I thought that the speedometer was electronic, in which case you
>> would have to unplug the wiring harness at the back of the cluster.[/color]
>
> Nah, he wouldn't get that lucky... I didn't think any speedometers
> started going electronic till at least the Oughts.
>
> --<< Bruce >>--
>[/color]
I don't know if OBD II applies to vehicles outside of the U.S, but I thought
all OBD II vehicles had electronic speedometers. Several Toyotas had
electronic speedometers in the late 80's and early 90's, including the
Camry, Cressida, & Supra.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

Ray O wrote:
[color=blue]
> I don't know if OBD II applies to vehicles outside of the U.S, but I thought
> all OBD II vehicles had electronic speedometers. Several Toyotas had
> electronic speedometers in the late 80's and early 90's, including the
> Camry, Cressida, & Supra.[/color]

I knew a guy who had one in an '87 Celica GT.

aD wrote:[color=blue]
> Hiya,
>
> I'm trying to replace a few bulbs on the instrument cluster of a Toyota
> Corolla 98 plate (UK). The Haynes manual to the previous model makes it
> sound very easy...but![/color]

Well I've managed to get them out after freeing the speedo cable. Now I
have to find a bulb stockist who won't want my spleen + £1000 per
bulb...wish me luck :-)