1988 Toyota 4runner gages

We just purchased a 1988 4runner that is in good shape except that the
dashboard gages do not work. Can anyone suggest what the problem might
be?

"jmfarrell" <jmfarrell@nospam.comcast.net> wrote in message
news:be273bb8b2f39bcd5f3512728d2da0ea@localhost.talkaboutautos.com...[color=blue]
> We just purchased a 1988 4runner that is in good shape except that the
> dashboard gages do not work. Can anyone suggest what the problem might
> be?[/color]

Check the gauge fuse.
--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply

On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 17:24:31 -0400, "jmfarrell"
<jmfarrell@nospam.comcast.net> wrote:
[color=blue]
>We just purchased a 1988 4runner that is in good shape except that the
>dashboard gages do not work. Can anyone suggest what the problem might
>be?[/color]

Could be lots of things, you really need to take a repair manual
with a good troubleshooting section (like the Toyota Factory Repair
Manual for your specific car) with a complete and accurate wiring
diagram (Ditto), basic hand tools and a test light & multimeter, and
start tracing out the circuit.

It might require a few nasty physical contortions to take out the
instrument cluster or crawl under the dashboard, but it shouldn't be
too hard to fix technically. If NONE of the gauges are working, it
points to a common power problem.

Off the top of my head: Blown gauge fuse, bad Accessory switching
contact in Ignition Switch assembly, bad Accessory power switching
relay in the fuse/relay cluster, bad gauge voltage regulator (usually
on back of cluster, or built into one of the gauge movements), loose
wiring connector on back of instrument cluster, bad ground from
instrument cluster to chassis ground point on cab cowl, Bad ground
from cab to battery (-) post...

Modern cars have gotten MUCH more complicated - I remember when you
could draw the entire wiring diagram of a 1960's car on one piece of
paper, from memory, and build & install a whole new engine/dashboard
harness by hand in a weekend (Been there, Done that, '62 Dodge Dart) -
you can NOT do that anymore.

Spend the dough for the Factory Repair Manual, and the supplement
books you may need - it's going to run you a healthy chunk of change
when you ask at the Parts Counter (I can see your jaw dropping already
from here). But the first time that book totally saves your (butt) it
has more than paid for itself.

Accurate information isn't expensive, it's priceless. ;-)

--<< 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.

On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 16:38:35 -0500, Ray O wrote:
[color=blue]
> "jmfarrell" <jmfarrell@nospam.comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:be273bb8b2f39bcd5f3512728d2da0ea@localhost.talkaboutautos.com...[color=green]
>> We just purchased a 1988 4runner that is in good shape except that the
>> dashboard gages do not work. Can anyone suggest what the problem might
>> be?[/color]
>
> Check the gauge fuse.][/color]

And the connectors behind the inst. panel.

On Fri, 02 Sep 2005 00:51:59 +0000, Bruce L. Bergman wrote:
[color=blue]
> On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 17:24:31 -0400, "jmfarrell"
> <jmfarrell@nospam.comcast.net> wrote:
>[color=green]
>>We just purchased a 1988 4runner that is in good shape except that the
>>dashboard gages do not work. Can anyone suggest what the problem might
>>be?[/color]
>
> Could be lots of things, you really need to take a repair manual
> with a good troubleshooting section (like the Toyota Factory Repair
> Manual for your specific car) with a complete and accurate wiring
> diagram (Ditto), basic hand tools and a test light & multimeter, and
> start tracing out the circuit.
>
> It might require a few nasty physical contortions to take out the
> instrument cluster or crawl under the dashboard, but it shouldn't be
> too hard to fix technically. If NONE of the gauges are working, it
> points to a common power problem.
>
> Off the top of my head: Blown gauge fuse, bad Accessory switching
> contact in Ignition Switch assembly, bad Accessory power switching
> relay in the fuse/relay cluster, bad gauge voltage regulator (usually
> on back of cluster, or built into one of the gauge movements), loose
> wiring connector on back of instrument cluster, bad ground from
> instrument cluster to chassis ground point on cab cowl, Bad ground
> from cab to battery (-) post...
>
> Modern cars have gotten MUCH more complicated - I remember when you
> could draw the entire wiring diagram of a 1960's car on one piece of
> paper, from memory, and build & install a whole new engine/dashboard
> harness by hand in a weekend (Been there, Done that, '62 Dodge Dart) -
> you can NOT do that anymore.
>
> Spend the dough for the Factory Repair Manual, and the supplement
> books you may need - it's going to run you a healthy chunk of change
> when you ask at the Parts Counter (I can see your jaw dropping already
> from here). But the first time that book totally saves your (butt) it
> has more than paid for itself.
>
> Accurate information isn't expensive, it's priceless. ;-)
>
> --<< Bruce >>--[/color]


Absolutely! And also... [url]http://techinfo.toyota.com[/url]