Yaris dashboard flickering

Proofread100

We have a wee Yaris, 2007, and the dashboard has started to flicker and go off completely for sometimes a couple of minutes or seconds at a time. 
This means that I have no speedo or petrol guage. 
If anyone knows what it is, or what can be done, I'd appreciate it. 
It has done 99k and still going strong apart from this. 

Goudy

It's a known problem.

It could be a couple of faults, usually it's the circuit ribbon letting go because one of the transistors has got too hot.

Have a word with https://cartronix.co.uk/

Aylesbury_Duck

I had the same problem last year.  Removing the console is pretty easy (have a look on youtube) so the first thing to do is to check that all the connections are secure.  I found that taking mine out completely and making sure the wraparound ribbon connector was secure on its locating lugs sorted the problem, but it would come back intermittently.

In the end, I bought a replacement unit from eBay - there are lots of part number variants so make sure you take yours out and get the exact code for it before buying a replacement.  Make a note of the mileage at that point as well.  Expect to pay between £35 and £70 for a replacement unit.  You'll find that the milometer reading is held in the unit itself, so you either need to get someone to reprogram the replacement unit to your actual mileage, or keep a note so you know the true mileage.  I was lucky in that the mileage difference was only slightly out (about 3,000 less from memory, on mileage of around 75k) and I will run the car until it's scrapped so I won't be deceiving a new owner on the small mileage discrepancy.

Edited to add my thread from last year: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6156134/instrument-cluster-change-mileage-discrepancy

Proofread100

Thank you so much both of you. That's really helpful. And good to know that it's something we should be able to have a go at ourselves. 

May be a stupid question, but here goes anyway...if I take the unit out, can I drive it like that in case it takes a while to get the replacement? 

Aylesbury_Duck

Proofread100 said:

Thank you so much both of you. That's really helpful. And good to know that it's something we should be able to have a go at ourselves. 

May be a stupid question, but here goes anyway...if I take the unit out, can I drive it like that in case it takes a while to get the replacement? 

There's no need to take it out permanently.  It's a pretty easy job to remove it, check the connections, give them a wiggle(!), note the model number and put it back.  I believe you're supposed to have a means of measuring your speed, so if the speedo is dead, use a satnav or satnav app to give you your speed reading temporarily.  Ideally you wouldn't drive it at all without a working speedo so if you can make other arrangements, do so.

When mine went, the mileage and fuel gauge were still visible, it was the rev counter and speedometer lights that were out.  It took me about three weeks to find the right model on eBay (they come and go quite regularly, so you should be ok) and it's a 10 minute job to swap units.

Proofread100

Brilliant. Good idea about using a sat nav for the speedo. Up until yesterday it was flashing on and off so you could still get your speed every few seconds. Yesterday it went completely off at times. 
Thankfully I was just driving locally and I don't speed anyway, so just drove how I normally drove but a wee bit more carefully. 

Aylesbury_Duck

It does sounds like a problem with the ribbon connector - you'll see what I mean when you take it out, it's a large plastic ribbon circuit that wraps around the back of the unit.  Either temperature, movement or both is moving a slight fracture in one of the connections or affecting a dying component.  That's why it comes and goes.  You will need a new unit but you may be able to get it working in the meantime with a bit of jiggling!

Proofread100

You guys are brilliant. Thank you. Did as you suggested and the ribbon had come off one or two of the lugs. Made sure all was secure and popped it back in and it seems to have done the trick so far. Not a flicker in sight.
Interesting what you say about the temperature, as I had noticed that when the car had been sitting in the sun and the dash was warm, it wasn't as bad. 

Anyway, so so grateful as always to the wonderful folks on MSE. Super simple fix and if it goes again, we know it's an easy job to replace the unit once we find the right one.  

Aylesbury_Duck

That's good.  If I were you I'd set up a search alert on eBay to notify you when one of the exact model is listed.  That way you can keep an eye out for a bargain.  Be careful, because when I was in your position, there were quite a few listed by what looked to be a breaker's yard in Poland, and post-Brexit that might be a more problematic place to purchase from.  

I'd definitely get yourself a spare unit, because something's faulty and the wiggling you've done will only last for a while.

AdrianC

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Be careful, because when I was in your position, there were quite a few listed by what looked to be a breaker's yard in Poland, and post-Brexit that might be a more problematic place to purchase from.

B'sides that, would KM and mile dashes be different?

Proofread100

Will do. Good idea. Mind you, it looked in pristine condition, but perhaps they all do as they are in a totally enclosed unit. 
I always filter for UK only but will bear that in mind just so I don't get caught out.