THe gauges on the Boxster consist of the three circles, with Orange LCD looking readouts on the bottom of each. The left most one has the Odometer and trip. My Odometer/trip is still visible but very, very faintly. It is as if a backlight bulb blew or something. Anyone know how to repair??

 

Unfortunately, you cannot replace the backlight for the LCD's like you can for the dials. You'd have to get a replacement instrument cluster.

 

Thanks for the bad news Steve :-)

I love my P cars, but that is insane. I can only imagine what the replacement cost would be not including labor. Not to mention the fact that once you replace the instrument cluster you have to explain the mileage when you go to sell it, just great. Well I guess I wil go plan B. Since the odometer is still readable with a flashlight I will leave it alone. Just hope I don't need to use the trip odometer at night!

 

Live2shift, I have a replacement cluster from a 2000 Boxster 2.7L manual if you'e interested. You can just get the replacement cluster reprogrammed to match your actual current mileage, so that it is legit. Installation/removal is fairly easy.

 

I believe they can only be set ahead though.

 

How do you get them set? Who does it?

 

When a new cluster is installed it has to be programmed to the car, Dealership would be the ones to help.

 

https://techinfo.porsche.com/techinf...SA_KATALOG.pdf

Page 406, items 3,4,and 5. Replaced numerous backlighting bulbs before on 986/996 clusters. I cannot remember which wattage is needed for which LCD, but the LCD itself still functions correctly, you just cannot see it well.

 

Are you sure you can't change the bulbs? It looks like here, even the bulbs in the LCD displays can be changed. Here, they're swapped for blue lighting...

 

I can see the odometer and trip but they are not backlit. I sure would like to be able to change a bulb and not the whole unit!!!

Thanks for the parts catalog!

Called my parts guy and apparently they think it is 99 631-30490 (black color) or 94-631-30390 (Tan color).

They said they sell a lot of the 30390's. Now all I have to do Is climb under the dash and see how it comes out!

 

Well, in that case, you can just replace the LED light bulb. Here's the instructions as to how to remove the gauge pod:
http://boxsters.addr.com/hacks/cluster.htm

Oh, and it's the bulb with the tan colored base that you need for that area. The black based bulbs are for the CEL warning light area.

 

I had this same problem. Here are some pictures. The little bulb with the tan end was bad. (I traded it with the center bulb and it lights the odo fine). Now the bad news. Somehow when I moved the cluster back and forth and lifted it out of the dash, my center speedo LCD must have cracked. It was fine before. I was pretty gentle lifting the cluster out. Maybe the vibration as the clips slid apart or lifting on one side at a time caused the cluster to twist slightly. Anyway it now looks like i have created a expensive problem while trying to fix a simple one. Does anyone know of a place like module masters that will replace the lcd? They did my Audi and it looks like several other German cars. I may send it to them to see what they can do. Other suggestions?