Faulty digital MPH Gauge? 2004 Boxster.

[R33P]

The digital mph gauge is behaving strange on my 2004 Boxster. It was fine on Friday when I drove it back from the garage where I purchased it from but on Saturday morning the gauge only displayed 2 horizontal lines at the top instead of the full numbers.

I pulled over, turned the engine off, locked doors, opened them etc...and put the key back it and started it back up and more than just the 2 lines appeared but not the full numbers.

After driving 5 mins the numbers slowly built up until they appeared fully but this morning whilst cleaning the car and moving it around on the drive its back to just 2 horizontal lines at the top again.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is it a full new light cluster job to rectify it??

Help/feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[R33P]

I have attached a few images to this post, you will see how the gauge displays when the car starts up and then how after travelling for approx. 10 mins, the gauge rectifies itself to the full numerical digits.

[thom4782]

Question: is the outside temperature cold when you start the car?

I'm asking because I'm thinking you might be seeing an electrical fault that clears up when the instrument panel heats up. For example, if there was a micro crack in the circuit board that closes when things expand as they heat up.

Just a guess really.

[R33P]

Pretty cold yes, you could be right!

[particlewave]

These LCD panels are sensitive to cold, so the panel itself is deteriorating. Will probably be alright over the summer, but may be worse by next winter...I'd plan on replacing it within a year

[ChrisZang]

Originally Posted by particlewave

These LCD panels are sensitive to cold, so the panel itself is deteriorating. Will probably be alright over the summer, but may be worse by next winter...I'd plan on replacing it within a year

+1 on that

[RoadsideStig]

Could be very simple, bad point on the circuit board. Could be as easy as just getting the board re-soldered! :-)

[thom4782]

Palo Alto Speedometer specializes in repairs if instrument panels for many Porsche models. You might give them a call and ask their opinion as to the cause and whether it's repairable. Just give them a Google and you'll be able to find the contact information.

BTW: I am not affiliated with Palo Alto Speedometer nor have I had them do work for me. I know of them through a thread where people were discussing changing the face on the Boxster instrument panels.