The digital gauges...

Yesterday after I started driving my 1997 Boxster I lost the digital MPH display in the tachometer gauge. It went black. Later, after I was driving for several minutes it came back on.
I shut the car off and when I started it up it went dark again and then later came back on.
I ran several errands and it stayed on after starting.
Maybe a wire or loose connection. A light on its way out?
Anyone have this happen?

... in the cluster are connected using a very flimsy ribbon cable that isn't even soldered to the circuit board.
This ribbon cable is glued onto the PCB and can fail in older cars subject to age and heat.
Unfortunately it's almost impossible to repair.
If you open the cluster the other two gauges (digital odometer and digital clock) are likely to fail as well.
I just tried repairing one from a '97 last week.
I knew it would probably be futile and it was.
We ended up having to replace the whole cluster.
My recommendation is let it be. Don't mess with it.
At least you have an analog speedo.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

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Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Thanks Pedro.
It really irks me when stuff like this goes bad on these cars. Never had an instrument problem on any car I've owned other than burned light bulbs. But I've never replaced a lot of things on other cars like I've replaced on this Boxster. Research shows cluster problems on 986/996s are not uncommon.
As far as the analog gauge, yes it works but I can hardly read it and do not want to depend on it. I did use it when mine was out and it is really hard to accurately determine your speed especially at low speeds through the neighborhood where I have to be vigilant for radar.

I came across this how to article on how to upgrade a Boxster to a 996 cluster. This project is well beyond my capabilities but might consider this at an Indy if mine stays out. I seem to remember a few guys on the old board doing this particularly a guy pulling his hair out who installed a used Turbo gauge in his Boxster.
This article installed a used gauge cluster from a 996 wreck and it was $500.00! I'm afraid to ask what a new cluster cost. I've seen quotes to $2,000.
[www.pelicanparts.com]

Here is a quote I found about the LCDs. Apparently they can be replaced in some cars if a leaking or faulty LCD is a culprit:
"i just installed the blue led kit in my '99 996 cab. it was a pain in the a$$ because the led's have to sit perfect or they dont work. point of the story is this, the lcd screens are NOT soldiered to the ribbons. just remove the silver metal clip that holds them down and you can pull off the screen easily. the screen has contacts that merely touch the ribbon and the metal clip kepps them in place." The discussion also states that VDO does not offer replacement parts for clusters. Maybe that has changed.