Gen 3 Fuel/Temp Guage Fix

[Monstero]

Well for a long time my temperature sensor has not been working. Right after startup it goes all the way to the top. I put up with the temperature sensor failing for quite a while but then my fuel gauge stopped working intermittently. So I figured it was time to fix. After some research here is the "how to" on fixing it.

First you need to remove the trim panel surrounding the gauge cluster. There are two screws holding it at the very top. Then you need to remove the 4 screws that are holding the gauge cluster as shown in the picture below.

Once you remove the gauge cluster turn it over. Remove the 4 screws on the panel according to the picture below.

Pull that panel straight back and remove it. Turn it over and you will see the R10 resistor according to the picture below.

Using a very fine tip soldering iron heats both ends of the resistor. This will solve the "dry joint" problem causing the gauges not to work properly.

Reassemble in reverse order and your gauges should work. Mine got so bad is that my fuel gauge stopped working so I figured it was time to fix. Hope this helps some.

 

[nckwltn]

the 03 I picked up recently had this problem. this is a quick fix, and if you plug in your soldering iron when you start to pull the gauge cluster, you'll have the circuit board out just as the iron is getting up to temperature, thats how quick the fix is.


this video might be helpful too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMI0_TezfwQ

 

[Monstero]

Great thanks for adding that

 

[Monstero]

I didn't press on the speedo like they did in the video after doing mine and my speedo didn't work right...after removing it and pressing it around the inside it now works. So in conjunction with the vid you will be good.

 

[TheMole]

Thanks for sharing and subscribed for future reference!

 

[cnutco]

Damn, mine was out when I bought mine. I bought a new cluster. Ohwell it worked...

 

[nckwltn]

I'm still having some fluctuations in my fuel readings..... nothing that was as nerve racking as seeing the temp pegged to the top of the gauge though!

 

[MascotRejct]

I know this is an old thread, but would this problem cause the guage to read high when going up a grade under load? Trying to figure out if I should replace my radiator or not. Pretty much as soon as I start going up a moderately steep hill while towing my boat I can watch the guage rise from 1/2 to almost pinned at the top. Once I get to the top and back on flat ground, it drops back down to normal.

 

[nckwltn]

I pulled the cluster this last weekend and touched up the joints on R10 (again)... there is also an R12 that has the exact same chip as R10, I touched up R12 as well (it's just above R10 along the top of the board). Fuel gauge seems to be better, but haven't received an update from my wife just yet on if it is actually working or not.

 

[jhill15]

I pulled the cluster this last weekend and touched up the joints on R10 (again)... there is also an R12 that has the exact same chip as R10, I touched up R12 as well (it's just above R10 along the top of the board). Fuel gauge seems to be better, but haven't received an update from my wife just yet on if it is actually working or not.

Did you see any difference in the fuel gauge yet?

Thanks man!

 

[nckwltn]

Did you see any difference in the fuel gauge yet?

Thanks man!

Actually yes! Over the last week I've driven the Montero 3-4 times and the gauge had gone up to a level when I start the car and doesn't move around wildly while driving.

If you haven't hit the R10 with solder yet, it's fast and easy.

 

[jhill15]

Actually yes! Over the last week I've driven the Montero 3-4 times and the gauge had gone up to a level when I start the car and doesn't move around wildly while driving.

If you haven't hit the R10 with solder yet, it's fast and easy.

Thats good to hear! You had mentioned in a previous post about the r12 resistor. Is that linked to the fuel gauge, or is the r10 for both fuel and temp gauges?

I'm on the fence about mine being the r10 fix or the fuel sending unit. The other day I decided to start measuring my rv meter "compass, miles left" vs how many ive driven on the trip meter. So far I am have about 25 miles off of eachother, and its the rv meter that is showing different...of course...I started with 9 gallons of gas, 206 miles left on the rv meter, and 0 on the trip meter. I am now down to 60 miles left and have driven only 118 miles.

Edit: I forgot to mention that I don't have any issues with the temp gauge just the fuel.

 

[nckwltn]

Thats good to hear! You had mentioned in a previous post about the r12 resistor. Is that linked to the fuel gauge, or is the r10 for both fuel and temp gauges?

I'm on the fence about mine being the r10 fix or the fuel sending unit. The other day I decided to start measuring my rv meter "compass, miles left" vs how many ive driven on the trip meter. So far I am have about 25 miles off of eachother, and its the rv meter that is showing different...of course...I started with 9 gallons of gas, 206 miles left on the rv meter, and 0 on the trip meter. I am now down to 60 miles left and have driven only 118 miles.

Edit: I forgot to mention that I don't have any issues with the temp gauge just the fuel.

I had temp gauge problems before, and the fuel gauge continued to fluctuate a bit.... I have no clue of the R12 resistor is linked to the fuel gauge, but it has the same number stamped on it as the R10, so I figured it couldn't hurt to put a bit more solider on it.

I think the fuel gauge fluctuation is pretty common, don't think the sending unit is. One thing I've done in the past is search for "pajero" and not "montero", you can get a lot of good information from Australian based sites. I had a problem with my driver's rear axle falling out of the diff... not a lot of info on that in US based forums, but it was all over the place in AU forums.

 

[jhill15]

I had temp gauge problems before, and the fuel gauge continued to fluctuate a bit.... I have no clue of the R12 resistor is linked to the fuel gauge, but it has the same number stamped on it as the R10, so I figured it couldn't hurt to put a bit more solider on it.

I think the fuel gauge fluctuation is pretty common, don't think the sending unit is. One thing I've done in the past is search for "pajero" and not "montero", you can get a lot of good information from Australian based sites. I had a problem with my driver's rear axle falling out of the diff... not a lot of info on that in US based forums, but it was all over the place in AU forums.

Thanks man, I google pajero as well, montero hardly ever brings up anything. I found this on a website and have jad it book marked for a while, it has pictures of someone changing the sending unit.
http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/showthread.php?t=124042
So If my issue is the sending unit i know what im getting into.

 

[DSouth]

I just did this fix on my '03. Took a couple of times to get it right. The first two times I just touched it with my iron, saw that the existing solder got liquid and then let off the heat. Figured it was good to go. It worked for a day or so, and then started failing intermittently again. So, I took it back apart, and this time I added just a small amount of some good rosin core solder which did the trick.