Instrument cluster gauge issue in Gen1

[Mihalis fjr]

Please have a look at the photo in the area near around the four screws in the gauge of my instrument cluster..It looks like bubbles there!Yesterday i saw it!Perhaps was there for a long time ago or years but i did not notice it...

After a google search i saw many photos of Gen1 instrument clusters with the same problem in this area(around the four screws)Is it a common isue?Yours Gen1 instrument clusters looks like mine..?Photos please..?How can i repair it?is it paint?or a plastic film?if you know..??

Thanks in advance!

 

[Hornet Pilot]

I had the same thing happen on my 05' several years ago. The instrument cluster was repalced under warrenty by the dealer.

 

[CAJW]

Mine looks the same. My guess is that it's a plastic film overlay and no real way to repair it. Possibly remove the cluster and poke it with a pin, but IMHO it just isn't worth the trouble so my fix is I don't look at the speedo much. Besides, I'll know if I'm going too fast when the red/blue lights start flashing in the mirror.

 

[Mihalis fjr]

I had the same thing happen on my 05' several years ago. The instrument cluster was repalced under warrenty by the dealer.

Didn't happen again from then in the replacement item?

 

[ionbeam]

If you look at how much work it will take to fix that non-issue you will discover that the blistering is perfectly fine. Yes, it is common; I suspect that any of the older Gen Is that get parked in the sun will have that problem.

There have been some FJR owners that have noticed the blistering one day and have been unable to live with it after that. It kept them awake at night, caused them to loose focus in traffic, interfered with their ability to hold a normal conversation, it was always there, the constant stress of knowing that it just wasn't right -- so for them it was worth buying overlays to cover the blisters. Having taken my dash out to replace blown bulbs I know how much work it is so I live with my blistered dash.

 

[luvtoride]

My dash gauges are blistered, also.... & I don't care.

 

[Mihalis fjr]

Thanks for your info!

 

[Ignacio]

Yes, it is common; I suspect that any of the older Gen Is that get parked in the sun will have that problem.

I concur and confirmed to my personal satisfaction as I usually ran a dark tint CB on my first 2005 and the day after I took it to work with the original shield one week...I noticed it was blistered. While I never witnessed that certain Indiana Jones moment...I'm pretty sure it occurred at a certain part of the afternoon with my bike parked at a certain ange with the windshield at a certain point. This phenomenon was a commonly discussed one when just the Gen 1 was out.

 

[Mihalis fjr]

Yes, it is common; I suspect that any of the older Gen Is that get parked in the sun will have that problem.

I concur and confirmed to my personal satisfaction as I usually ran a dark tint CB on my first 2005 and the day after I took it to work with the original shield one week...I noticed it was blistered. While I never witnessed that certain Indiana Jones moment...I'm pretty sure it occurred at a certain part of the afternoon with my bike parked at a certain ange with the windshield at a certain point. This phenomenon was a commonly discussed one when just the Gen 1 was out.

I have read many reviews about this..(Sun angle in conjunction with the windshield)Now it happening and to me...

 

[SkooterG]

Ignacio was being funny. It has nothing to do with sun angle and windshield. THOSE problems were melting plastic panels.

It will be the rare Gen I that does NOT have those bubbles around the screws. I have over 350,000 miles on Gen Is with those bubbles. NOT A BIG DEAL.

Ride more, stress less.

 

[Mihalis fjr]

Ignacio was being funny. It has nothing to do with sun angle and windshield. THOSE problems were melting plastic panels.
It will be the rare Gen I that does NOT have those bubbles around the screws. I have over 350,000 miles on Gen Is with those bubbles. NOT A BIG DEAL.

Ride more, stress less.

Thanks SkooterG,

An hour ago i was talking with a professional friend who makes signs and told me this happened because the glue under the black plastic film is not a good quality and with the months and years it dries,and the few gases from the glue with the help of the sun and the hot blow the plastic film from inside and the film looks like this..but why only in this area around the screws..perhaps there are the holes for the screws and the air somehow goes inside from there and begins to dry the glue with the help of the sun and the hot..perhaps something doing with the different materials metal screw and plastic..I don't know....

 

[Ignacio]

Ignacio was being funny. It has nothing to do with sun angle and windshield. THOSE problems were melting plastic panels.
It will be the rare Gen I that does NOT have those bubbles around the screws. I have over 350,000 miles on Gen Is with those bubbles. NOT A BIG DEAL.

Ride more, stress less.

Really? Was I?

While I now vaguely remember something about non-sun related...I've never found a heat source in that area that accounts for melting. I *really* thought it was the magnifying glass effect.

Or do I need to start investing in adult diapers because I forgot something?

 

[Hornet Pilot]

Never happened again after the dealer replaced the module. One item to note however is that the vehicle accrued mileage is stored in the gage itself, not the ECU, such that when the gage assembly is replaced with a new unit it will read zero miles like a new bike. If doing a swap out or replacement better note the actualy mileage for your records. Probably just easier to live with the defect!

 

[SkooterG]

Well, I always attributed it to the metal screws acting as a heat sink. Since the screws are metal, they absorb a lot of heat which is transferred to the area immediately surrounding them causing the bubbling. As a secondary cause, I also SWAG'd that when those screws were applied and twisted and torqued down, they 'loosened' the where black plastic film was applied and glued down.

I never really worried about it too much. It happened early on my first FJR. It spend a lot of time parked outside in 115 degree temperatures and the hot Arizona sun. In the sun/heat they would bubble up, and when cooler, the would settle back down. In 7 years and 226,000 miles of ownership they never got 'worse' over time.

Same thing is happening to my 130k mile 04 FJR. And I have seen the effect on most Gen I FJRs that I have seen.

 

[Mihalis fjr]

Well, I always attributed it to the metal screws acting as a heat sink. Since the screws are metal, they absorb a lot of heat which is transferred to the area immediately surrounding them causing the bubbling. As a secondary cause, I also SWAG'd that when those screws were applied and twisted and torqued down, they 'loosened' the where black plastic film was applied and glued down.
I never really worried about it too much. It happened early on my first FJR. It spend a lot of time parked outside in 115 degree temperatures and the hot Arizona sun. In the sun/heat they would bubble up, and when cooler, the would settle back down. In 7 years and 226,000 miles of ownership they never got 'worse' over time.

Same thing is happening to my 130k mile 04 FJR. And I have seen the effect on most Gen I FJRs that I have seen.

Agree 100% to all!!

 

[Mihalis fjr]

It is very easy to repair it my friend told me,First you must take out the needles,after the screws,and from the open holes carefully put some glue and with the finger press from outside to the hole direction..But first you must take out the instrument cluster..and this need a lot of work..!!!Fairings..front cowling..etc....I must live with this issue better..

 

[Mihalis fjr]

It spend a lot of time parked outside in 115 degree temperatures and the hot Arizona sun.

Hot Arizona sun is similar with the Greek hot sun i believe....

 

[wheatonFJR]

It spend a lot of time parked outside in 115 degree temperatures and the hot Arizona sun.

Hot Arizona sun is similar with the Greek hot sun i believe....

Very similar, except the Arizona sun evidently reduces the intelligence of those under its rays...

 

[Mihalis fjr]

It spend a lot of time parked outside in 115 degree temperatures and the hot Arizona sun.

Hot Arizona sun is similar with the Greek hot sun i believe....

Very similar, except the Arizona sun evidently reduces the intelligence of those under its rays...

You think..??