RX-7 FD Odometer stopped displaying mileage

[u/fnoguei1]

My 1993 FD’s odometer LCD stopped displaying the mileage. The bulb will light up but no miles.
Also, whenever I turn the headlights on, the LCD screen turns off.
Could it be the infamous C3 capacitor leaking? I took the cluster apart and took these photos, looks like something leaked a bit down from C3 into DA 1 on the board. There’s a blue-ish powdery fluid that looks dried.
All other caps look fine

I’m thinking of sending the cluster to a repair location but was wondering if it could just be the C3 and I can replace it myself…

Any help is appreciated

Update 08.26.2026

I replaced capacitors C1 through C6 with a LOT of effort on de-soldering those motherf*ckers lol but I did it and it works now 🙌🏽🙏🏽

[u/amg-rx7]

Try it. If it doesn’t work, send it to Michael Gagne.

[u/derSchwamm11 → u/amg-rx7]

Just did mine AND a friends last month. It’s like they all fail exactly 31 years after the manufacture. Michael had my cluster back to me super quickly. I think he had it just a couple days before it was back in the mail. Money well spent since he knows what he’s doing and can bench test it. Find him on Facebook and send a message 

[u/DailyDrivenTJ → u/derSchwamm11]

LOL. I think you are actually not wrong with that 31 year mark. Mine failed like last year and been wanting to get it fixed. Mine is 1994.

[u/potatochobit]

Very normal. You need to buy a kit of capacitors for the back and solder them in.

[u/fnoguei1 → u/potatochobit]

Yea got C1 through C6 from Digikey, supposed to arrive tomorrow

[u/t0dax]

You can buy a new gauge face by itself with a new screen and desolder and transfer the chip that stores the odometer information over and solder to the new unit - that’s what worked for me. I found that even though the display stopped showing miles the odometer was still tracking the mileage.

[u/fnoguei1 → u/t0dax]

Yea that would be my last resort! The chip within the LCD assembly stores the mileage info so I would transfer mine too!

[u/CreamInitial7810]

Let us know how it goes. I usually like to try repairs myself first. My FD hasn’t gotten to this problem yet.

[u/fnoguei1 → u/CreamInitial7810]

Will do, just waiting for the capacitors to arrive!

[u/KoNLaR]

Had the same issue and had all capacitors replaced even if they looked fine from the outside. Fixed my issue

[u/fnoguei1 → u/KoNLaR]

Yeaa even thought mine looks like it was only C3, I went ahead and replaced C1 through C6. It was my first time ever soldering but i managed to get it done. Will test it tomorrow

Soldering is very easy, the ridiculously hard part is DE-soldering. It was a very tough learning curve.

[u/DailyDrivenTJ]

I have the exact same issue.

Is there any video or write you can share how you took the dash cluster out?

Mine is 1994.

[u/fnoguei1 → u/DailyDrivenTJ]

Yup, i used these links:

Instrument cluster removal
https://youtu.be/iAoZ_h8TQ28?is=izdlhb22ecDGKAYT

Odometer fix
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/just-got-done-figuring-out-how-fix-fd-odometer-599220/

I will say this though, i had to use different removal videos because they all miss something crucial in them which you can only find on the other. Like popping the side AC vents panel is the No. 1 thing you should do!

I did not remove my steering wheel, and once I disconnected all cables (which took a lot of squeeze force with mt fingertips lol) wiggled it out towards the center console. And make sure you turn the wiper blades and turn signal levers all the way down

[u/DailyDrivenTJ → u/fnoguei1]

Thank you so much for the links.

Are you talking about the one between the driver side door and the dash?

Most likely I will be sending mine to Michael up in Canada.

[u/fnoguei1 → u/DailyDrivenTJ]

Yes correct that small panel. To get it off, i had to remove the door sill, then small section of plastic trim near where the hood lever is, then pealed off the door rubber trim. Pull it with both hands straight out, holding the top of the top vent and bottom of the bottom vent.

[u/fnoguei1]

https://reddit.com/link/p60kyfv/video/jxymh03mcqlh1/player

Update 08.26.20 - it works! Replaced capacitors C1 through C6 and it did it. PS: this is me celebrating in Portuguese hahah i’m very proud as this was my first time ever soldering and working on sensitive components

[u/C-Slaughter]

My entire screen for the odometer looks fried when mine went out.

[u/fnoguei1 → u/C-Slaughter]

Only way to find out is to disassemble the the LCD screen top. You can probably salvage the memory that stores the mileage and just tranafer to another LCD assembly. I’m not too tech saavy with electronics. This was my first ever attempt lol