Gauge Cluster Flashing

GT Neon · Post by **GT Neon** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 10:25 pm

So does anyone work for or know of a dealership that can flash the Odometer reading into the cluster? I ask because I will be purchasing one soon from a member of the forums and I have been told that a dealership can flash the cluster with the Odometer reading or atleast clear out the one on the cluster and let the cluster relearn the one from the ECU.

GT Neon · Post by **GT Neon** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 11:03 pm

I did a search around and found that others have dealt with the problem by just driving their car until the mileage on the current odometer clicks over to the one on the other cluster.

I did have one thought though I saw a post where someone took apart a cluster and removed the Odometer. I wonder if it would just be a matter of removing the odometer from one cluster and putting it in the other.

Post by **occasional demons** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 11:44 pm

As long as the cluster has less miles than the PCM they can make it read the actual miles. They cannot make the cluster read less miles, only more. From what i've read it takes a while to get it done. So if you have another car to drive it isn't a biggie. All you can do is call your local dealer and ask.

GT Neon · Post by **GT Neon** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 12:07 am

I called the dealership and they tell me they only get new modules with the mileage on them. I was told this is total BS because they just need to hook it up to a DRB III and change the values on the module. I just need it to read the current mileage of the car and not that of the cluster 77254

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 12:13 am

No, not BS. I work at a dealership, and when we order clusters, we have to have the mileage programed in by the exchange center. We can change a lot of info on PCM's at the dealer level, but not mileage, and nothing on the clusters. Since the government stepped in and cracked down on odometer fraud back in the late '70's, that kind of change has been left to only certain facilities.

So no, we can't change the mileage on clusters. Sorry

jT · Post by jT » Tue Apr 29, 2008 1:39 am

your best bet is to get a cluster, or wait for a cluster to come available (if ever) for near to (but higher than) your current mileage and just catch up like it was mentioned... that is if you are actually concerned with the odo being correct.

i bought a white face tach cluster about 5K over my actual mileage, and have less than 3K to go to catch up.. ill be able to swap in a month or two. but thats just me. i was lucky to find one so close to my actual mileage.

GT Neon · Post by **GT Neon** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 8:53 am

The one I will be getting has 77254 on it and my car is rolling around to 60,000 now so I have quite a while before I can change clusters. Probably will have the transmission swap done before I can install the cluster by a year so I will have to drive it without the tach for a while, which isn't really a problem because I have driven a stick for a while now.

Post by **occasional demons** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 9:06 am

I thought the mileage could be sourced from the PCM and then the cluster sent out to have the mileage programmed in. Of course the car would have to not be driven till the cluster is reinstalled to maintain correct mileage.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 9:34 am

Ok, here is the bottom line on clusters and car mileage...

You can put your cluster in now. It doesn't matter what the cluster reads from a electronic stand point. The PCM will show one thing, the cluster another. The biggest drawback of course is the cluster will show more miles than the car actually has, which would be bad if you wanted to sell it and not not show excessive mileage.

Unfortunately our exchange center can not simply change mileage on Chrysler clusters, forward or back. Chrysler insists that all clusters be ordered through the dealer connect (function 11) and the mileage plugged in then. You cannot send out a used cluster to have mileage changed. If you have a used cluster, you have two options...wait for it to match or put it in and enjoy.

Post by **occasional demons** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 9:20 pm

Hmmm, suckage. A new cluster $ is alot of other/better upgrades. Prolly why I just slapped my used R/T cluster in and enjoyed the upgrade to a tachometer/low fuel light.

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 10:47 pm

occasional demons wrote:Hmmm, suckage. A new cluster $ is alot of other/better upgrades. Prolly why I just slapped my used R/T cluster in and enjoyed the upgrade to a tachometer/low fuel light.

Same here man. Why they would put tachs in ATX and not in MTX is beyond me. Trim levels no doubt, but still lame.

yellowpatrol · Post by **yellowpatrol** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:47 am

POST RESURRECTION!!!!!

I'm trying to figure out what to do also, and I came up with a very primitive idea. Dealership guys please let me know if this would work.

What if you were to set the odometer to "trip" mode, and start that at 0, and then just never clear it out? You might even go so far as to remove the reset pin to avoid accidentally resetting it. The only problem I can foresee is there not being enough digit-space available once you go so high. Thoughts?

cgneon · Post by **cgneon** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 2:32 pm

for what purpose though?, to have proof that thats how many miles you drove after swapping in the tach cluster? would be pointless, since you cant prove you didnt reset it, with or without a reset pin, cant prove when you swapped out the old cluster... and doesnt matter since they can pull the actual mileage from the computer if a shop/dealer needs to. if you went to trade it in or sell it, they have to get the odo reading for legal paperwork, so you have to be able to switch it back..
i can see where you are thinking.. to be able to know how many miles above the swap, but it would only be for your use,, really all you need to do for that is write cluster mileage when you took it out.. new mileage when you put it in, in your owners manual back page or something, thats what i did, that way you alwasy know the difference.. having pictures of the 2 odo readings couldnt hurt.. That doesnt help you at all anyway cuz when you go to sell the car, you will get hit with a TMU penalty, true mileage unknown, whether you know it or not, since its not displayed, it kills the value of sale/trade in... the only way you might get around that, if you dont want to wait for your clusters to match when you swap.. you can report the odo change to your DMV, and they will keep a record of the difference... that way it's legal.. not sure how a dealer/seller will take it though.. they will still frown on it... example, if you went to buy a car, and the guy says yeah it says 100k, but its really only 67k.. average joe consumer would red flag that in a heartbeat..

yellowpatrol · Post by **yellowpatrol** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 3:47 pm

Well in my case I'm not selling it. It IS just for me to know how many miles are on it since the swap, without having to look in a book or subtract anything. The question was "will it work?" not "should I do it?".

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 3:53 pm

If it is for simple reference on your part, sure, it will work. To a point. Like you said the odo only has 4 digits on it iirc.

yellowpatrol · Post by **yellowpatrol** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 11:46 pm

Is it 4? I haven't checked- I keep forgetting. If that's true then I guess there's no point since once you hit 10k miles you're screwed.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 12:10 am

To be honest, I'm not 100% sure. I haven't left my odo run that long without reseting it

yellowpatrol · Post by **yellowpatrol** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 12:13 am

lol It'd be like the iPhone....

http://youtube.com/watch?v=91zQAdKeqRU