Clusters Swap

Hey everyone I have a 03 ALH manual, look like a small chip on the cluster board failed and I lost 2 of the back lights on the speedo, near the 60-80mph. I tried changing the LED lights with new ones, that did not fix the issue. When I had it apart I saw that a chip that says (132) It leaked out and may have fried something that feeds those two LED lights.

My yard has a ALH auto with a cluster in it also a 03, it has the outside air temp mini screen in it. Will I be able to swap a auto cluster into my manual car. I will be renting a real Vag-Tacho to pull the SKC off my current cluster. Will I be able to pull the SKC off the new (junkyard) cluster when I plug it into my car? Or do I have to do this in the junkyard car? It doesn't have any keys in it....
Does anyone have any experience with this?

You can read it in your car I'm pretty sure. But if you can get the connectors from the junk yard car and the OBD connector you can make a bench rig and do all the coding etc there then swap them.

You can do it in the car no problem but you'll need the old code too as it'll be immo 3 so pull the code from your old cluster first before fitting the new one.

Here's a guide that you might find simpler than the rosstech wiki

http://uk-mkivs.net/topic/61287-cluster-swap-immo3-to-immo3/

waveblaster200 said:

My yard has a ALH auto with a cluster in it also a 03, it has the outside air temp mini screen in it. Will I be able to swap a auto cluster into my manual car.

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Is the donor car also a TDI? The mini-screen you're referring to is for the automatic gear position...unless the cluster is a Euro MFA?

Anyway, the cluster swap only takes a few minutes. I printed off the instructions from Rosstech to do the install and code the keys. Once you have the cluster PIN's, it's all quite easy and quick after that.

Rembrant said:

Is the donor car also a TDI? The mini-screen you're referring to is for the automatic gear position...unless the cluster is a Euro MFA?
Anyway, the cluster swap only takes a few minutes. I printed off the instructions from Rosstech to do the install and code the keys. Once you have the cluster PIN's, it's all quite easy and quick after that.

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Indeed you are correct, that's what the screen is for. What do you think that screen will display since no info will be going to it? Yes the car is also a 2003 ALH diesel just the car is a auto not a manual. Thanks for the info!!

The screen will be blank and back lit in blue. Will swap no problem.

Mavrick said:

The screen will be blank and back lit in blue. Will swap no problem.

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Excellent, I ordered 2 keys and a Vag-Tacho rental. Ill report back with my progress this week, if the stuff comes in time.

The Vag Tacho didn't get shipped in time for me to work on the car till next week. Seatman the guide you posted looks great! Question for everyone, the used cluster I picked up I imagine the miles are less than what I have. Will I be able to go up in miles on this used cluster?

waveblaster200 said:

The Vag Tacho didn't get shipped in time for me to work on the car till next week. Seatman the guide you posted looks great! Question for everyone, the used cluster I picked up I imagine the miles are less than what I have. Will I be able to go up in miles on this used cluster?

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I'm pretty sure Vag-Tacho will allow you to change the odo mileage. I think the two main things Vag-Tacho does is retrieve PIN codes and reset mileage.

You can change the mileage with VCDS if the odo is below 100km or 100 miles (I forget which). So, if you set the mileage to less than 100, you can then change it with VCDS later.

I bought a cheap VAG401 for these tasks, but it only likes VDO built clusters.

I don't know with the vag tacho software, I used vag eeprom programmer and set the cluster to the same as my old one without issue. So that's an option if you have issues.

I swapped the clusters this afternoon and programed my 2 new keys. Took me no time at all, the guide that seatman posted worked well. I got the mileage updated on the cluster too. Thanks for the help!!