Swapping instrument clusters?

[Asbury030]

So I found this nice instrument cluster off a 04 gasser today at the junk yard... Is there anyway I can swap this over on to my 02 tdi? I really like the look of it. Thanks in advance.... Also my trip on the odometer stopped working.

 

[mr.loops]

Not without doing a immo delete or having someone who can retrieve the SKC and then program the cluster with a VCDS


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Asbury030]

SKC? I do have a buddy who has VCDS.

 

[turbocharged798]

Tach range is wrong and you will likely not have a glow plug light.

 

[jettawreck]

SKC? I do have a buddy who has VCDS.

Nope, VCDS isn't enough. Need to have someone (tuner/programmer) delete the immobilizer in the ECU and either "pair" the ECU to the new cluster or use something such as VagTacho to extract the Secret Key Code (SKC) to eliminate the blinking immobilizer light in the cluster. The tachometer will register the correct rpm, but the scale and redline obviously will be incorrect.

 

[Asbury030]

Nope, VCDS isn't enough. Need to have someone (tuner/programmer) delete the immobilizer in the ECU and either "pair" the ECU to the new cluster or use something such as VagTacho to extract the Secret Key Code (SKC) to eliminate the blinking immobilizer light in the cluster. The tachometer will register the correct rpm, but the scale and redline obviously will be incorrect.

Okay thanks. Yeah I'm okay with the whole rpm issue as long as the new tach gives me me the correct rpms.

 

[Genesis]

You will have another problem too, which is that the odo will be wrong. You CANNOT set it once a few miles have been accrued; you can only set it forward (once, obviously) from zero.

There are places that can zero it; they can probably also get the SKC. You need BOTH SKCs (old and new cluster) to pair them or, as noted, an immo delete in the ECU or the car won't start.

 

[k_pt]

You can always Frankenstein yours, pull the needles and the "paper" and install in yours ... the lcd panel on that boras cluster might be dead anyways ...

 

[JB05]

Contact user jetta 97 in Texas; he specializes in cluster swaps among other things.

 

[eddieleephd]

It's a lot more trouble than it's worth, you can get the visual gauge speed and fuel cards and swap them into the diesel cluster. Just have to remove the back panel and swap them.

Sent from my Armor_2 using Tapatalk

 

[JettaTDIBlack]

It's a lot more trouble than it's worth, you can get the visual gauge speed and fuel cards and swap them into the diesel cluster. Just have to remove the back panel and swap them.

Sent from my Armor_2 using Tapatalk

I wonder why no one made a card that looks like the gas cluster, except with the correct information. I always admire the silver color when I see these in person.

Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

 

[gmenounos]

Easiest and cheapest would be to buy an 04 TDI cluster and transfer the gauges, needles and lens to your existing cluster. I've found them on eBay for as little as $50.

 

[eddieleephd]

Easiest and cheapest would be to buy an 04 TDI cluster and transfer the gauges, needles and lens to your existing cluster. I've found them on eBay for as little as $50.

If you're extremely handy with a solder iron you could even swap the odo trip meter lcd if that's the issue with the present trip meter.

 

[gmenounos]

I don't believe the LCDs are even soldered on these clusters. You should be able to swap the LCD by just removing the metal cage that surrounds the LCD.

 

[k_pt]

It's soldered.

 

[Asbury030]

I would prefer to find someone who could change the skc and the mileage at once. I Dont really care to do the immobilizer deal

 

[jettawreck]

I would prefer to find someone who could change the skc and the mileage at once. I Dont really care to do the immobilizer deal

Get in touch with member jetta, 97. He will be able to do what is needed and/or at least answer any questions correctly.
http://forums.tdiclub.com/member.php?u=87519
There are no doubt many others, but consider him a "go to guy".

 

[JettaTDIBlack]

Speaking of clusters. Last week, mine momentarily thought the time was 10:95pm when it was 10:45pm. Then last night my odometer and trip odometer went a bit wonky. Wondering if it is the cluster or the ECU?

Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

 

[ekincaid]

Yeah. I know bringing up an old thread. It is a shame we can't use these.

 

[benmarks]

I'm not sure what you mean. This thread outlines ways you can, it's just a fair amount of work. It's probably easier to just find the appropriate cluster for your car.

 

[ekincaid]

I'm not sure what you mean. This thread outlines ways you can, it's just a fair amount of work. It's probably easier to just find the appropriate cluster for your car.

Yeah guess you're right. I guess I meant I wish there was an easier way

 

[benmarks]

Finding a diesel cluster that matches your Immobilizer shouldn't be that hard. If you have a 2003 car, then you have an IMMO3 car, which means you can use the 2004 clusters in this style because they are also IMMO3. That would remove any cost for deleting the Immobilizer.

Since this thread was originally created, you can now get the SKC using a free tool:

Free VDS-Pro / VagTacho Alternative

So I've been a happy VCDS user since buying my Golf in 2003 (it had 65000 miles on it so it conveniently needed an immediate timing belt replacement, hence needing VCDS - though it was named VAG-COM way back then). However there are things that VCDS doesn't do, such as pulling the SKC from an...

forums.tdiclub.com

And, if you pay $15-30 for the appropriate cable, you can use the free VCDS Lite to do the pairing.

I don't know if this next statement is true, but if your current cluster and the replacement cluster are from the same manufacturer, I think you might even be able to clone your EEPROM from one to the other, and then you wouldn't even need to pair anything. Someone else here can probably verify if this is true. I know this can be done like-for-like clusters.

 

[ekincaid]

Finding a diesel cluster that matches your Immobilizer shouldn't be that hard. If you have a 2003 car, then you have an IMMO3 car, which means you can use the 2004 clusters in this style because they are also IMMO3. That would remove any cost for deleting the Immobilizer.

Since this thread was originally created, you can now get the SKC using a free tool:

Free VDS-Pro / VagTacho Alternative

So I've been a happy VCDS user since buying my Golf in 2003 (it had 65000 miles on it so it conveniently needed an immediate timing belt replacement, hence needing VCDS - though it was named VAG-COM way back then). However there are things that VCDS doesn't do, such as pulling the SKC from an...

forums.tdiclub.com

And, if you pay $15-30 for the appropriate cable, you can use the free VCDS Lite to do the pairing.

I don't know if this next statement is true, but if your current cluster and the replacement cluster are from the same manufacturer, I think you might even be able to clone your EEPROM from one to the other, and then you wouldn't even need to pair anything. Someone else here can probably verify if this is true. I know this can be done like-for-like clusters.

Thanks. I have used that and never thought about going that route. I might look around and see if I can find a 2004 TDI cluster. Perhaps @gmenounos has some thoughts on this.

 

[benmarks]

One other option you may want to consider, which is definitely not the "economical" option, is to look into Euro MFA/FIS clusters and/or the ColorMFA upgrade. Both give you a rudimentary engine computer, though ColorMFA offers way more features. You would need an upgraded right stalk too. I think gmenounos makes ColorMFA clusters, and there's also:

Clusters: By Litke LLC

VW MK3,MK4,B5,B5.5 and Audi B5,C5,8N instrument cluster sales, coding services, repair, and mods.... Warren, OH, US 44484

facebook.com

 

[gmenounos]

I would avoid cloning the entire EEPROM from one cluster to another unless they were the same part number. I think it is better to just copy the important bits (e.g. odometer, immobilizer data, SKC) when cloning one cluster to another. That allows you to do things like switch from a regular cluster to MFA/FIS, TDI to gasoline, etc.

 

[gmenounos]

I think gmenounos makes ColorMFA clusters

Actually, I only have one kit left and don't plan to order any more. They're awesome but they take a lot of time to assemble and I don't currently have much free time.

 

[Mozambiquer]

Gmenounos helped me set the odometer and etc on a full FIS euro cluster I got. It's an immo 2 though. I was going to install it in my golf, but I'm selling the golf now, so I guess I'll be selling the cluster as well. I got the wiring and MFA stalk from clusters by Litke. I wish it would work for my passats, but it's not immo 3.

 

[ekincaid]

I've never messed with any clusters before. After reading through some things. I think I got it.

1. Get me a cluster for an 04-05 TDI
2. Connect it and get the SKC using kw1281test ( I have the SKC for my current one)
3. Use VCDS to do an Cluster Adaptation following this video

What do I need to do set the correct mileage?
Anything I'm overlooking or not understanding?

 

[Mozambiquer]

I've never messed with any clusters before. After reading through some things. I think I got it.

1. Get me a cluster for an 04-05 TDI
2. Connect it and get the SKC using kw1281test ( I have the SKC for my current one)
3. Use VCDS to do an Cluster Adaptation following this video

What do I need to do set the correct mileage?
Anything I'm overlooking or not understanding?

Message gmenous to get that. I used kw1281 test to reset the mileage. Basically what you do is pull the eeprom as a backup, then pull the section that has the mileage, insert into hex editor and change all the numbers to FF (zero in hex) then reset the cluster. It will then read zero. Another option is to flash that section from your previous cluster (I did that on mine)