2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Instrument Cluster Problem

[SBozeman]

Sorry kinda long.



Has anyone had persistent problems with their instrument cluster? All of the gages quit working and the ABS, Air Bag, and Low Fuel light remains on and the odometer blinks without advancing. My truck is a 98 with 68k miles and is about to get a third instrument cluster. First replacement was 2 years ago and it needs to be replaced again. First time on warranty this time on my dime. $1,000. 75.

I have read through most of the posts and it doesn't look like a common problem, at least not with the whole cluster needing to be replaced. I can't help but to think that something else is going on to cause these failures. It's going to be a real bummer if I have to replace this thing every couple of years.

Since this has happened previously, can I force the issue with Chrysler and try to get it replaced on their dime even though it's out of warranty? A couple of the parts counters told me that it is very rare for the cluster to have to be replaced.

The dealer told me that they can not release my truck to me until the new cluster is replaced and couldn't't give me a time frame as to when it would be fixed. Is there some sort of law that does not allow a dealer to release a vehicle when the speedometer is not working?



Thanks for any input

 

[HeberRam]

Sbozeman. . iNo one legally can with- hold any property from you, unless it was seized by a bank for non-payment or the police for a violation. The only way they can possibly hold your vehicle is for any charges you owe and have to release the vehicle to you after payment, whether the truck was fixed or not. You can get a replacement from either a junkyard or on the internet fro much less then a $1000. 00.



Steve

 

[Clinton]

I believe if you've made a warranty claim within the mileage/time limit and the repair didn't work, you ought not be responsible for having to pay over and over again to have it fixed. Hopefully, you have all the documentation from your previous trouble. At the very least, if your dealer doesn't see it this way, it would be a solid case for arbitration. My girlfriend's Subaru had a leaky sunroof and she made the intial claim before her warranty was up. They fiddled around with it several times and she was 10k miles out of warranty before they finally got it right (ended up totally replacing the entire sunroof assembly which was what they were trying to avoid).



The rest? I can't say. I would imagine they have all sorts of rules about releasing vehicles with known problems that we fortunately rarely hear about. Sorry about your ordeal. I would stand pretty firm about the payment deal. Good luck.

 

[Deezul1]

I replaced the instrument cluster on my 97 from a junkyard for $65. 00. I believe I would go down there with my extra key and drive it off as long as there was no money owing.

 

[SBozeman]

Can't find a used or refurbished cluster anywhere around here. I was Just curious Deezul1. How did you "burn in" the mileage into the used cluster?



As far as releasing the truck, all I owe is the $80. 00 fee to have them diagnose it. The truck is mine, not the banks or anyone else's. I have to wonder if it has to do with Washington State law. I know they are sensitive about odometer fraud in this state. I'll ask next time I speak with them.



I think I will also take this to arbitration with Chrysler. What can it hurt, they do have a record of it.



Thanks for all your input

 

[SBozeman]

Ok, called the dealer. They have to order the cluster through Chrysler and have the mileage programed in to the new cluster before it is shipped to the dealer. The dealer looks at it as odometer fraud if mileage is being accrued that won't show up on the odometer. So yeah I could go get the truck but I'm not so sure they would be willing to install the new cluster if I did.

 

[AggieJustin]

I had the same thing happen when my cluster was replaced. They said once they removed the cluster, they couldn't release the truck until the new cluster was in... . or that they reinstalled the old cluster and did not order a new one.



They said that the mileage is stored in the cluster and the in the computer. And since they order the new cluster pre-programmed with the new mileage the truck had to stay parked so the readings match. And that if it was ever found later that they didn't match (by a computer scan), that it could be construed as odometer fraud.



Now it seems that there should be some ways around this, but they wouldn't budge when I talked to them. BTW... hope you have better luck with delivery than I did. The cluster comes from Mexico, and I believe mine was delivered on horseback. It was about two weeks that I had to wait for it.

 

[Deezul1]

I just used it the way it was as the mileage was close to mine. The 97 is not a digital odometer, it has the little wheels.

 

[Badunit]

I don't know the laws in any particular states but it is only odometer fraud if you claim to have less miles than you actually have. It shouldn't matter what the odometer reads as long as you tell the truth when it comes time to get warranty work done or you want to sell it. If I recall, there is a box on a Virginia title that you check if the odometer does not reflect the true miles and a place to fill in the actual mileage. This harkens back to the days of mechanical odometers that didn't come "preprogrammed" with the current mileage when they were replaced.



It shouldn't be the repair shop's responsibility to police odometer fraud and they certainly shouldn't be able to hold your vehicle for any reason other than if you owe them money. If it was, you would think they would also be responsible for ensuring the odometer/speedometer is programmed for the exact tire size you have on your vehicle.

 

[SBozeman]

Good point badunit.



I was driving my wife's Durango the other day and noticed that we seem to be the slowest vehicle on the freeway eventhough the speedometer was indicating 5 over. I checked it against the mile markers and sure enough it is off. It's a 2001 SLT Plus that came with a different size tire than the plain jane model. I can't help but to think that speedo was not adjusted before leaving the factory for the different size tires.

 

[duaneparks]

Originally posted by SBozeman

Good point badunit.



I was driving my wife's Durango the other day and noticed that we seem to be the slowest vehicle on the freeway eventhough the speedometer was indicating 5 over. I checked it against the mile markers and sure enough it is off. It's a 2001 SLT Plus that came with a different size tire than the plain jane model. I can't help but to think that speedo was not adjusted before leaving the factory for the different size tires.

It sounds like your tires are bigger (?) than the ones on the plain jane models... if that's true, the opposite would happen in the highway.



Larger tires have larger circumferences, which slow down speedo's. When you were reading 5 over, you should have been going *faster* and not *slower* than your indicated speed. I have this scenario going on with my truck. Stock it had 265/75's and now it has 295/75's which seemed to throw mileage off by 7-10% on the low side. However, when I was running the smaller tires, the speedo and odo were off 10% on the high side anyway, so now they're actually right.



I wonder if that was done to shorten the warranty period (36K miles) on the truck? Corporate Greed.





Hope this helps.



Duane

 

[SBozeman]

The tires are larger. Maybe they made the adjustment too far the other way. It is reading slow.



Thanks for the info. Found these formulas on the web. I'll use them to figure out actual speed.



Instrument Error Formulas:

» Actual MPH = 3600 / seconds per mile

» Indicated Distance = odometer reading at finish - odometer reading at start

» Odometer Percent Error = difference between actual and indicated distances / actual distance x 100

» Speedometer Error Percent = difference between actual and indicated speed / actual speed x 100



Tire Size & Effect Formulas:

» Actual MPH = (New Tire Diameter / Old Tire Diameter) x Actual MPH

» Effective Ratio = (Old Tire Diameter / New Tire Diameter) x Original Ratio

» Gear Ratio = (RPM x Tire Diameter) / (MPH x 336)

» MPH = (RPM x Tire Diameter) / (Gear Ratio x 336)

» RPM = (MPH x Gear Ratio x 336) / Tire Diameter

» Tire Diameter = (MPH x Gear Ratio x 336) / RPM