DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER
WARNING: To avoid personal injury or death, on vehicles equipped with airbags, disable the supplemental
restraint system before attempting any steering wheel, steering column, airbag, seat belt tensioner, impact
sensor, or instrument panel component diagnosis or service. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative
(ground) cable, then wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before performing further diag-
nosis or service. This is the only sure way to disable the supplemental restraint system. Failure to take the
proper precautions could result in accidental airbag deployment.
If all of the instrument cluster gauges and indicators are inoperative, be certain to check the instrument cluster fused
B(+) fuse and the instrument cluster fused B(+) and ground circuits for shorts or opens. Refer to the appropriate
wiring information. The wiring information includes wiring diagrams, proper wire and connector repair procedures,
details of wire harness routing and retention, connector pin-out information and location views for the various wire
harness connectors, splices and grounds.
If an individual hard wired gauge or indicator is inoperative, refer to the diagnosis and testing service information for
that specific gauge or indicator. If an individual Programmable Communications Interface (PCI) data bus message-
controlled gauge or indicator is inoperative, perform the Actuator Test as follows:
CAUTION: Instrument clusters used in this model automatically configure themselves for compatibility with
the features and optional equipment in the vehicle in which they are initially installed. The instrument clus-
ter is programmed to do this by embedding the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and other information
critical to proper cluster operation into electronic memory. This embedded information is learned through
electronic messages received from other electronic modules in the vehicle over the Programmable Commu-
nications Interface (PCI) data bus, and through certain hard wired inputs received when the cluster is con-
nected to the vehicle electrically. Once configured, the instrument cluster memory may be irreparably
damaged and certain irreversible configuration errors may occur if the cluster is connected electrically to
another vehicle; or, if an electronic module from another vehicle is connected that provides data to the
instrument cluster (including odometer values) that conflicts with that which was previously learned and
stored. Therefore, the practice of exchanging (swapping) instrument clusters and other electronic modules
in this vehicle with those removed from another vehicle must always be avoided. Failure to observe this
caution may result in instrument cluster damage, which is not reimbursable under the terms of the product
warranty. Service replacement instrument clusters are provided with the correct VIN, and the certified odom-
eter and engine hours values embedded into cluster memory, but will otherwise be automatically configured
for compatibility with the features and optional equipment in the vehicle in which they are initially installed.
NOTE: Certain indicators in this instrument cluster are automatically configured. This feature allows those
indicators to be activated or deactivated for compatibility with certain optional equipment. If the problem
being diagnosed involves improper illumination of the cruise indicator, the electronic throttle control indi-
cator, the tow/haul indicator, the service four-wheel drive indicator, the transmission overtemp indicator, the
upshift indicator, the security indicator or the gear selector indicator, disconnect and isolate the battery
negative cable. After about five minutes, reconnect the battery negative cable and turn the ignition switch to
the On position. The instrument cluster should automatically relearn the equipment in the vehicle and prop-
erly configure the configurable indicators accordingly.
ACTUATOR TEST
The instrument cluster actuator test will put the instrument cluster into its self-diagnostic mode. In this mode the
instrument cluster can perform a self-diagnostic test that will confirm that the instrument cluster circuitry, the gauges,
and the indicators are capable of operating as designed. During the actuator test the instrument cluster circuitry will
position each of the gauge needles at various calibration points, illuminate all of the segments in the Vacuum Flu-
orescent Display (VFD) units, turn all of the indicators on and off again, display any Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC)
information, and display the number of ignition key cycles that have occurred since the DTC was detected. It is
suggested that a note pad and pencil be used to write down any fault information that is displayed during the test
for reference.
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INSTRUMENT CLUSTER -SERVICE INFORMATION
DR/DH