How to: Test 03-06 Gauge Cluster out of vehicle??

[mattt]

Has anyone figured out a way to bench test an instrument gauge cluster from an 03-06 outside the vehicle? What I'm looking to do is power it up, see the mileage, make sure gauges all work, everything zero's out, & check backlights.

I recently picked up a 7 gauge cluster from an 03 Yukon 2500 for my 04 Tahoe Z71. I found it in a local pick your part, so I was unable to power it up in the original vehicle. I do have about 8" of the wire harness w/ plug too, & hoping it can be bench tested powered up. Anything else different about the 2500 cluster? The Yukon is more or less complete still if you're looking for anything. 8.1 truck.

Reading the sticky thread at the top of this section, it shows the different types of clusters, except the pic link for 03-06 Denali must be a dead link???
http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48567&highlight=denali+cluster

What does a Denali cluster look like? The one I have out of the Yukon 2500 looks the same as my stock cluster, only with the addition of a trans temp. Orange needles. I've searched the net and found what might be 03-06 Denali cluster pics. The ones I saw look the same as what I have, only difference is they have white needles? Is that the only difference?

Anyway, hoping there is a procedure to test this thing out before installing it. I'm even considering just swapping the overlay and adding stepper motor to my existing cluster so I don't have to deal with incorrect mileage when doing a total cluster swap. In reading other threads, I'm not too sure if that will work though....

I'll add a pic of the cluster I picked up.

 

[mattt]

Still looking for the test procedure, if it's out there. If/when I find it, I'll post up here.

Anyone have a pic of an 03-06 Denali instrument cluster they can post up?

The one in the sticky thread does not show.

 

[DirtyBlackHoe]

This is a 03-06 Denali Cluster

 

[mattt]

Thank you for posting the pic and confirming what the Denali looks like. That is the one I was seeing online in searches, but I also saw a different variant on that one so I was not sure.

Question: Is the background, gauge surround area grey as it appears in the pic I see, or is it just black like the stock gauge cluster? I see the white needles being different too. Anything else I'm missing.

Attached is a pic of the 03 Yukon 2500 cluster. Looks a lot like the Denali but with standard orange needles. Sorry for the bad pic with reflections, glare, etc. Best I could do right now.

 

[DirtyBlackHoe]

The Denali cluster is the gray surround, different back lighting, and white needles...that's the only difference between to 2500 cluster you posted.

 

[mattt]

Thanks for the clarification. Back lighting is a different color as well, huh? I might have to look into that and see about changing this one to resemble the Denali. I like the white needles.

I'm kind of surprised no one has the procedure for powering this up outside a vehicle? I figured that would be available on the net or here on this forum. I'll keep looking and report back if I find the procedure.

 

[mattt]

I have not installed this cluster yet, trying to decide on getting it programmed or not. I used to have a local, 2 miles away, speedo shop Prospeedo that could do the programming, but he moved back to Canada. Does anyone have a suggestion on someone good and reasonable who can program this to my vehicle. I've heard for it to be 100% correct, my VIN and mileage(obviously) need to be added into this cluster I picked up. My only reason for wanting this cluster is the trans temp gauge. If I could add that to my existing cluster, I'd go that route. The guy at Prospeedo also thinks the trans temp will not work unless "turned on" in my vehicle's programming or something to that effect.

What is the concensus here....run it as is, or have it programmed to my vehicle? Or, something else....I'm all ears.

 

[select127]

trans temp will work with your truck. i got a 04 tahoe without the trans temp and replaced the cluster with one out of a 03 Escalade. everything worked.

5-10 minutes of your day and you can swap the clusters to test it out in your truck. all you need is a 7mm nut driver or socket/ratchet. 4 screws after you pull the bezel.

 

[mattt]

Thanks for the info on the swap. Yeah, I've considered just putting it in, at least to test it, but the whole programming the VIN and mileage thing has me concerned. How did you deal with the VIN and mileage not matching?

Supposedly there is a problem when the VIN does not match between vehicle and cluster. I guess it's something that shows up when a dealer plugs in. I would prefer it to be all correct.

Anyone ever swapped in a stepper motor and new cluster overlay to their existing vehicle cluster instead of swapping the complete cluster?

 

[select127]

I actually pulled it out since i haven't really looked into reprogramming it. swapped them just for testing, drove 15 miles and made sure everything worked. the only problem i had was the service brake booster message came up, but ill deal with that later on.

 

[mattt]

In searching this topic, I found the answer to my first question....how to test this OUT OF A VEHICLE. Post 8 in this thread shows what wires to power up and ground to activate the cluster.

http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24215

 

[mattt]

This thread has an excellent write up on adding a trans temp to your existing cluster.

http://z71tahoe-suburban.com/iboard/...howtopic=19909

I'm most likely going down this road as I don't want to change complete clusters. The Yukon 2500 cluster I bought has a few burned out bulbs, but all 7 gauges work correctly. My existing cluster has all good gauges and bulbs, so it may be easiest to just add a motor and overlay to my existing. It appears in the thread above that the jury is still out whether the trans temp will register on the cluster without being "turned on" in the cluster programming. I was hoping to spot a pattern like, 03-04 works, or 05-06 needs turned on, but in the 7 page thread above, it's all over the place. Some 04's work, some don't. All OBD2 vehicles already have the trans temp sending unit as the engine ECU monitors trans temp.

 

[southboundchicken]

Just wondering if it may be an added option to the truck that would allow the gauge to work as opposed to those that wont like tow pkg, LT/LS, 5.3/4.8,etc......

 

[mattt]

I'm hoping someone figures out the pattern, but who knows, it could be totally random too. What batch of cluster boards or chips were they using that day.....

 

[mattt]

I might have made a little head way on why some '04's work and others don't. I was talking to a local cluster repair shop today and the guy told me....all '03's work by just adding the stepper motor and overlay....about 50% of '04's work......and none of the 05-06's work with just the addition of the stepper and overlay. I asked further if there was a way to figure which '04's would work and he had an answer, not definitive though. In his experience, early 04 builds will work with the addition of a stepper and later in the model year 04's will not. He arbitrarily chose a June build date as the cut off, but no one really knows where that break is. So, if you have an early 04 build, you are probably in luck, like my 06/03 build date. If you have a late 04 build, you are probably out of luck with the easy add for trans temp gauge.

Side note.....I was very surprised to see 06/03 for build date on my 04 Tahoe. I checked the Carfax report I have and it shows first sold 11/03 date. Still shocking to see 04 year model built in mid 03, given that it wasn't a new model, early release. Anyone know what the production time frame is for 2004 Tahoe's, or any other general rule of thumb for production dates vs. model year?

 

[samuelsnj]

Has anyone figured out a way to bench test an instrument gauge cluster from an 03-06 outside the vehicle? What I'm looking to do is power it up, see the mileage, make sure gauges all work, everything zero's out, & check backlights.

I recently picked up a 7 gauge cluster from an 03 Yukon 2500 for my 04 Tahoe Z71. I found it in a local pick your part, so I was unable to power it up in the original vehicle. I do have about 8" of the wire harness w/ plug too, & hoping it can be bench tested powered up. Anything else different about the 2500 cluster? The Yukon is more or less complete still if you're looking for anything. 8.1 truck.

Reading the sticky thread at the top of this section, it shows the different types of clusters, except the pic link for 03-06 Denali must be a dead link???
http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48567&highlight=denali+cluster

What does a Denali cluster look like? The one I have out of the Yukon 2500 looks the same as my stock cluster, only with the addition of a trans temp. Orange needles. I've searched the net and found what might be 03-06 Denali cluster pics. The ones I saw look the same as what I have, only difference is they have white needles? Is that the only difference?

Anyway, hoping there is a procedure to test this thing out before installing it. I'm even considering just swapping the overlay and adding stepper motor to my existing cluster so I don't have to deal with incorrect mileage when doing a total cluster swap. In reading other threads, I'm not too sure if that will work though....

I'll add a pic of the cluster I picked up.

Here is a home made tester 12 volt. You can power the unit up, turn the flashers on, and turn on the back lights. It is for GM 2003 to 2006. But you can look up the wiring for your Tahoe to build your tester.

 

[samuelsnj]

here is a simple tester build