HOW TO: Replace dead instrument cluster lights

[BluPhant]

As with any electric/electronic project involving ANY car, please remember to disconnect your negative battery terminal prior to starting.

A quick look in the service manual gives us instructions about how to replace lights in your dash. They are incandescnet lights and should be available at your Jeep dealer.

The p/n for the lights:04839738AA Cluster has 9 of these bulbs in total.

CLUSTER BEZEL REMOVAL
(1) Remove the drives side trim bezels.





(1A) Remove the A pillar cover



(2) Remove the instrument panel top cover.(lift the left side only to acces cluster screw)



(3) Remove the seven screws and remove the cluster bezel.






There is a piece of plastic covering this hole for some reason, take of fusebox lid and door seal to take it out / fit it back the right way.










CLUSTER REMOVAL
(1) Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable.
(2) Remove the cluster bezel from the instrument panel.
(BP: See above)

(3) Remove the four screws that secure the instrument cluster to the instrument panel (Fig. 3).








(4) Pull the instrument cluster rearward far enough to access and disconnect the instrument panel wire harness connector for the cluster from the cluster connector receptacle.



(5) Remove the instrument cluster from the instrument panel.

CLUSTER BULB
This procedure applies to each of the incandescent cluster illumination lamp and bulb holder units.
(1) Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable.
(2) Remove the instrument cluster from the instrument panel.
(BP: See above)
(3) Turn the bulb holder counterclockwise about sixty degrees on the cluster electronic circuit board (Fig. 4).






To reassemble, follow directions in reverse!

-Blu

Pics and some extra info added - Tonycrd

[wildhighlander]

I followed all of the steps (including disconnecting battery.) All of the little idiot lights are still working fine- the gauges all flat-lined. What is the secret to plugging this thing back into the harness? Do I need to get a shop to reset the computer? My odometer is still working, so I'm guessing no information got wiped out. What did I miss? Feel free to point out any stupid detail I overlooked- would like to fix it myself, but if I have to take it to a shop I will take my lumps. Any assistance would be appreciated

(it's great to see the dashboard lit up again, but I would rather have functioning gauges- at least the gps shows my approx speed)

[BluPhant]

Hey-

You should be able to just reconnect and be fine. Here's instructions on how to test the instrument cluster... let us know how it goes, I'll see if I can dig up anything else. I assume you checked the connection on the back of the bezel, that would be my first guess. If this test passes, you may have a lil project on your hands. It could be as simple as a fuse somewheres tho.........

-Blu

The instrument cluster actuator test will put the
instrument cluster into its self-diagnostic mode. In
this mode the instrument cluster can perform a selfdiagnostic
test that will confirm that the instrument
cluster circuitry, the gauges, the PCI data bus message
controlled indicator lamps, and the chime tone
generator are capable of operating as designed. During
the actuator test the instrument cluster circuitry
will sound the chime tone generator, position each of
the gauge needles at various specified calibration
points, illuminate each of the segments in the Vacuum-
Fluorescent Display (VFD), and turn all of the
PCI data bus message-controlled indicators on and
off again.
Successful completion of the actuator test will confirm
that the instrument cluster is operational. However,
there may still be a problem with the PCI data
bus, the Powertrain Control Module (PCM), the Airbag
Control Module (ACM), the Sentry Key Immobilizer
Module (SKIM), or the inputs to one of these
electronic control modules. Use a DRBIIIt scan tool
to diagnose these components. Refer to the appropriate
diagnostic information.
(1) Begin the test with the ignition switch in the
Off position.
(2) Depress the odometer/trip odometer switch button.
(3) While still holding the odometer/trip odometer
switch button depressed, turn the ignition switch to
the On position, but do not start the engine.
(4) Release the odometer/trip odometer switch button.
(5) The instrument cluster will automatically
begin the actuator test sequence, as follows:
(a) The cluster will turn on, then off again each
of the PCI data bus message controlled indicators
to confirm the functionality of the indicator and
the cluster control circuitry:
(b) The cluster will sweep the needles for each of
the gauges to several calibration points in sequence
to confirm the functionality of the gauge and the
cluster control circuitry:
(c) The cluster will sequentially step the odometer/
trip odometer VFD display from all ones
(111111) through all nines (999999) to confirm the
functionality of all VFD segments and their control
circuitry, then display the software version number.
(d) The cluster will generate five (5) chime tones
to confirm the functionality of the chime tone generator
and the chime control circuitry.
(6) The actuator test is now completed. The instrument
cluster will automatically exit the self-diagnostic
mode and return to normal operation at the
completion of the test, if the ignition switch is turned
to the Off position during the test, or if an engine
rpm message indicating that the engine is running is
received from the PCM over the PCI data bus during
the test.
(7) Go back to Step 1 to repeat the test, if
required.

[wildhighlander]

Ran the test twice. Everything checked out. Got the tones at the conclusion- but the needles never moved. Looks like I have a project on my hands. Already did some checking and I can pick up an '02 cluster for under 20 bucks.

Thanks for responding with the test info.

[BluPhant]

Good luck with it, let us know how it goes. Hopefully the new cluster will help out. I don't even know if this would help, but I can't see it hurting-- you might want to go through and check your fuses, make sure nothings blown. If you want I could go thru the schematics and see which would be affected, if any.... I just cant reconcile how both of your needles could be dysfunctional given what you did, and I'm wondering if the problem might be upstream from the gages.

In any case, let us know what you're doing and how it works out.

-=\Blu/=-

[wildhighlander]

I got the problem fixed- FINALLY. At the risk of sounding like a dumb@$$, it was entirely my fault. No, I didn't blow any fuses. Worse, when I replaced the needles, apparently I pressed them on a bit too firmly. I shouldn't use the word "apparently"... change that to obviously. There wasn't anything mechanically or electronically wrong with the gauges. I have to chalk this one up to a brainfart on the part of the "mechanic."

THANKS again for all of your help.

[myakubis]

Thanks for the forum, hope it isn't too inactive. BTW I recomend the Haynes manual for everyone. Anyways, I have had no help with forums about installing EL glow gauges, so I am going to do an install hopefully this week on my Liberty and I was wondering if anyone knew how to access the headlight wiring (from the fusebox or switch) to either solder or splice the wires to. Wish me luck and I plan on posting my own forum to help anybody else planning a DIY gauge job. Thanks for all the help!

-YAK

[BluPhant]

heres a snippit from the wiring diagrams in the service manual. Not sure exactly what wire you're looking for (parking light switched or the one controlled by the dimmer?)

[myakubis]

Thanks. I decided that since the on/off switch for the gauge face would react with the multi-function switch, I would just pull off the radio/AC bezel and tap into the 12v outlet. Installation was quick and relatively simple. Thanks for all the help!!!

[BluPhant]