dash cluster swap solved problems

[mmtphoto]

really weird, my 2007 XR with 196,000 miles has always had electrical issues, and I just got a new (used) cluster off ebay because the led's for the needles and the gas/temp gauge went out. Of course the mileage does not increase (my 'new' cluster says 43910 miles!) but all lights work now. What is really weird is now the menu buttons on the steering wheel work on the first press, with the old cluster installed, you had to repeatedly press to get the menu to advance or respond.

I'm going to look for a repair facility to fix my original cluster, if anyone has experience with an outfit please suggest one.

[imaddicted2u]

Originally Posted by mmtphoto

really weird, my 2007 XR with 196,000 miles has always had electrical issues, and I just got a new (used) cluster off ebay because the led's for the needles and the gas/temp gauge went out. Of course the mileage does not increase (my 'new' cluster says 43910 miles!) but all lights work now. What is really weird is now the menu buttons on the steering wheel work on the first press, with the old cluster installed, you had to repeatedly press to get the menu to advance or respond.

I'm going to look for a repair facility to fix my original cluster, if anyone has experience with an outfit please suggest one.

Found these in an old thread...I've read about Specmo being good in some old threads. They are all GM approved facilities, can't hurt to call them for a quote.
AER Technologies (AEL) , Brea, CA: (714) 871-7357 or (800) 321-6970
AJR International, Inc (AJC) , Elmhurst, IL: (630) 832-0222 or (800) 232-3965
Autocraft Electronics (AED) , Carrollton, TX: (972) 466-6200 or (800) 336-3998
Instrument Sales & Service, Inc (ISS) , Kent, WA: (253) 796-5400 or (800) 666-5469
Model Electronics, Inc (MES) , Spring Valley, NY: (201) 961-6200 or (800) 433-9657
Specmo Enterprises (SED) , Madison Heights, MI: (248) 307-2570 or (800) 545-7910
Techni-Car, Inc (TCT) , Oldsmar, FL: (813) 855-0022 or (800) 886-0022

Here is a new one for reference, check the option tag in the glove box for option U19 to ensure it's compatible:
https://www.gmpartsgiant.com/parts/g...89be601990848d

[onefunkar]

Interesting. On aura mileage generally reads the higher of old miles vs new miles. Normally would read the 196000 from bcm

[imaddicted2u]

Originally Posted by onefunkar

Interesting. On aura mileage generally reads the higher of old miles vs new miles. Normally would read the 196000 from bcm

I've lived this one. See my previous thread on it if you want.
When I bought my Aura the used car dealer had swapped in a cluster with a lower mileage on it and the odometer was not counting up. I had Onstar read the BCM stored mileage for me and it showed 196,774 kms actual miles on the car. The cluster the dealer had installed in the dash was stuck at 166,244 kms. This was the mileage stored in it from the Aura that cluster was VIN locked to. When the dealer finally produced the original cluster, I installed it in my dash and then it updated that odometer to the current mileage stored in the BCM at that moment because it recognized that it belonged to my Aura.
Based on my limited experience and research, my take is that a used Aura cluster will display the mileage from the the car it was VIN locked to.

[fdryer]

It may be that anti tampering laws against illegal odometer alterations are controlled at the chip level regardless of VIN. Since the bcm contains mileage and proven intact despite many stating they're electronic shop of choice can alter mileage on used bcms with none reporting actual success, I tend to think the chip on the instrument panel that increments the display is a simple count-up device and designed not to count down. The example of finding the original i/p plugged in and immediately displaying corrected mileage from the bcm when it was removed verifies this. The higher mileage i/p couldn't count down but I'm certain will count up when bcm mileage catches up to this i/p. Wait until the mileage accrues to match or exceeds the i/p mileage then plug it in.

Those shops approved for GM repairs to electronics can be asked mileage display questions with a straight forward answer. The lighting issue may be just a 5v/12v regulator chip failure.

[imaddicted2u]

Originally Posted by fdryer

It may be that anti tampering laws against illegal odometer alterations are controlled at the chip level regardless of VIN. Since the bcm contains mileage and proven intact despite many stating they're electronic shop of choice can alter mileage on used bcms with none reporting actual success, I tend to think the chip on the instrument panel that increments the display is a simple count-up device and designed not to count down. The example of finding the original i/p plugged in and immediately displaying corrected mileage from the bcm when it was removed verifies this. The higher mileage i/p couldn't count down but I'm certain will count up when bcm mileage catches up to this i/p. Wait until the mileage accrues to match or exceeds the i/p mileage then plug it in.

Actually the BCM and the Instrument panel odometer work together. When new, the cluster can be moved between vehicles and it reads the mileage stored in the BCM of the vehicle it is currently installed in. However, the instrument panel cluster becomes locked to the vehicle VIN after a certain number of ignition cycles. It draws the odometer reading from the BCM and is stored in the non-volatile memory in the Instrument cluster. In the event of a BCM failure, the new BCM receives the mileage from the cluster once the VIN is programmed in to the new BCM and it matches the VIN stored in the instrument cluster. The cluster itself does not "count" mileage, the BCM does that nowadays and passes that as digital data to the cluster. It will not begin to count up when the mileage catches up.
This was covered in an old thread by Greenman with info from GM.
http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/sho...5&postcount=23

[fdryer]

I have a scantool that I can use to see if IPCs require VIN info. I do not think this scantool clone has the same capability as a Tech II but I have found historical records, remotes can be programmed and access to abs, airbag and tcm error codes can be displayed. My generic OBD II reader does not have these capabilities.

[imaddicted2u]

Originally Posted by fdryer

I have a scantool that I can use to see if IPCs require VIN info. I do not think this scantool clone has the same capability as a Tech II but I have found historical records, remotes can be programmed and access to abs, airbag and tcm error codes can be displayed. My generic OBD II reader does not have these capabilities.

I can't speak for instrument clusters on other models or brands but once an Aura cluster is locked to the VIN of the vehicle it is installed in, a Tech II or other scantool cannot re-write or clone another VIN into that cluster.

What model scantool do you have? Mine reads data from every module but can't do any write functions. If yours can program Aura remotes, I'd like to be able to do that. The dealer messed mine up, I had paid to add one but he erased them all and now want to charge me again to fix what he broke.

[mmtphoto]

Originally Posted by imaddicted2u

Found these in an old thread...I've read about Specmo being good in some old threads. They are all GM approved facilities, can't hurt to call them for a quote.
AER Technologies (AEL) , Brea, CA: (714) 871-7357 or (800) 321-6970
AJR International, Inc (AJC) , Elmhurst, IL: (630) 832-0222 or (800) 232-3965
Autocraft Electronics (AED) , Carrollton, TX: (972) 466-6200 or (800) 336-3998
Instrument Sales & Service, Inc (ISS) , Kent, WA: (253) 796-5400 or (800) 666-5469
Model Electronics, Inc (MES) , Spring Valley, NY: (201) 961-6200 or (800) 433-9657
Specmo Enterprises (SED) , Madison Heights, MI: (248) 307-2570 or (800) 545-7910
Techni-Car, Inc (TCT) , Oldsmar, FL: (813) 855-0022 or (800) 886-0022

Here is a new one for reference, check the option tag in the glove box for option U19 to ensure it's compatible:
https://www.gmpartsgiant.com/parts/g...89be601990848d

Thanks for all this information, I'm going to get an idea on repairs to my original cluster, but in the mean time my new/used cluster that is frozen on 43,910 is lit up and is a pleasure to view after looking at one gauge pod out and needles not illuminated PLUS now the menu buttons work as they should, first time, every time. I'm hoping the correlation is apparent to whoever I send it to so that everything works including the menu button on the steering wheel. Car still looks and runs great, and although I have a bunch of drivers this is one of my favorite cars of all time, 50+ years of car ownership it's decent on gas, is quick and handles great and has been very dependable. The XR was a sleeper and still gets comments (mostly like 'this is a Saturn?") Everything still works, body, paint and interior are still like new, the brown leather is still nice-not bad for a 13 year old car with almost 200,000 miles. No leaks, does not burn oil. trans must have had work done at some point since it shifts positively and smoothly. Because of the mileage I doubt I could get $3000 for it but I doubt I could replace it with anything as nice for twice as much.

[onefunkar]

I had a black 07 Xr I bought in 2006. It was an amazing car. And fast. Built at a time when gm was making Saturn to be a high level car like buick and Cadillac.