Another EVIC install post, I know there are numerous posts for installing or upgrading an EVIC into the late-model 3rd Gen dodges, I've read most of them while doing my research. Anyway I wanted to include my findings in the process without hijacking someone else's thread.

I have a 2008 Ram 2500 ST TRX4 4x4 Hemi with the G56 Transmission. It did NOT come with any type of overhead console at all. I pulled the headliner down, and the wires aren't even there for it. Later on I found that in the A-pillar on the driver's side behind the beauty plastic, there is a plug and only 1/2 the pins are populated and go up to my Clearance lights. I don't even have the lights in the visors. Anyway in that plug there are CANbus connections so you don't have to crawl all the way up underneath your dash and dig for wires.

I bought a 56046107AA EVIC and entire overhead console out of an '07 Aspen at the junk yard for $20 I figured for that price I could just hook it up and see what happens. Like every other post says "DO NOT FORGET THE CONNECTOR, and some wire." below is the pinout for the 6-pin connector of which only 4 are used:

Pin2: Red - 12V+ (Not ignition switched, just 12V constant)
Pin3: White/Yellow CAN-high (the tracer might be orange, mine was hard to tell)
Pin4: White solid CAN-low
Pin5: Black GND

If you get the whole console like I did, the lights have 3 wires as below:
Red: Courtesy lights (12V applied when you open the door to turn them on)
White: 12V+ (So they turn on when you push them)
Black: GND

Back to hooking up the EVIC, you want to find the White with Yellow tracer in that plug on the driver side pillar also the solid white wire. The White/Orange is the Interrior CANbus high and the solid white is CANbus low. The Grey with Red tracer is a 12V+ fused connection, I can't remember if there was a solid black or black with a white tracer Ground wire in there or not, but I figure you should be able to find some sort of ground. Also the Courtesy wire I haven't spent a lot of time looking for yet but I will post back if I figure out a good place to tap that into.

After hooking up those wires, you should be set to turn it all on and see if it works. Mine worked fine, doing the RESET + STEP buttons Self Test passed. I got messages about open doors, and was able to see the temperature readout and a compass direction after closing the doors, however I couldn't get any of the buttons to do anything. I couldn't step through the menus or anything so I'm not sure what is going on with that. Maybe its because my truck didn't originally have an overhead console, but I'll look into that another time.

It said Dodge when it booted up despite being out of an Aspen so something must be connected and programmed correctly. Below are a few interior features I do have because there were some mentions of needing specific features for it to work.

What I DO NOT have:
- Any Overhead console whatsoever
- No wires ran to where it should have been.
- Upgraded Sound System
- Laramie (my truck is an ST)
- Power or heated seats
- Radio Controls on Steering wheel
- Automatic Lights
- Automatic Shift Transfer Case
- Automatic Transmission

What I DO have:
- Cruise Control
- Fog Lights
- Cargo Light
- Power Windows
- Power Locks
- Tap to pass blinkers
- Original stock XM Radio
- Functional TPMS (Can't switch modes on the EVIC so I'm unsure if it sees the system)

Picture Proof:



EVIC Console Working




EVIC Console Model Number




Wiring Diagram

I hope this helps anyone still interested in adding an EVIC to their CANbus Dodge. I'm going to start cutting the headliner tonight to finish the install...this part I'm terrified of...

EDIT: The CANbus wires in the OBDII connection will NOT work! It is not only the wrong bus speed, but also not attached to the interrior CANbus. Don't bother trying it, it wont work.

 

Last night I finally cut a hole in my headliner and mounted the EVIC console up. Its REALLY nice having the extra lights up there, really glad I hooked up that courtesy light wire. All Connections were able to be made in the A-pillar on the driver's side.

Blue/Yellow - Courtesy light wire
Grey/Red - 12V+ fused Positive
Black - GND
White/Orange - CANbus high
White - CANbus Low

After getting everything hooked up, my EVIC still passes self test, however the Compass stays on North. Anyone have any ideas? Wouldn't' be surprised if my computer would just need to be flashed. I wonder if I could get a body control module out of a more feature-rich model, or if I could get a dealer to re-flash the computer.

Either way, none of the buttons do anything other than when I hold them for the self test, the compass doesn't work (probably the thing I'm most disappointed about not getting) and only the menu and step buttons light up when I turn the lights on. The outdoor temperature works though, and it displays the same thing my dash outdoor temp shows, so thats nice, and it also tells me which of the 4 doors is open when I open the door, so I know the CANbus link is working. Maybe I'm just missing something to get the compass working; that I would like to have, or maybe I should try another model EVIC, I'll be taking a look around at the junkyard in the near future for one.

In the end the fact that it turns on and linked up to my CANbus plus having the additional interior lights made it worth it. I'll post more pictures when I get it mounted a little better, its hanging from the headliner at the moment because I didn't get the mounting bracket for it so it doesn't look totally factory yet
.

 

After reading the service manual for the Durango, I found out that all of the 2nd gen Durangos have CANbus, so I went to the junk yard where I knew there was an 04 durango and I picked up an OTIS console, I figured it was worth another $20 to give it a try, and I also made sure to grab the plastic ring that goes with it from the Durango so I could put it in my truck instead of trying to wedge it up in the headliner like I did before. I plugged it in (CANbus so the connector is the same) and turned the Key on, and I saw the distance to empty information, I hit the step button and it worked. I rotated it around and saw the compass was working in this one as well unlike the EVIC module I had. I guess either the '07 Aspen CANbus EVIC is not compatible with my truck, or my computer in my ST TRX4 is too base-model to run the EVIC. Either way I got what I wanted (the compass and temp readout) I don't need to set anything through the EVIC I just thought since I have the TPMS sensors it would be neat to see the readout.

In the end I used the console out of the Aspen because it has the brighter white LED lights instead of the old yellow ones, it brightens up the front of the vehicle a lot. The Durango wiring harness didn't match the one in my truck so I decided to just cut off about 8" of the wires going to the OTIS module and leave the rest, and use the harness I made previously.

The OTIS module I used: 56049089AF
EVIC module that didn't work: 56046107AA
Another OTIS module I tested and it worked the same as the other one: 56049089AG (not surprising the only difference is the revision number.)

What works:
Outdoor temperature
Compass (Drove around the block a couple times and it calibrated itself unlike the EVIC that stayed on North)
Average MPG (I can't reset it, but it does update)
Trip Odometer (Also can't reset it, but does update)
Timer (I can reset this, so I know the reset button itself is working)
Homelink, I have rolling codes on my door opener tho so it requires extra setup.

Whats not working:
Reset button for Avg MPG and Trip ODO

In the end it was totally worth it, I hated not having that display. The hardest part was cutting the headliner because I was terrified to do so, holding it up is a real pain without the mount so make sure you get that out of your donor vehicle if your truck didn't have a HUD to begin with.

Finally some Pictures; sorry about the poor quality...but in reality does any DIY job finish during daylight hours?




Overhead console with lights out of an '07 aspen. It also has the rear lift-gate switch. I haven't decided what to use that for yet, but I'll find something to control with it.




The two buttons on the left really are there, the bulb was just burned out when I took this picture, I grabbed a bulb out of the other unit and put it in, but forgot to take a pictures after. All lights work on it now.




OTIS module that I ended up using.

I hope these posts help someone, and please post any additional information you find about the OTIS/EVIC modules if you decide to add one to your truck. Also thanks to everyone that posted their experiences on other threads on dodgeforum I think this site was the single most useful resource in all the research I did.

 

great post