Hello everyone, was wonderin if anyone could help me out with an issue. My dads truck, 1999 2500 5.9 V8, is a base model with the giant fuel gauge. Was at the junkyard the other day and picked up a cluster from a 2001 Ram 1500 5.9 V8 with a tach. I switched the clusters and all the gauges/lights work great, however, the odometer reads the mileage, then says "no bus" and the CEL comes on. I put the scanner on it and no codes showed up and before I switched them no CEL was on the old one. Also the truck has 240XXX miles on it and the "new" cluster has 199XXX miles on it, which isnt a huge deal to me because the truck will never be sold.
Has anyone ever dealt with this before? I took apart the old cluster and there doesn't look like a way to switch out the odometer portion. Would appreciate any help, thanks!

 

need to go to the dealer to input the info into the new cluster i believe.....

 

Does anyone know if the cluster has to match the VIN or something? I know the dealer cannot change the mileage, but perhaps change the VIN on the cluster to match the PCM? I might be wrong but I'm thinking maybe thats whats causing the no bus and CEL. Unless there are any wiring differences at all between the 99 and the 01 that could cause that? Like I said all other gauges and lights are good.

 

The previous post explains waht nees to be done. The PCM does not recognize the cluster. Have it flashed (software updated) to match.

 

Thanks guys. Just wondering, do you know how they flash it? As in can they do it through the pcm or do you have to send in the cluster?

 

Drive it to a dealer. They have a computer they plug in OBD port.

 

Alright, thanks again. Except for that whole rigaramole, pretty simple upgrade for the truck. I took it out for a test drive and its nice to have a tach

 

Wish I could do this on my 96

 

If the flash solves the problem.....

Hopefully it will.

Just in case, some 99's did come with the tach. I suppose it is the trim option that determines that.

 

I've heard the swap works on some 94-97s and others dont, i dont know if its year specific or not. Wouldn't have to worry about the odometer saying "no bus" on yours atleast, lol

Right, my black 99 has the tach. I guess if they cant do anything (for a reasonable price) its a decision between having a functional odometer or a tach, lol I'll talk to the dealer today and let ya know what happens in case anyone else out there attempts this in the future.

UPDATE: I talked to the dealer today and he said there is nothing he thought they could do, he was sayin there is a discrepancy betwwen the PCM of a 99 and one of a 01, and that I would have a better bet of everything working as usual with a 99 cluster. Don't know if thats true or not but thats what i got

UPDATE (again): I got a cluster out of a 99 Dakota and works flawlessly. Only issue is the mileage is off, but nothin you can do with that I guess. Only other difference is 4x4 light now says "4x4 Part-Time" when 4x4 is engaged.