well i bought a cluster for what appears to be for an '01 dodge ram which I have, but for some reason I have a diesel cluster in my 5.2L v8 ram. So i want to switch it out this weekend and want to know if there is any tricks to doing the install or anything special I need to know going into the install. Do I just plug it in and that is it? Do I need to disconnect the battery? What is the wire in the bottom left hand corner of the cluster? I bought the cluster off of ebay and there is a wire that has been cut and want to know what it is for and best way to reconnect. Thanks!!

 

As far as the wires go they just plug in. Well actually they are stationary and the cluster plugs into them. The wire on the right I believe is what controls the gear indicator(i.e. P RND21) I just put an inlay into my cluster so I did not have to remove it all the way, so I am not sure how to unattatch that wire. SORRY![&:]

 

Not sure if its the same on the 01s or not but,

Haynes manual for my 96 said disconnect the shift wire. What it didnt say was you had to back off the white plastic screw ontop of the steering column from the left side to have the slack to release the wire from the hook on the right side. I had to disconnect my steering column from the dash as well (rested it on upside down shorty helmut) to get the full gauge cluster out. Big hands its hard to get behind the cluster to disconnect the connectors due to short wires from the harness.

 

If you pull on the wire just enough to get some slack near the column you then lift the tab & turn it. The shift indicator wire becomes free from the column after that. When you pull the cluster out guide the wire through the dash so it doesn't catch.