Lonestar so how much did this whole thing cost u

 

yea thats what Im wondering. HOW MUCH

 

I'm still traveling and working on the docs, hope to finish up this weekend. One note: I have a 2007 Ram. 2006-08 use different electronics than the 2002-2005 years, so don't rush out and buy the wrong one like I did.

 

The one that works was less than $50 including the shipping, but that doesn't include the $$$ I spent for the first one that was the wrong type. I am hopeful I can recover the cost for that one. It is for the 2002-2005 Rams, and has the PSI feature, so I think I can move it.

 

This may be a stupid question but anyhow. How do you know what you have now and what upgrade/upgrades are available with the current wiring? I have a 2006 1500 Ram SLT Big Horn edition. The overhead console I have only has four buttons step and c/t are the two buttons on the right and us/m and reset on the left. It does not have the six little dots in the middle.

 

I'm also very interested in pics and a part number, as I want to replace my OTIS console in my '08 SLT Lonestar with an EVIC w/TPMS. Don't care about the homelink really, but it would be nice I suppose.

 

Too many projects, this one only took a year. I already had an overhead information center, so I am not going to talk about installing one where one did not exist before. There are other threads here for that. I am talking about upgrading an existing OTIS to an EVIC. THIS PICTURE is my old Otis in my ’07 Ram,. I started out just wanting to add the Homelink features, but decided to go directly to the EVIC for the added features. Turns out it didn’t cost any more (if you don’t count the first one I bought which was the wrong type).

First some terminology –
OTIS = Overhead Travel Information System. The OTIS provides trip-type information like MPG, Distance to Empty (DTE), Elapsed Time (ET), and Trip Odometer. It also has a compass and external temperature sensor. An enhanced version includes 3 buttons for Homelink (garage door openers).

EVIC = Electronic Vehicle Information Center. The EVIC provides the same trip-type information, compass, and temperature, and Homelink. It also displays status messages such as Low Fuel, Door Ajar, and System OK. Also, the menus and buttons can be used to change certain features relative to the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE), things like:

-Beep the horn when locking
-Flash the lights when locking
-Pressing once unlocks all doors, or just the driver’s door
-Headlights on with unlock, timed or OFF
-Power Delay after engine off, timed or OFF
-Headlight Delay after switch off

In addition to the 2 different kinds of modules, 3rd gen Rams use two different kinds of buses: PCI (also called J1850) and CAN. While OTIS and EVIC are mechanically interchangeable (4 screws hold it in the housing), modules with different kinds of buses are NOT electrically interchangeable. The connector pinout looks like this:



If you get a console with the wrong bus for your truck, it probably will not even power on. In my case, the first module I bought was from a ’04 Chrysler 300M, which I later learned has a PCI bus. When I connected it, it had no display, I got a check engine light, and the engine wouldn’t even turn over. Knowing now about the connector pin out, I’m guessing the different pin outs killed the CAN bus. Thank goodness it was only temporary. When I unplugged the unit, all was well.

Looking at the bus chart on THIS PAGE was helpful in understanding the issue. When I saw this, I realized I needed a CAN bus unit for my ’07 Ram. It also confirms why the unit from the 300M did not work, since it is PCI bus.

Here is a chart that I put together for some of the combinations:



Notes:
-Beginning with model year 2008, all vehicles sold in the US were required to use CAN bus. Our 2006-07 Rams were ahead of the curve.
-All part numbers are for the electronics module, NOT for the console assembly.
-The last letter of the part numbers is for versioning, and can be different.
-I believe all EVICs have Homelink.
-PSI = tire pressure monitoring.

I dug around on eBay for a couple of weeks, and an EVIC from an ‘07 Aspen came up, cheap ($45 with shipping). The Aspen was not on the bus chart, but I found a manual online that confirmed that the ‘07 Aspen uses CAN bus. So I bought it, plugged it in, re-calibrated the compass, and it works perfectly. Keep in mind I was focused on the electronics module - it did not matter whether the console housing would fit or was the right color. This made it a LOT easier to find something that would work. If you shop on eBay, beware. Many of the sellers don’t have a clue. I see ads for consoles that say they fit 02-08 Rams. Ain’t gonna happen – it may fit mechanically, but it will work in either 02-05 or 06-08, but not both because of the bus difference. Ask the seller SPECIFICALLY what it came out of, or get the MOPAR number and look it up.

Here is a picture of the EVIC module I used. Notice the holes for mounting. The 2 at the top are used for all modules. The 2 on the tabs at the bottom are used with EVIC modules. There is another set of 2 holes along the centerline that are used for the OTIS. All the console housings I have seen have the posts for all 6 screws.



More pictures showing the different messages can be seen HERE.

One interesting note – the owner’s manual for the ‘07 Aspen describes many more features on its EVIC that are not available for my Ram. For example, the Aspen EVIC will also display ‘power tailgate’. I have to conclude that the EVIC is nothing more than a display and control device, and that all the data is stored and managed elsewhere on the CAN bus. So, the EVIC will display information that is available for the vehicle in which it is installed – you won’t have selections for options you don’t have.

Another thing – I started with the REC Nav unit, and now have the RER Nav. In both cases, if I change the language on the EVIC to Spanish or French, it changes the text and the speech on the nav unit, too.

If you want to read more about the CAN bus, try this - http://www.embedded.com/electronics-...on-the-CAN-bus I’m an ol’ propeller head and found it interesting.

 

Ok I really want one now. No luck on ebay, only sites that prices them at over 400.. No thanks lol

 

Anyone looking for EVICs that fit on our RAMs, '05+ Durangos (up until the generation change) also have the same EVIC and part number as the Aspen: 56046038AC

This helps when searching Ebay and such, and is how I found mine.

 

The same one I used is on eBay right now - http://www.ebay.com/itm/320826846228