So, I found that my cluster is bad after running diagnostics. The check engine light will not illuminate and my tach bounces around. I noticed I have the "Fat Grey Key" meaning immobilizer. NowI found a cluster online that matches the description of of my truck and has the option of power windows. I guess my main question will be that when I take the cluster in, doI need to have my key reprogrammed to the cluster or does that actually communicate with the pcm and the new cluster will not be an issue.

My truck is a 2002 Ram 1500 Quad Cab SLT W/Power Windows the cluster I want to buy comes from the same year and has power options like my truck, am I in the clear after I have my cluster reprogrammed at Dodge? I was going to just take the cluster in have them set my vin and tire size, do I need to do anything else?

BTW the dealer wants to charge me 90$ for the program but they didn't get into details on what it includes, tey just said it takes 3 hours to do it, and if they install it it will be 290$ on top of the 130$ I would pay for it online. What a bunch of crooks....

They told me ifI install it without a program Iwill fry my ecm is this true or just a way to get me to come in and get my 90$. I figured they would be plug and play reardless of the immobilizer, and it would not fry my pcm unless I got the wrong cluster from another year/make/model truck.

Please let me know someone....

Thanks

 

IMHO they are full of crap, first off the sentry module is in your steering column and will not be changed with the guage cluster and secondly I don't beleive there is any programming that is done on a gauge cluster, it only displays information and does not send info back to the ecm.

 

F-ing great!!!! Thats what I needed to know!! Screw them, I am buying my cluster onlineand slapping it in then I will take it in to have it flashed so it will reflect my vin/mileage correctly. I appriciate all your help!!!!

 

Calling BS on the ecm being fried by putting in a different cluster. And BS on it taking 3 hours to program.. I think the labor should be at most 1 hour to install the cluster and 1/2 hour to program it..Better yet, install it your self and just pay for the programming... If you do install it yourself, make sure that you do have the mileage corrected or you will be breaking the law of odometer tampering...The PCM stores the true milage in itso there is no way to roll back the mileage. Just make sure that you write the milage down before you take out the old cluster so you will know what it really is supposed to be set to.....