Apparently the one I need for my truck ( 56051102AE ) is discontinued so my only option is to find the EXACT SAME cluster at the wreckers......and then they're telling me that there is no option to have it programmed for the correct mileage, even though the dealership suggested the wrecker option I can't bring it to them to have them send it to where ever they send it to have the mileage programmed.

and, also according to the dealership, if I don't use the gauge with that part number I might end up losing features like power locks or fog lights or other such things controlled by the cluster.

I'm then further told by a few companies that can change mileage if I provide a notarized document that the 2002-2005 trucks can't be re-programmed because the chips on the cluster is locked.

I asked the parts guy what the differences are between the 12 available cluster options for my truck are and he doesn't really seem to know anything.


Am I actually that screwed for a replacement cluster with the correct reading?

 

There has to be a way to reprogram mileage on the cluster, as dodge would have to do that if replacement became necessary. The other option would be a permanent label in the drivers door frame showing the mileage the truck was at when the cluster was changed. (michigan law, at any rate.....)

 

From what I can determine so far, that's the only option available to me and I don't want to do that.

the real crappy part is that this is only because a peg broke off the speedo so the needle can move 360* around the face. I found the little bastard and glued it back in but the OCD in me really doesn't like that.

I'm wondering if that face is able to be pulled off to just swap the part with the pins, but I don't think that's possible either because it looks like the pins have little lips that hold the face down. I'm going to get one from the wreckers eventually just to mess around with it and see what I can do.

 

Dealer will only install (normally) a new cluster; they have the capability to initialize it and have it pull mileage from the PCM. They do not have the software required to reflash mileage however there are companies that can, they sell clusters on ebay all the time.

 

So far I've been told by every company who claims to be able to do this, that they can't do it with this model. And according to Dodge the mileage and engine hours is only stored in the cluster, which is also the BCM.....this came from 3 dealerships and a call to FCA Canada.

However, the pegs are attached to the overlay itself, and not the housing. So my next question is how hard is it to remove the needles and replace them correctly? Because I can go to the wreckers, grab a cluster, pull the needles and swap the overlays to repair the broken peg.
I'm not about to do this though unless I can put the needles back on correctly.

CarID sells aftermarket needles and overlays specifically for 2004, so I can only assume at this point that it can't actually be too hard. Or is it possible for a dealership to correct any discrepancies if the needles aren't calibrated correctly?

I'm going to experiment with it anyway, I'll grab a cluster from the wreckers, plug it into my truck and then see what happens when I pull and replace the needles.

 

 

Don't worry about my mistakes, I find ways to fix them and maybe I'll help others not make the same mistakes. I can do some pretty awesome things, I'm bound to make a mistake or two along the way.

 

I would be tempted to find another cluster for dirt cheap, (wrecking yard?) and disassemble it, and see if you can change just the cluster face the peg attaches to......

 

That's actually what I plan on doing, they're only $75 at the wreckers.

 

Grabbed one from the wreckers, and did some checks before pulling the needles off to see where my gauges were and such. It matched up with my original gauges. So then I removed the needles and went to town removing the overlay.
fortunately the overlay is only glued on in 4 small spots around each needle, so 24 little spots in total. I was able to use a long blade exacto knife to slide under the overlay and very carefully apply small amounts of pressure to cut loose the glue spot. no damage was done to the overlay except almost unnoticeable tiny little creases where the glue was which will hide completely under the needles.

I reinstalled the needles, plugged it back into my truck and turned on the ignition (did not start it) and had the needles fairly close. so I kept the ignition on and removed the needles trying to place them back into the correct positions, while running self diagnostic test after each placement to see where it ended up.

I ended up getting pretty close to the original positions and I think if I messed around with it enough I could probably get them back to original.

I haven't yet removed the needles or overlay from my original cluster because I'm giving myself time to look up any ways to put the needles back correctly, or to come up with some creative idea.
In the mean time I'm testing it all out on the salvaged cluster.

However, there's a company just outside of my city that I've been told would be able to recalibrate my gauges to the correct positions if the needles aren't in the right spot.