new guage cluster

[irondiezl3]

i have a 2004 alero i need a new guage cluster...does anyone know if i need a 2004 guage or can it be any year? anyone know the price range for a new one? and is it true i need a new one because the milage wont reset on a used one?

[meadus101]

Any will work. The aleros are the same.

It's been a debate on where the mileage is stored, and it's apparently stored in both the cluster and PCM. you can have the cluster flashed to show the correct mileage.

Also, Blackdog was selling one. check around the Buy and Sell, or even check out the local junkyards.

[guiguilandry]

the gauge cluster is just an information display center, tha milage is stored into the bcm and will stay the same with another cluster. you just will have to do the security light trick with your key so that all the computers of the car reset and for everything to work fine. Go get a used one, it will work, no need to get a new one.

[darksobsession]

what is the security light trick?

[irondiezl3]

so any year any alero will be fine? im looking at a on on ebay and they are all saying they are year specific? that 99 and 00 are different and that 01-02 are compatible and 2003 and 2004 are diff? wtf does anyone know what they r talking about on ebay? i found a good one on ebay will this work for sure? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=310089747816&ih=021&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=

[black00gt1]

50 for a cluster is abought average,my gto cluster was 300+

[Cliff8928]

the gauge cluster is just an information display center, tha milage is stored into the bcm and will stay the same with another cluster. you just will have to do the security light trick with your key so that all the computers of the car reset and for everything to work fine. Go get a used one, it will work, no need to get a new one.

No it wont.... Been there done that.

Mileage is in the IPC (cluster) period!

[Naich]

the gauge cluster is just an information display center, tha milage is stored into the bcm and will stay the same with another cluster. you just will have to do the security light trick with your key so that all the computers of the car reset and for everything to work fine. Go get a used one, it will work, no need to get a new one.
You are wrong. I know from experience. You have to bring it to a dealer to get it reflashed. When I installed a used cluster, it showed the miliage of the junk car it came from, and I tried resesetting the car and it did not work. You can use a used cluster but you will still need to get it reprogrammed. I ended up using the computer guts from my stock cluster and using the display parts from the new cluster.

[irondiezl3]

damn ill haveto buy a new one then? if the milage is close from a used one whats wrong with just keeping it like that? like within 3k

[irondiezl3]

just talked to gm. they said 04 is a diferent cluster even though it looks the same its sifferent cluster internally and also said u cannot put a used one in the mileage wont matchup and its illegal to put a used one in.

[Cliff8928]

It isn't illegal if you record it. There is actually a specific label that gets put in the door jamb for when you change the cluster.

The only year that has any different wiring for the cluster is '99. All the other years are wired identically.

Also, speedometer repair places can re-program the mileage in the cluster.

[guiguilandry]

No it wont.... Been there done that.

Mileage is in the IPC (cluster) period!

Really because I did it with my 2001 and it worked juste have to wait the 10 minutes to the security and restart the car and it was done, the milage was also resetted to the mileage into the bcm... maybe changing for the same exact year works, I took one from another 2001
Sorry, it worked in my case.... maybe because it's canadian car ???

[irondiezl3]

cliff how positive r u because the dealer wants 200 for a new one thats insanity ebay has them for 50 and the mileage is so close i dont see how it is a problem as long as u think it will power up ok being a different year ?

[Cliff8928]

Well, I can't say that I've actually tried it before. But I don't think they changed the class 2 data for the information. But for sure all the wiring is the same. I checked the pinouts. 99 is the only one that's different.

Naich, did your replacement cluster come from the same year?

[irondiezl3]

ok heres a question everytingworks on mine except the guages lights all the guages show the proper readings all the warning lights work its just the actual guage lights due to me being a moron and crossing a neg and positive on a bulb it started smoking. so do overlays need those factory guage lighting or no if not i could just use them instead of buying a whole new cluster?