Holden says "can't be done"

[VTS5]

Hi people;
I've replaced my original cluster (VT S pack 5 speed)(Level2) with 3 window level3 cluster.Then took the car to Booran in Dandy to get it reset.Tacho wasnt working at all,speedo needle was below "0" mark,fuel gauge wasnt showing the correct level.Temp. was OK.3 LCD windows was displaying the correct info (except milage wasnt changing/going up).

Anyway,been told it cant be reset 'cause "cluster was from different car,my car wouldnt have the necessary loom/cable,put hthe original 1 back".

Is this true?Whats the go here?
This is how it looks at the moment..

[fitz_vt]

ummm my mate just converted his dash from a single window to a three window display maybe try double checking the wiring and wiring looms to make sure they are connected properly then what they need to do is reprogram your memcal in the speedo and behind the dash to your Car eg VIN KM's..... and from the looks of things i think ur speedo dial may be a little whacked out but give it a try, the second thing i would maybe try a different holden dealer... heres a couple around dandenong and within a 20km radius


Barloworld Holden
565-577 Springvale Road
Glen Waverley VIC 3150

Garry & Warren Smith
1575 Dandenong Road
Oakleigh VIC 3166
Phone:
03 8574 0011
Fax:
03 9568 5691

Penfold Holden
142 Burwood Highway
Burwood VIC 3125

[nicko]

u need to upgrade your BCM to run a 3 window cluster

[fitz_vt]

u need to upgrade your BCM to run a 3 window cluster

whoops thats another thing my mate ripped all the electricals for his three window display from a calais..... sorry forgot to mention BCM

[xtr3]

Sorry to mention this guys, but as far as im aware, the 3 LCD display will run off a Low BCM (exec)

The data is running through the CAN bus, so there is no reason it wont work
And i have read countless people who have installed a 3 in their exec
I could be wrong and just be assuming they all didnt upgrade their computer, but *shrugs*

Perhaps we need someone who has done this to come on here and tell us

[accentstencil]

Sorry to mention this guys, but as far as im aware, the 3 LCD display will run off a Low BCM (exec)

The data is running through the CAN bus, so there is no reason it wont work
And i have read countless people who have installed a 3 in their exec
I could be wrong and just be assuming they all didnt upgrade their computer, but *shrugs*

Perhaps we need someone who has done this to come on here and tell us

That is exactly what I was going to to say. As far as I am aware the BCM has nothing to do with it. Many people on this forum have upgraded their cluster without a problem but some required recalibration.

[xtr3]

If I was you I would take it to a Holden joint, and get them to do the work on it

[jazza15]

My opinion is, as said earlier, go to a different dealer. It happens all the time with some places. they say "it can't be done" because they don't know how to do it. just find a place that actually knows how to do it. Don't stuff around with these noob mechanics.

[vnv8driver]

Trust me, never belive what holden says to you at least 90 percent of the time.

Its something they have never done and was never brought out stock soto their knoledge it cant be done. Holden hires to many apprentices than real tradesmen which is a bit of a worry.

[Cheap6]

It probably is worth trying a different dealer, at least for a better explanation as to why it can't be made to work.

My recollection is that the instrument cluster is a part of the serial data system in the car and 'talks' to the BCM. I don't think that one can just be removed from one car and fitted into another and still work. It must be 'disconnected' from the first car and 'connected' to the second using Tech2. If it hasn't been 'disconnected' it won't be possible to use it, even with access to a Tech2 for re-connection, at least without also carrying across the BCM.

Where did the cluster come from i.e. can you be sure that it was 'disconnected' before being removed from the donor car?

Also, the km's can only be changed using Tech2 up until a certain distance has been covered, something like 1500km.

[VTS5]

Altough some of the functions r not "functioning" , the guy from Booran was surprised to see that Mode button was able change LCD readouts.He said "this shouldnt happen,cause there shouldnt be any comminication between them",he also said that pin layout is exactly the same,so tacho should work but its not therefor cluster is no good,thats way all the needles below their marks too he said.

But i wont give up,i'll try diff. dealer/s , surely 1 will come up with the fix/solution.Cause its not only looks good,its also very informative piece of gadget.

Anyway, thank you all for your answer/opinion/advice,much appiriciated.

[xtr3]

There you see, the dash does work... or it will if its not faulty
It just needs to be programmed with a Tech2, with all your cars information

as for making sure its disconnected from the old car before connecting it to the new one
thats not required, the dash only reads the CAN bus data, it has no real interaction with it....
its the BCM and the ECU that have to be security linked
the dash itself will just throw errors when it has expectations like side impact airbags, and the car just has a drivers....

the car will be drivable with the new dash in unprogrammed, but the tacho speedo etc may be out.... (thats what the Tech2 is for)

[Doctor Bob]

bring the car to my place & ill program it for you , there ia absoloutley no reason it wont work.
the VT does not use CAN bus it uses UART comms.
PM me & ill explain it.

Rob

[seannatt]

Trust me, never belive what holden says to you at least 90 percent of the time.

Its something they have never done and was never brought out stock soto their knoledge it cant be done. Holden hires to many apprentices than real tradesmen which is a bit of a worry.

Alot of "tradesman" arent computerliterate.....

Gotta be able use a computer to work on anything new then a VT.. All manuals and updates are online...

and the ones that are paid well to do so..

[fitz_vt]

true you cant just plug a VT into a tech II you need this thing called a CANDY Module, (it interpreates the VT's computer) as it is too high tech for it......
my mates a holden service tech.... its vaulable to have one of these as ur friends

[doobs]

I have a 2000 VX exec, last week I put a level 3 display in it, works fine, Ive only got an issue with the airbag light, which I beleve is happening because the cluster is programmed to have 4 airbags and I only have one.

Aside from the air bag, all the data displays correctly, speedo is correct, so is the tacho, all warning lights work...

I have no idea why your dials are below 0, both my old cluster and new level 3 cluster sit at 0 when no power is applied...

Cheers

[VTS5]

I have a 2000 VX exec, last week I put a level 3 display in it, works fine, Ive only got an issue with the airbag light, which I beleve is happening because the cluster is programmed to have 4 airbags and I only have one.

Aside from the air bag, all the data displays correctly, speedo is correct, so is the tacho, all warning lights work...

I have no idea why your dials are below 0, both my old cluster and new level 3 cluster sit at 0 when no power is applied...

Cheers

Thats good,air bag lights comes on maybe because you didnt disconnect the power b4 you unplugged the cluster,for that u need T2 reset.

Dont know why my dials dropped down like that,tacho not moving at all,speedo works but starts from that (down) point,warning lights OK and airbag light is on and beeps,havent tried cruise 'cause its not coming on.

LCD data display OK (fuel usage,travel time etc.),can alter with the Mode button no probs except milage wont move.

Anyway, i think im in good hands now,Dr. Bob will have a look at it some time later in the week . So i should have a fully functinal cluster by next week...

[fitz_vt]

i have just found out the car that the speedo and cluster has been taken out of a dead car, the speedo is never ment to drop below 0/kmh try putting it into test mode (hold down mode and up while turning the key from off to on then go though the menu's until you heard a beep and then your tacho should move to 3000 and speedo to 100km.h

[VTS5]

Thats it....My "sick" cluster just died....On the way back from shops everything went down,dead..LCD's went blank...I had nothing.Got no idea what went wrong!!

When i came home pulled everything a part,took the gauge panel from the original one and installed it in the 3 window one,put everything together showed it in the car....Still zilch/nothing.Obviously board kick the bucket.i was gonna use my original board but it didnt have the extra window tracks.

Anyway,that was the end of it.So i'll have to get another, "decent" one this time..

Thanks again for all your advice and suggestions..

[Doctor Bob]

true you cant just plug a VT into a tech II you need this thing called a CANDY Module, (it interpreates the VT's computer) as it is too high tech for it......
my mates a holden service tech.... its vaulable to have one of these as ur friends

not quite.
The CANDi (CAN Diagnostic interface)module is only needed on VZV6 & later & some Opel products as they use the CAN communication protocol.
earlier ones use UART comms.

[fitz_vt]

not quite.
The CANDi (CAN Diagnostic interface)module is only needed on VZV6 & later & some Opel products as they use the CAN communication protocol.
earlier ones use UART comms.

ahuh i am just going on what a holden service tech has told me LOL