Grainy, dim speedometer (after conversion from km/h to mph) 2022 CX-9

[Yoram]

Hello All,

I am new here and to this vehicle, so please bear with me as I fumble my way around...

We just bought a 2022 CX-9 Touring with 16K miles from a reasonably well known used car dealership in MI.
The car was originally sold new in Canada. Recently it was sold by the original owner to a dealer and subsequently shipped to and titled in the US.
The CarFax report is clean and reflects the indicated miles. The car looks and drives like new, except for one detail we did not notice until after the sale and during our trip back to SC...:
We had been advised during the transaction that as part of the import from Canada to the US the car had to have its speedometer converted from km/h to mph -- logical enough. The odometer can be switched digitally via the Vehicle Settings in the center screen, but the speedo apparently requires a physical face change.
The mph readings are correct (we verified using GPS) and all the warning lights seem to work OK, but the speedo display quality does not quite match the odometer or the multi-gauge on the right -- the digits are smaller, thinner and less legible from the driving position, and the speedo face looks "grainy" -- please see pic.

Not a huge problem, but any ideas on how this can be fixed?

Thanks,

Yoram

(P.S., the scratches on the lense over the right multi-gauge are not visible to the "naked eye" and of no concern -- first time noticed in the pic.)

 

[youri]

This does not look at all like my canadian 2018 GT. Try and find a screenshot of a 2022 with the non-digital gauge cluster. (I tought all 2022 came with the digital cluster, but maybe not the touring version).

Here is my 2018:

As you can see my tachometer on the left is textured and the centre speedometer has two different depth, with the other ring being raised compared to the middle.

 

[youri]

Look at this link (first 2022 Cx-9 touring that popped up on Autotrader). Check the photos of the dashboard. It does not have the textured tachometer on the left like my 2018, so the 2022 touring probably doesn’t have that. But it does have the two level center speedometer, which yours is missing.

I think whoever did the conversion from canada to US for yours put an aftermarket speedometer in instead of a genuine Mazda part.

Autotrader - page unavailable

 

[Yoram]

Look at this link (first 2022 Cx-9 touring that popped up on Autotrader). Check the photos of the dashboard. It does not have the textured tachometer on the left like my 2018, so the 2022 touring probably doesn’t have that. But it does have the two level center speedometer, which yours is missing.

I think whoever did the conversion from canada to US for yours put an aftermarket speedometer in instead of a genuine Mazda part.

Autotrader - page unavailable

View attachment 329197

Thank you, youri. Yes, I did a Google search and a number of used (salvage) instrument clusters come up on eBay and other sites for a '22 with speedometers looking like your last pic. Question is whether or how just the speedometer can be replaced, since the assembly contains the odometer which is tamper proof.

 

[Odrapnew]

I'm guessing the new speedo is just the face cover that can be swapped out.
And I agree with youri that it looks like they found a cheap aftermarket MPH one to replace the factory KPH one.

 

[Yoram]

Update:
I contacted Mazda to confirm the correct p/n(s) of the cluster for my car. Several salvage ones on eBay show up with p/n TK49-55-430, while the Mazda parts catalog pulls up TD2N-55-471D for my model and year. My dealer came up with a third p/n, which I suspect may be a km/h one if they just plugged the VIN.... I don't know... Sometimes they may use different p/n's for service parts which are a direct replacement for the factory part. Awaiting Mazda's reply.

My intent, once the correct p/n is confirmed, is to buy a salvage one in good shape and attempt first to replace the speedometer face myself. These go for around $200 (new ones are x10 that).
If I run into problems that I cannot resolve, such as if they buggered the original housing while installing the aftermarket unit, I will ship both clusters to a reputable conversion place I found. They will try to replace the face first, and if that won't work they will reset the odometer in the salvage one to the correct miles.

If I don't find info on how to remove and reinstall the cluster myself I will have our local Mazda dealer do this (they agreed). This will involve leaving the car with them while the cluster is being shipped, converted and returned. Probably a week...
If anyone here knows how to remove the cluster from the dash and reinstall it without breaking or buggering anything please let me know -- this would save some $$ + trips to the dealer.

Thanks!
Yoram

 

[youri]

So i have never done this myself and everyone as different laws on speedometer replacement. Here is what I found:

Mazda has a technical service bulletin out on replacement of speedometer. Based on it, it looks like to register the new speedometer they use a third party services and their diagnostic tool need to be connected. Doesn’t seem like a DIY can do it unfortunately. Have a read here:

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2023/MC-10232299-0001.pdf

The good news is you can probably just replace the speedometer front plate yourself on the original gauge cluster. For the removal and installation instructions, the workshop manual for the Australian version is available here. The procedures to open the gauge cluster should be 99% the same. (Or if you want the North-american version there is a mazda website where you can pay for a one day access)

For the australian version:

2016 and up CX-5 Service Manual

Hi, I just completed a full engine replacement in my CX-9 2.5t (my post in CX-9 forum) and while looking for torque specs I found a service manual for the CX-5 here is a link https://mazdamanuals.com.au/wsm-secure/WSM/D9K4-1A-21B_Ver13/ Enjoy!!!!

mazdas247.com

Open the Mazda Cx-9(TC) link, and from there go to “Body & accesories”, and then to “Instrumentation/Driver info”

Then to “instrument cluster removal/installation” to remove it and “instrument cluster disassembly” to open it up.

There may be more in there (detailled steps in other sections) but I didn’t dig any further. Good luck and keep us posted on what you find.

 

[Yoram]

youri, this is awesome stuff!! Thanks a bunch. Will follow up and keep the forum informed.
Thanks again!

 

[Yoram]

Mazda has a technical service bulletin out on replacement of speedometer. Based on it, it looks like to register the new speedometer they use a third party services and their diagnostic tool need to be connected. Doesn’t seem like a DIY can do it unfortunately. Have a read here:

Yes, I did not expect to be a able to replace a whole cluster as the odometer will need to be reset to the correct mileage. I intended to only try to replace the face of the speedometer. If that fails then it goes to the specialty shop which allegedly is equipped to reset the mileage on the salvage cluster if they are not able to replace the face either.