Replacing Instrument Cluster with upgraded one

[ro80rob]

Hello
First post on the forum. Hope I'm in the right forum section.

OK.
Got a late 2008 Mazda2 TS2 1.35 petrol.
I want to upgrade the Instrument cluster (IC), if that is possible.
Current installed IC has the LCD that shows the mileage and fuel gauge.
I can get a 2nd hand one cheaply that has the trip computer (larger LCD for the additional info.).

I have convinced myself that the loom cabling is all in, and I have added an external temperature sensor (from a Fiesta) behind the front bumper. My problem is the immobiliser. Importantly (maybe), my car does not have the keyless start facility. You have to insert the key and take the excercise (turn it to start).
I want to know if the immobiliser will give me problems. I can get the mileage transferred from the old IC to the new (replacement), but will the swap need to be done at the dealers in order to make the car go (I also have to convince the dealer to fit [or try and fit]) a 2nd hand IC. I have a copy of the 2010 Mazda manual, and it talks about plugging their system in before you swap out the instrument, but is that just to copy the mileage off? It also talks about not being able to transfer that mileage to the new (replacement) IC unless it only has less than 100 miles showing, which I doubt will be the case, but not a problem (I can sort that outside of Mazda). For cars with the keyless start there is a separate section with talk of the immobiliser and much more involved Mazda computer intervention.

So questions are....
Do you think the trip computer would work if I did install the upgraded IC?
Will I have any immobiliser problems or is it jut the mileage reading I need to sort out?
If I try it and it doesn't work, will I be able to plug my old IC back in, with no harm done?

Hope somebody can help me with this.

Cheers... Rob.

 

[DrWebster]

My understanding is that yes, the dealer will need to perform the swap (assuming it's even possible) as they have to reprogram the new cluster to be able to "talk" to the ECU. It's more than just the odometer reading but also part of the immobilizer system. Only a dealer would have access to the software and tools to reprogram the cluster. I'd expect to pay maybe an hour's labor for it.

The other question is, even though you installed the ambient temperature sensor, if you have a steering wheel with the INFO button on it. That's the button that you'd use to cycle through the fuel economy/temperature displays on the new cluster.

 

[ro80rob]

The other question is, even though you installed the ambient temperature sensor, if you have a steering wheel with the INFO button on it. That's the button that you'd use to cycle through the fuel economy/temperature displays on the new cluster.

Many thanks for the reply.

I suspected as much, in that the dealer would have to be involved. I guess I will have to speak nicely to them. The parts/service person seems to be pretty friendly (its a she BTW). I've bought quite a few parts from her recently as I bought the car damaged (front end accident [importantly no airbag damage]) to repair for my son who has done his pennance (1st year driving in a 1 litre 3 cylinder Vauxhall [GM] Corsa to get some no claims discount on his insurance).

I saw one article on this forum about changing the IC, but for a Mazda3 where an owner had his security chip unsoldered from the old IC and put into his new IC and that worked for him. Its a bit drastic, but not impossible. The worst part is you need to pull the pointers off the gauges, which is fraught with lots of possibilities to go wrong.

No probs with the 'INFO' button. They all (UK) seem to have these as part of the button set on the steering wheel. On the basic IC, you just get 2 trip odometers that you can switch between with the button. The more upmarket models have buttons on the right steering wheel cross spindle too, for cruise control (I believe). I'm not going that far though, its just that the IC upgrade seemed so simple as long as Mazda play ball. I mean, the additional info is MPG, Miles left in the tank, and outside temp (with frost alert). With the exception of the external temperature sensor (now installed), a little intelligence within the IC (in other words interpretting the fuel gauge more thoroughly) should be able to provide all the extra info.

Thanks again... Rob.

 

[ro80rob]

OK
I have bought the upgraded cluster and took off the rear plastic cover to reveal the circuit board. As per the other Forum article (Mazda3), I have identified the memory chip. I have watched a Youtube video on how to remove this type of small outline surface mount chip (undamaged) and we have all the equipment at work. I have also found (I believe) an equivalent chip on Ebay (is there anything you can't get on Ebay?). Its not a Seiko chip, but its spec compatible.
I intend to remove the chip from the IC and read its memory (got that gear too at work), and then see if I can programme that into the chip I get from Ebay. If that works, I may progress on to the next stage, namely removing my sons IC and having a go at removing the chip from that one. I am assuming that its the same memory chip on both ICs.
By doing it this way, and being able (hopefully) to clone the memory chip, I can end up with 2 ICs with the same immobiliser info, so I can swap back to the original IC if the upgraded one doesn't work as expected.

Alternatively

I can go to Mazda, pay 80 + VAT (1 hours labour), and they will swap it for me. Problem is that I am not swapping like for like (see previous posts), and its all trial and error, so I don't know if they will actually play ball if I just turn up with it and ask them to try.

 

[ro80rob]

Problem is that I have never personally removed a surface mount chip with the intention of re-using it (i.e. not damaging it), and I'm 47 now, and the close up eyesight isn't what it used to be!

 

[DrWebster]

Instead of just showing up at the dealer, maybe you can call and ask first if they'd be willing to do it -- and if they're not, call another dealer. To me, the cost of an hour's labor is well worth it either way -- imagine what the cost would be if you got to the point where you tried to remove that chip from the car's existing cluster and ended up trashing it.