1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee Instrument Cluster Swap
Cool - you found the page! Most people that are visiting this page know me from the JU forums as rjcalnan - or better yet, Rich from XenonMods.com - I've got a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo with a 4.7L V8 and QTII.
I've wanted white gauges on my WJ every since I saw them in the 2001 Laredo's, but REALLY wanted the ones from an Overland (Jeep folks know what the Overland is, so I won't go into discussion on it), but for as long as they've been promised on the JU forums, none have really arrived that suit my style. One day while shopping on eBay - I came across a guy selling an Overland Instrument Cluster for $100!!! I promptly called him, and he sold me the cluster with only 3275 miles on it for $100 and I also got an aluminum radio bezel from him for $15.00 - the bezel is $95 from a dealer (bezel mod CLICK HERE)
I didn't really know for sure if the Overland gauges would be a direct fit, but for the money, I took a GOOD bet - cause if they didn't, I could sell them to someone else on eBay for well over $200 EASY!
Anyway - on with the install (FYI - total time for install if no pictures were taken, UNDER 20 minutes for a technically in adept person LOL - no seriously it's SO EASY - I was actually disappointed with how short a time it took - I think we all like working on our Jeeps - we find it fun, so this little mod was less than expected :-( lol
Here are some pics of my current cluster (day/night):
Nothing to thrilling - just stock black with some blue and orange at night - yeee freakin' haw - lol - to the uninstall:
First part: remove the piece under the cluster - it pulls OUT not up - I repeat it pulls OUT toward the steering wheel, NOT UP toward the roof. You don't need to remove any other pieces to get this off either, some good finger prying will be PERFECT!
Once that's off, there are 4 screws to the cluster (note position to the gauges shown) and unplug the connector from the back. It's REALLY easy as there is a HUGE tab to press on with your finger, and out it pops!:
What you should have once removed will look like this:
The pics below are of comparisons of the new and old cluster and what they both look like out of the console.
And now - for the finale: VOILA! The cluster gauge from a 2003 Overland plugs DIRECTLY into the plug for the 1999 Laredo's:
Results: As you can see I am VERY VERY happy with the final look of the new TRUE Overland gauges in my WJ.
Problems/Issues/Rumors Dispelled:
The only problem I have is that the air bag and seat belt light stay on forever. I just snagged a nice black piece of cardboard and cut it to fit tight, and it works perfectly to block the light! (the LED's used for the airbag and seat belt are NOT removable as the other ones are - very nifty I thought - so scrap yards couldn't f' ya)
The mileage DOES NOT reset when an instrument cluster is put in a WJ with a different VIN - this rumor somewhat made sense, but was only based on other rumors. The rumor's merit came from the VIN number in the BCM computer of the WJ and the new instrument cluster would not match, so therefore it would think it was being installed for the first time, and reset the odometer (NOT the BCM) to 000000 miles. Not true - bought it with 3275 and plugged it in and it shows 3275.
Didn't catch a pic of ALL the lights, but when I turned it on, EVERY light did light up just fine, and nothing seemed odd. I will be interested to see if the BCM sends the ABS signal to the cluster though to light that signal - on the '99's there's no ABS light to know if you're sliding or not, but there is in the Overland.
Cruise control - I know I saw a WJ at one point that had a "cruise" light right below the odometer - I mean DIRECTLY below the digital digits, and in fact the cruise light was digital, not a light at all. Not true on the Overland's cluster.
The other thing you'd notice is that the lights are there for "Autostick - 1 2 3 4" - thought that was kinda funny! I WISH the 4.7L had autostick! Maybe in the Hemi ;-)