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Instrument Cluster Swap ~► Tachometer

35K views 56 replies 3 participants last post by  Loyale 2.7 Turbo 
#1 · (Edited)
Good Day,

I am in need to Swap the instrument cluster on a 2000 Kia Sephia, which came without Tachometer, for another Kia Instrument Cluster which have Tachometer; so the Questions are:

~► Does the Wiring is the Same on the Car without Tachometer, for the Instrument Cluster with Tachometer?

~► Does that Swap will need extra Wiring / Sensor? :confused:

Any CONSTRUCTIVE advice is very Welcome. :D

If such a project has already been done, please post a link, or point me in the right direction.

Kind Regards & Blessings.
 
#29 ·
The only issue is that the Long Base T-3 "Neo-Wedge" has a thicker measurement on the plastic, than the Short Base T-3 "Neo-Wedge" and felt a little loose on its place; what I did to "Solve" that, was to use a small amount of "Ultra-Grey" silicone, smeared on one side of the T-3 "Neo-Wedge" short base, in order to let it hold it in place, see:


That kind of Silicone, becomes some sort of sticky Glue, that allows to be removed (with patience) without damaging the plastic underneath, since it is not extremely sticky like a real glue.

The Short base T-3 "Neo-Wedge" was placed without any green Rubber "condom-like" cover, and the light has been working absolutely Flawlessly for a Month so far, it is Not too bright and the dimmer control, works great with it.
 
#30 ·
Awesome!

So, besides that, the completely LED instrument cluster on the "KiaStein"



has been working Flawlessly for more than two years so far, thanks to God.

Kind Regards.​
 
#31 ·
I Uploaded a High Definition Video, so you can see it Working!





Let me Know what do you think about this.

Kind Regards.​
 
#32 ·
More than three years

This instrument Cluster with Tachometer, worked well for more than three years, then suddenly, my Wife reported that it developed a 3X faster speed reading, on the mere Speedometer; everything else was in good working order.




The next day, I switched cars with my Wife, so I delivered my Little Daughter on early morning to her School, on the "KiaStein" and I made this short video with my small cellphone (my little daughter is whistling in the Background), you can see that the First gear almost reached 70 MPH (according to the Speedometer), then shifted to Second gear; we were just leaving home (That's why the engine was still cool).
 
#36 ·
...After carefully check it, also check its wirings and plugs;
thinking that maybe there's something loose or dirty among the connections...



...and despite that Everything is allright,
the Thing still shows 3X faster speed readings.​
 
#37 ·
0k2dk-5543x

The instrument Cluster that is on the "KiaStein" has the following part number: 0K2DK-5543X

It is for the Automatic, second gen Kia Sephia from 1998 to 2001, and certain models of the first gen Kia Spectra from 2000 up to march 2004; so it display individual letters and signs for the Automatic Transmission, also it features Tachometer, Speedometer, Trip meter, and all the Basics, you know.

Searching on internet, I found that Kia offers as brand new Spare, each separated Part from the instrument Cluster, each having its own part number as well, let me share here with you, a Screen Shot with each part number, for this instrument cluster:
 
#39 ·
I tried to obtain the mere Speedometer brand new, Part # 0K2AA-55471 at the Local Kia Dealer, but they don't sell it, they can only bring here, the whole instrument cluster at a sky high price; so I had to make another search among local Junk Yards, once again...
 
#40 ·
Old style Spectra and Newer Style Spectra

As I wrote above, not all the first generation of Kia Spectra (2000 ~ 2004) used this same instrument cluster, only certain models, such as the old styled body in Hatchback shape; the other Spectras, used another, newer styled instrument Cluster, whose main difference lies in the Odometer and Trip Meter, which has a Digital LCD display, instead of the analog rotating numbers.

Besides that, it is pretty similar to the instrument Cluster on the "KiaStein" but, the numbers are written with styled thinner lines, and each warning light has its own opening, instead of a single, big opening for all the set of warning lights per side.

At first I doubted that the Newer style, first gen Spectra's instrument Cluster, would work on the second gen Sephia, but seeing both instrument Clusters from behind, they looked almost identical, having the same three receptacles for the same three wiring Plugs; even in the same places and positions.

Here you can see the Newer style Kia Spectra instrument Cluster, and the older style Kia Spectra / Sephia instrument cluster, together; I took this photo on the Ground at the Junk Yard, with the "KiaStein" having its driver door, opened:





Of course, I dared to Test such newer styled instrument Cluster, on the "KiaStein"


And it was a Perfect Fit, however, only the Temperature Gauge and the Warning Lights from the Right side set, were operative, the Rest, such as Odometer & Trip meter LCD display, the Speedmeter, the Tachometer, and the left side set of warning lights, were completely Dead. :crying:

I bet that this kind of instrument Cluster, takes the signal / saves the Mileage on the ECU, not directly, as the older style instrument cluster does. So, these different instrument Clusters, are Not interchangeable at all; in fact, the "KiaStein" displayed a "Check Engine" plus a Blinking "O/D OFF" warning lights once I put back its old instrument cluster, after I tried the Newer styled instrument Cluster ... I had to disconnect the Battery and wait for ~ five minutes to Reset the ECU. Everything went back to Normal after that.

My searchin' for another instrument Cluster, continued, but this time focused on the proper one, whose part # is: 0K2DK-5543X
 
#41 ·
Found Another # 0K2DK-5543X instrument Cluster

After going to search among various Junk Yards, Finally, I found the same instrument Cluster that I have on the "KiaStein" but much newer, it was taken off from a 2004 Spectra; I tested it on the Junk Yard and I drove around the Junk Yard to test the Speedometer, and it worked absolutely Flawlessly; not super high speed readings anymore.




It had a little less than 71,900 Miles on the odometer, and I rounded that amount after testing it; the only thing that did not functioned on it, was certain background illumination Bulbs, also the left side Blinker, but the Junk Yard's salesman gave a good low Price for it, that I can't refuse; so I purchased this instrument Cluster, which had exactly the same part number than the one that the "Kiastein" had.
 
#42 ·
In Honduras, car Mileage isn't Relevant

Some years ago, when I did the First instrument Cluster Swap on the "KiaStein" in order to have Tachometer (the original instrument Cluster didn't had it), the car lost 20,000 miles on the count; so, despite that the instrument Cluster that I removed from the "KiaStein" (on the left side of the Photo below) says 189K + Miles, the Body and the Transmission on this Car, really have 209K + Miles; but the Engine has exactly the Half, 104K + Miles, as it is from a much newer Spectra; also the Differential and Brakes only has a couple of Years... so the Mileage count on this car, isn't equal for everything on it.




So, the Total mileage lost should be more than 138K + Miles ... now I need to do the math, and recalculate the Mileage & Dates on which the Timing Belt and the Oil + Filter, will need to be Changed, to keep the good maintenance Records that I've done on this Car.
 
#43 ·
So, I started to do a deep Cleanup of this newer instrument Cluster


Because this instrument Cluster was stored at the Junk Yard, with the lens facing down on a shelf, with many other instrument clusters from other random junk yard's cars over it, it had a pretty dusty and dirty back, also you can see that the soft circuit board is less green on this one, than on the old one; however, the interior and the overall shape is in much Better condition, than the old one that I removed.
 
#45 ·
After that, I was ready to install all the LED lights I had installed on the older instrument Cluster, anyhow, people are using Leds everywhere, even on the "tail Lights" :lol:



When I went to test it with the LED lights, back on the Car, everything worked, except the Left side arrow, for the Blinker... I had to remove the instrument Cluster and carefully inspect it; then I found a cut on the green soft board, probably made by another instrument cluster that was lying above it, on the shelf at the Junk Yard.

I have more than three decades soldering electronics, because I learned with my Dad since I was Child (Besides many other things he taught me, like Mechanics), But I've Never soldered a "Soft" circuit board before, and I was afraid to Melt the thin Plastic. However, I dared to do the Repair, mainly because I needed the instrument Cluster back on the car, as soon as possible; but also, I knew that if I damaged it, I could swap the green soft boards between instrument Clusters, as the old one was in perfect shape.
 
#47 ·
Problem = Solved!

That was an Ugly welding, but it works flawlessly :thumbsup:



Another Problem = Solved!

Kind Regards.​
 
#48 ·
Unnecessary Update!

The new -to us- instrument Cluster, has been working absolutely Flawlessly on the "KiaStein" but...

What happened to the old instrument Cluster's Speedometer? :confused:
 
#49 ·
I knew that to Fix a failing electronical Speedometer is almost impossible.

The reason is that those Speedometer / Odometer \ Trip meter units, comes somehow "Sealed" or Closed / Locked from factory, in a way that their assemblies Breaks and becomes unuseful if you attempt to open or disassemble them.

They're designed like that to Avoid that someone could simply open or disassemble them to turn back the Count on the Odometer; and fool a possible buyer of the car, showing less mileage than what it really has.
 
#50 ·
However, I disassembled the old instrument Cluster, because I wanted to see What could have been the Cause of such a weird fail, and see if I could prevent it from Happening again, on the newer instrument Cluster.

In the following Photos I'll show you my Findings.
 
#51 ·
Dissection of the Old (dismissed) instrument Cluster which has the Speedometer's Fail

Here you can see the Old instrument Cluster, disassembled:



I used that Big Fork to remove the Needle.​
 
#52 ·
This is the mere Speedometer / Odometer \ Trip Meter Unit:



I noticed that everything is moved by a single electric motor.​
 
#53 ·
Also, upon a closed inspection, I found this:


The Factory left debris on the Varnish that covers the metal tracks that sends the electrical signals, maybe causing some sort of "Short Circuit" and / or Resistance among the affected Tracks, which might have caused the component's Fail.
 
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