[Mangelhaft]

I am trying to replace the basic gauge cluster in a 1997 Caravan with the premium cluster, the one with the tachometer. I picked one up from the yard (yes it was from a 1997). Everything worked, except for the transmission gear indicator. After looking at the Mitchells manuals and AllData, it appears that the transmission gear data is passed from the TCM, to the gauge cluster, via the CCD data bus. The origional, base cluster had the mechanical gear indicator.

Here are my questions:
Did Chrysler make a premium cluster with a mechanical gear indicator?
Is it just an issue with the TCM not being set to send the gear posisition data to the cluster?

Here are the vehicles specs:
1997 Caravan
2.4l, 16 valve, 4 Cylinder
A413 / 31TH transmission

Thank you for your input.

 

[ImperialCrown]

The 31TH (PRND21 pointer) and the 41TE (PRND3L display) used different clusters. There were low-line and high-line clusters. All information came in on the communication bus to position the gauges and turn lights on or off. Can you try to swap your mechanical transaxle range selector indicator into the new cluster?
I can't remember if I've seen any base 2.4L minivans with the tach in the cluster.
Mileage is stored in the BCM, so that should stay the same. Communication fault codes may be stored, but the vehicle should still start and run.

 

[Mangelhaft]

The cluster self test is giving a code 905 which indicates a bus communications issue. Recognizing by brain-fart: the 31TH is a hydrostatic, not electronic, controlled transaxle. I should have put this piece in the puzzle, as the 31TH (same as on my '93 Spirit, save two mounting holes), does not have a TCM, thus no gear range sensor, nor any data injected to the CCD bus.

I think that I could probably frankenstein the base and high-line clusters, if I can not find a high-line cluster that has the mechanical gear indicator.

I do not have the master parts list for 1997, however, the 1996 indicates that there were high-line clusters with the mechanical gear indicator, but they were only available in Europe.

If anyone has more information, or could point me to a source for the 1997 master parts list, I would appreciate it.

Thank you.

 

[ImperialCrown]

I don't know if the tach driver circuit would be in the non-tach cluster circuit board. Do some investigating. Does the vehicle start and run with the new cluster?