Mk5 GTI Instrument cluster swap

[Chris01]

Hi, i'm new in this forum, but i've gone through a lot of threads as a guest. Reason being is that i'm looking to swap my midline instrument cluster with a GTI highline one. I've red hundreds of lines on this topic, and it seems that for every midline cluster theres an ideal highline p/n one to update to. However, when swapping from a 2006 Golf mk5 GT cluster (1k0..) to a GTI one (1k6..) things are not so straight forward, plus old clusters are harder to get. At this point i need to say that for some reason -probably stock fog lights- my Golf was equipped with a 21 bit highline CECM (3C0 937 049 E) during production, so theoretically it should support a highline MFD (?).

After a lot of browsing it seems i can get a GTI cluster with the following data:

Address 17: Instruments
   Protocol: CAN
   Part No: 1K6 920 873
   Component: KOMBIINSTRUMENT VDD 1610
   Coding: 0005103

This is my cluster:

Address 17: Instruments
   Protocol: CAN
   Part No: 1K0 920 862 G
   Component: KOMBIINSTRUMENT VDD 4312
   Coding: 0003103
 
So the question is will i be able to fit it, using Vag Com, and an e-bay Vag commander clone (not the insanely priced one) or is the new one an immo4c version which i wont be able to read/write? Any advice or comment on the topic is appreciated.

[Eddie-NL]

yes that will work

[Chris01]

Thanks for the quick response! Does this mean the new cluster is immo4? Could someone confirm if this version of Vag commander (or another one) would do the job?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VAG-K-CAN-COMMANDER-V3-6-Audi-VW-Seat-Skoda-OBD-OBDII-/190916414312?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&hash=item2c73814b68&vxp=mtr

[Chris01]

Need some additional advice, is this normal for a cluster? Dials and clocks can move around like that or is it just broken?

[Eddie-NL]

if the needles are loose then they are broken

[Chris01]

Thanks again, i will check on that. The rpm clock also looks weird.

[Chris01]

I know this is a long shot, but has anyone managed to identify which byte in the Instruments tab controls the stock water temperature gauge (through Vag Com)?
The reason for asking is that in MK5 Golf GT's there's a boost gauge instead of water temp, and i would like to attempt to keep the boost controller while swapping the clusters. In Instruments, there are many byte entries that don't have a description. I'm guessing it should be one of those. If not it might mean that the controller is hardcoded in the cluster which would make it impossible to transfer the gauge in to a regular cluster.
Any information is greatly appreciated.

Here's a pic of a stock boost gauge.

[Chris01]

After 20 days i received a Vag commander version 5.1 from ebay and started the swap, only to find out that my copy does NOT feature the "Read/Write immo data" special function! It's not even on the interface. Only "Read/Write EEPROM" option which doesn't work. I have ordered another one (version 1.4) but it is going to take for ever. Has anyone got the correct version with the "Read/Write immo" option to share? I have tried some versions that i downloaded from the internet with no luck. The cable from this version hopefully works. By the way, to anyone that has done a swap, is it essential to remove the battery before swapping clusters? What's the point if i don't remove the airbag? Thanks.

[skard]

With that cable (whatever version) you will only be able to retreive the immo data from the 862 clocks but you will NOT be able to program this into 963 clocks using the clone.

What you are better off doing is trying to retrieve the immo data from your 862 clocks, email this and then post the highline clocks to Eddie-NL (above). He will put your immo info into the highlibe clocks and return them ASAP so your car is not off the road.

[Chris01]

Thanks for the suggestion! What i forgot to mention is that i didn't go ahead with the 873 clocks but got 862 clocks instead that match mine for the last 3 digits, only they are from a GTI (1k6920862). They are mid-line too, but i like the style on them, plus they were more likely to work. I would do that if only i was not so far away from the UK, so i'm not sure if this is an option. Plus, i would still need to read immo anyway for that. The ebay vag commander clones should work (for 2006 models) according to a couple of guides, i just got bad luck with mine, thinking that all versions can read/write immo data. I'll now have to sit and wait another 2-3 weeks which is driving me insane.

[skard]

Ah I see, but that makes a DIY easier then.
I have done cluster swaps using the clone I got many years back, they are only good for mk5 clocks between xx0-xx2.
They are definitely hit and miss.

[Chris01]

Haha I detect a tone of disappointment. Well right now easy is what I need since I could not find the same retrofit anywhere on the web. Plus I don't feel so comfortable messing with electronics i'm not specialized with, like immobilizers. By the way are you still using that old clone cable? I'm trying to get my hands on some other vag commander software to try out with the current cable, until the 2nd order arrives. After some more searching, it seems that the chip in the cable I got with the 1st vag commander (232R) is similar to -one of- the vag com cables.

Also I still can't seem to understand why in every cluster DIY, the battery must be disconnected. To force adaptation of the new modules? I might try without disconnecting it in the next round.

[Chris01]

Finally i got a working version of vag commander and did the swap. Everything works fine so far. Now i need to figure out how i can configure the stock temperature gauge to display boost instead of temp. Then i can swap the small boost gauge from the stock GT cluster with GTI's temp gauge. That seems tricky as Ross Tech support can't provide any info on this. For now i did a small test in vag com, changing the "Equipment number" field in Instruments with the one from the old cluster. Didn't work so i changed it back.

[mrxbox360]

i got eddie nl to supply & fit mine  - good price decent bloke & road trip to great yarmouth   

[Chris01]

Sweet, did you have the stock boost gauge installed from the Golf GT cluster, or was it a regular cluster swap?