Legacy Gauge cluster removal? Possible?

czo79 · 09-18-2003, 07:25 PM

I know its possible, I just don't want to have to remove my dash. I'm trying to remove the cluster on my 97 GT so I can pull the airbag light...cause my car needs to be inspected. Any other ideas for getting the airbag light to turn off? Am I correct in thinking that the 97 is OBDII so it has a electronic speedo?, not that wire thing that plugs into the back of the speedo? Anyways, I pulled the gauge bezel off, and but the cluster itself doesn't seem to pull far enough out that one can get to the electrical connectors on the back, so I can remove the cluster to get to the airbag light. On my 91 legacy turbo, one could reach around behind the cluster and pull the electrical connectors, then if you gave the whole cluster a good yank, the speedo connector would come undone. I'm at a loss here, as I have been driving for a couple weeks with no inspection, and really need to fix this light so I can get it inspected. Any ideas?
thanks
Micum

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subiekid · 09-18-2003, 07:55 PM

is your air bag popped? if so you should replace it. and i thougth messing around with that stuff was a federal crime? or maybe its just selling a car with a popped/faulty air bag. ah yes its a 10k fine and prison time.

you can take the cluster out, its easy
1. take out 2 screws on bottom ( close to where your knees are)
2. take 2 screws out from top ( above where spedo is)
3. yank.

i think thats it.

cant remember to well.

if you yank it and have not gotten all the scews and bust something its not my fault

czo79 · 09-18-2003, 08:07 PM

Federal crime shmedral crime...I spit upon the federal goverment and their capitalist running dog lackey pigs.

As for you subiekid, I'm a gonna sit on my drivers seat, put my feet up on the dashboard, either side of the instrument cluster, grab it will both hands, and pull, and push with my legs. And then i'm gooing to sue you when I break it!

No...its been one of those days...
I already pulled the bezel around the cluster and then took the mounting screws off from the cluster. It just seems like there are electrical connectors holding it in, that I can't reach around the cluster to disconnect. So just so I make sure I've got this right, once you pull the bezel, then undo the four screws, you can just pull/yank the whole cluster out? Without undoing any electrical connectors first? Pulling the cluster will undo the electrical connectors without breaking them? Will I be able to reattach those connectors in the same manner, reversed? ie, pushing the cluster back in hard?
thanks so much...
Micum

czo79 · 09-18-2003, 10:14 PM

ne1? Bueller? Anyone?
thanks
micum

richeich · 09-18-2003, 11:16 PM

It's been awhile, but it seems to me that you can't get it very far out without disconnecting the electrical connections. You have to pull it pretty firmly out from the topside, with the steering wheel tilted down, and pull the connectors that you can reach, which will give you a little more room to reach the others. That's just from old, rusty memory though.

Rich

Speedwagon · 09-18-2003, 11:28 PM

I've only pulled the cluster out of my '91, not my '98, so I can't help you there.

BUT.. it is only illegal to modify SOMEONE ELSE'S airbag system. You can screw yours up all you want to, and it is perfectly LEGAL. But you CANNOT have someone else do it. Paying someone to modify the airbag system is VERY ILLEGAL.

So have at it! I know I'm going to be pulling my steering wheel off after I get my '91's Momo wheel recovered.

czo79 · 09-19-2003, 12:20 AM

Ok...I got it. It seems that you can't pull it out very far, but if you pull from the top, tilting the top towards you and keeping the bottom of the cluster pushed inwards...it will come out far enough so I think one can disconnect the connectors. I was able to just reach around after doing that and pull out the airbag bulb, not even too hard to find it.

Has anyone tried modifying their display so the speedo, tach, fuel, and temp gauges show up red instead of green? Or any other colour? I was assuming their is probably a green coating on the backside of the gauge faces...and that maybe their are condoms on the bulbs too, maybe not. I figure you'd have to remove the green coating and then could either apply a red one, or use condoms, or both. Anyone done it?

Thanks all
Micum

RoundtheBend · 09-19-2003, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by czo79
Ok...I got it. It seems that you can't pull it out very far, but if you pull from the top, tilting the top towards you and keeping the bottom of the cluster pushed inwards...it will come out far enough so I think one can disconnect the connectors. I was able to just reach around after doing that and pull out the airbag bulb, not even too hard to find it.

Has anyone tried modifying their display so the speedo, tach, fuel, and temp gauges show up red instead of green? Or any other colour? I was assuming their is probably a green coating on the backside of the gauge faces...and that maybe their are condoms on the bulbs too, maybe not. I figure you'd have to remove the green coating and then could either apply a red one, or use condoms, or both. Anyone done it?

Thanks all
Micum

Well you got it before I saw this post. As for the coloring.. there is a green tint to the stock gauges. I started with blue and wasn't very happy with how that turned out. I currently have red-tinted lights in place of the stock ones and it's alright but it's not bright, bright red. I also did the lights in the climate control in red. Sorry, no pics. YMMV

-E

richeich · 09-19-2003, 01:26 AM

The lamps for the cluster have green condoms. Not sure about tint of lense or background.

Rich

subiekid · 09-19-2003, 01:55 AM

heehehhehe.... i forgot to tell you to tilt it so you could unplug the electical conectors. my bad

its been over a year since i had mine out

as far as the air bag light, i thought that it was in a group of other lights. so like the cel, airbag, at oil temp would not work. maybe i am wrong. i have some pics of the damn thing some place.

subiekid · 09-19-2003, 01:57 AM

also, you can get the condoms at most auto parts store and radio shack. blue looks the best, i tried red condoms and it looked like poo. but with blue condoms its still got a greenish tint.

and you can just buy new bulbs from radio shack for like a dollar for 2 and then insert them into the old plastic housings instead of paying 4 bucks for one bulb at the dealership.

Mgardenier · 09-19-2003, 02:43 PM

just a thought, i searched the vt dmv website for simialr information, but here is the information on airbags from the mass site. good luck:

The airbag light is on in my vehicle, am I going to fail inspection?

No, airbags are not part of the state inspection. We do, however, recommend that you have your vehicle checked if the airbag light is on. For more information about airbags and airbag safety, CLICK HERE.

http://www.state.ma.us/rmv/inspect/question.htm

call the dmv and ask them. i would think that it is not a required system. i just got my legacy inspected with an abs light on, same deal, its not a required system. they didnt even tell me to get it looked at

GOOD LUCK

09-18-2003, 07:25 PM	#1
czo79 Scooby Newbie Member#: 6752 Join Date: May 2001 Location: Montpelier, VT, USA	Legacy Gauge cluster removal? Possible? I know its possible, I just don't want to have to remove my dash. I'm trying to remove the cluster on my 97 GT so I can pull the airbag light...cause my car needs to be inspected. Any other ideas for getting the airbag light to turn off? Am I correct in thinking that the 97 is OBDII so it has a electronic speedo?, not that wire thing that plugs into the back of the speedo? Anyways, I pulled the gauge bezel off, and but the cluster itself doesn't seem to pull far enough out that one can get to the electrical connectors on the back, so I can remove the cluster to get to the airbag light. On my 91 legacy turbo, one could reach around behind the cluster and pull the electrical connectors, then if you gave the whole cluster a good yank, the speedo connector would come undone. I'm at a loss here, as I have been driving for a couple weeks with no inspection, and really need to fix this light so I can get it inspected. Any ideas? thanks Micum * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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09-18-2003, 07:55 PM	#2
subiekid Scooby Guru Member#: 25516 Join Date: Oct 2002 Chapter/Region: NWIC Location: Send help, stuck in internet! Vehicle: 1995 Legacy TURBO!!! EJ22T/TEC3 & 06 MCS	is your air bag popped? if so you should replace it. and i thougth messing around with that stuff was a federal crime? or maybe its just selling a car with a popped/faulty air bag. ah yes its a 10k fine and prison time. you can take the cluster out, its easy 1. take out 2 screws on bottom ( close to where your knees are) 2. take 2 screws out from top ( above where spedo is) 3. yank. i think thats it. cant remember to well. if you yank it and have not gotten all the scews and bust something its not my fault

09-18-2003, 08:07 PM	#3
czo79 Scooby Newbie Member#: 6752 Join Date: May 2001 Location: Montpelier, VT, USA	Federal crime shmedral crime...I spit upon the federal goverment and their capitalist running dog lackey pigs. As for you subiekid, I'm a gonna sit on my drivers seat, put my feet up on the dashboard, either side of the instrument cluster, grab it will both hands, and pull, and push with my legs. And then i'm gooing to sue you when I break it! No...its been one of those days... I already pulled the bezel around the cluster and then took the mounting screws off from the cluster. It just seems like there are electrical connectors holding it in, that I can't reach around the cluster to disconnect. So just so I make sure I've got this right, once you pull the bezel, then undo the four screws, you can just pull/yank the whole cluster out? Without undoing any electrical connectors first? Pulling the cluster will undo the electrical connectors without breaking them? Will I be able to reattach those connectors in the same manner, reversed? ie, pushing the cluster back in hard? thanks so much... Micum

09-18-2003, 10:14 PM	#4
czo79 Scooby Newbie Member#: 6752 Join Date: May 2001 Location: Montpelier, VT, USA	ne1? Bueller? Anyone? thanks micum

09-18-2003, 11:16 PM	#5
richeich Scooby Specialist Member#: 1353 Join Date: Apr 2000 Vehicle: 2001 Impreza 2.5RS Silver	It's been awhile, but it seems to me that you can't get it very far out without disconnecting the electrical connections. You have to pull it pretty firmly out from the topside, with the steering wheel tilted down, and pull the connectors that you can reach, which will give you a little more room to reach the others. That's just from old, rusty memory though. Rich

09-18-2003, 11:28 PM	#6
Speedwagon Scooby Specialist Member#: 19681 Join Date: Jun 2002 Chapter/Region: RMIC Location: Denver, CO Vehicle: 1998 Legacy Wagon GT Green	I've only pulled the cluster out of my '91, not my '98, so I can't help you there. BUT.. it is only illegal to modify SOMEONE ELSE'S airbag system. You can screw yours up all you want to, and it is perfectly LEGAL. But you CANNOT have someone else do it. Paying someone to modify the airbag system is VERY ILLEGAL. So have at it! I know I'm going to be pulling my steering wheel off after I get my '91's Momo wheel recovered.

09-19-2003, 12:20 AM	#7
czo79 Scooby Newbie Member#: 6752 Join Date: May 2001 Location: Montpelier, VT, USA	Ok...I got it. It seems that you can't pull it out very far, but if you pull from the top, tilting the top towards you and keeping the bottom of the cluster pushed inwards...it will come out far enough so I think one can disconnect the connectors. I was able to just reach around after doing that and pull out the airbag bulb, not even too hard to find it. Has anyone tried modifying their display so the speedo, tach, fuel, and temp gauges show up red instead of green? Or any other colour? I was assuming their is probably a green coating on the backside of the gauge faces...and that maybe their are condoms on the bulbs too, maybe not. I figure you'd have to remove the green coating and then could either apply a red one, or use condoms, or both. Anyone done it? Thanks all Micum

09-19-2003, 01:26 AM	#9
richeich Scooby Specialist Member#: 1353 Join Date: Apr 2000 Vehicle: 2001 Impreza 2.5RS Silver	The lamps for the cluster have green condoms. Not sure about tint of lense or background. Rich

09-19-2003, 01:55 AM	#10
subiekid Scooby Guru Member#: 25516 Join Date: Oct 2002 Chapter/Region: NWIC Location: Send help, stuck in internet! Vehicle: 1995 Legacy TURBO!!! EJ22T/TEC3 & 06 MCS	heehehhehe.... i forgot to tell you to tilt it so you could unplug the electical conectors. my bad its been over a year since i had mine out as far as the air bag light, i thought that it was in a group of other lights. so like the cel, airbag, at oil temp would not work. maybe i am wrong. i have some pics of the damn thing some place.

09-19-2003, 01:57 AM	#11
subiekid Scooby Guru Member#: 25516 Join Date: Oct 2002 Chapter/Region: NWIC Location: Send help, stuck in internet! Vehicle: 1995 Legacy TURBO!!! EJ22T/TEC3 & 06 MCS	also, you can get the condoms at most auto parts store and radio shack. blue looks the best, i tried red condoms and it looked like poo. but with blue condoms its still got a greenish tint. and you can just buy new bulbs from radio shack for like a dollar for 2 and then insert them into the old plastic housings instead of paying 4 bucks for one bulb at the dealership.

09-19-2003, 02:43 PM	#12
Mgardenier Scooby Specialist Member#: 7518 Join Date: Jun 2001 Chapter/Region: NESIC Location: Franklin MA Vehicle: 1994 Legacy SS Aegean Blue Metallic	just a thought, i searched the vt dmv website for simialr information, but here is the information on airbags from the mass site. good luck: The airbag light is on in my vehicle, am I going to fail inspection? No, airbags are not part of the state inspection. We do, however, recommend that you have your vehicle checked if the airbag light is on. For more information about airbags and airbag safety, CLICK HERE. http://www.state.ma.us/rmv/inspect/question.htm call the dmv and ask them. i would think that it is not a required system. i just got my legacy inspected with an abs light on, same deal, its not a required system. they didnt even tell me to get it looked at GOOD LUCK