Hello Everyone my names Nate, and recently my old pre-facelift instrument cluster has failed and went bad. So I picked up a new Facelift Instrument Cluster with similar milage, same tranny, no IMMO. So the Cluster is basically the same and the only thing thats a bit different is the wiring. Mine has two 32 pin connectors and one gray connector thats 20 pin I believe. The new one I bought has 3 32 Pin connectors. So far I have found the pin out diagram and attempted to map out what pins are different between the two cars. What I am wondering is has anyone else attempted this yet or at least got it partially working because its getting hard to drive my modified car without getting speeding tickets as my whole cluster is bad. So any help or tips would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!! What I want to know is has anyone else done this swap or have any advice about the best way to do this the old cluster I had was out of a 98.5 and the new one is out of a 2000. So any links to write-ups on this or photos of this swap would really help me out. Thanks in advance everyone!

 

This might help a little: Understanding differences between Audi A4 clusters and the compatibility issues

 

Thanks for the advice from taking a look at that it seems I will need to pick up the control for the LCD screen which is built into the wiper arm different from the one on my model. This seems it very well could be useful. Now I'm just wondering if swapping the pins around would do the trick maybe pick up some wires from the local Vdub dealership and give this a try this weekend. Any other input would also be appreciate if anyones attempted to do this on any model of A4 would be useful as it would be pretty similar process just wondering at this point if it'd be easier to try and find the correct wiring harness for the swap. But thanks for the response so far.

 

I have a 97 ("1st cluster") that came without an LCD and swapped in a new cluster with an LCD. Our clusters are different, so you shouldn't follow the wiring that I did, but you can see the basic process of putting in the new wiper control arm.

Starts here on my thread and goes over a few pages.

https://www.audiforums.com/forum/b5-...149485/page19/

I actually still have not completed this swap as I'm still waiting to program in the mileage on the new cluster.

 

Thanks for the advice it looks like I will be able to use the thread you provided to at least get the wiper arm and everything on and as far as the pin diagram goes were you just planning on finding the correct diagram and repinning the ones that are slightly different as well? Either way very helpful thanks for the responses!! If anyone else has done this swap feel free to contribute as I feel these clusters probably go bad for a lot of us B5 owners.

 

so whatever happened with this? Did you get everything to work properly? I just bought a 98.5 (i think) A4 also 1.8t 5 speed and was looking into doing this swap as well. My concern is I don't want to have any warning lights on and trying to find an instrument cluster with around my same mileage (around 112k original miles) I've been reading a few posts about how it's possible to do but I haven't seen anyone say that they have successfully completed it.

 

I have successfully completed a cluster swap. Full functionality, no warning lights. A few others have too. Take a look at my thread which I posted above.

 

My advice is to stay with your original cluster generation. If you have a '96 - '97 non-LCD cluster, it is VERY easy to retrofit a '96 - '97 LCD cluster. But be VERY VERY VERY god-awefully careful if you decide to switch cluster styles. I did, worst mistake ever, I now have to trace down a whole terminal system in my car and fix it. In your case, stay with the cluster style with the 32-pin green and blue plugs and the 20-pin red.

 

I really want to do this. The link doesn't really give a step by step process. Do you all have one? I already have the wiper stalk cause I had to change it already for another reason. In the audiworld link you posted I have the second cluster, but without the LCD. Can I just not swap it, or do I have to wire everything?
Thanks

 

You have to wire in the LCD for power and inputs if you want it to be functional. There is no go-to DIY article written up for a cluster swap, but there is plenty of info out there and enough of us here to answer questions.