Can instrument cluster

Every vehicle has an instrument cluster. An instrument cluster is a board with several different gauges and warning lights mounted in it. The instrument cluster is mounted in the dashboard, just behind the steering wheel. Some of the most common gauges and indicators include:. Commonly, the dash and the dashboard are what you see in front of you while driving. The instrument cluster is the part that contains the gauges.

When one component fails, such as the speedometer or odometer, usually the whole instrument cluster is replaced. Some instrument clusters are all electronic. Those instrument clusters have digital readouts instead of traditional analog gauges. They have no moving parts. They can also be called:. Displayed information can be changed according to the drive mode e. This helps to reduce driver distraction by mainly displaying the information the driver requires in this situation.

In addition, features can be implemented that allow the user to choose the information that is displayed. Automakers can benefit from using a digital cluster since they can integrate the same hardware in different vehicle lines by modifying the optical user interface only.

The same flexibility enables the automakers to simply add functions to the cluster by changing the software but using the same hardware. From the previously mentioned project I found out that the radio sends information to the instrument cluster via three one-way data wires. When I pulled my radio out, I found out that my radio didn't use these three wires, but CAN bus instead.

GALA increases radio volume automatically according to vehicle speed. I'm used these CAN-messages in my digital speedometer solution. Main components needed for the CAN-shield were. I designed the circuit board in Autodesk Eagle. I didn't pay too much attention to the circuit board design specifics, because I knew that manufacturing and shipping of the board would take its own time. I ordered the printed circuit board from Itead. Using the library was very straightforward, since it was so well implemented.

One more suggestion. Chris it has been done by zach he has converted a 6. Home Store Documentation. CAN bus instrument cluster in older vehicle Car Hacking. Hi Chris, That sounds like a major project. I did some google searches and came up with this: Most likely your Excursion uses the J protocol on the OBD2 connector. So my OBD port has the following pins. I have ordered a carloop and can2usb tool to try and sniff all the traffic.

I also found some youtube videos of people doing something close to what I'm trying to do. Killerb18car UTC