DIC

JAMChevy · July 12, 2005

Last week I upgraded my Gauge cluster to a Cadillac Escalate so I decided to do get the DIC working .Now I do not have stirring wheel with the buttons I did it on the left hand side of the dash board. Went to Radio Shack got all the wire, buttons, conectors and everything I needed, made nice harness and got ready to install it or tie it to the cluster’s plug but…….. I discovered that my truck does not have the wires:

B7 FUEL ECONOMY - Yellow

B6 RESET – Dark Green / White

B5 TRIP – Dark Blue

B4 OPTIONS – Orange

in the cluster plug….only empty spaces…. So now I have got a nice positioned, nice looking buttons but so worthless.

My question is: Is there any way that I can add those wires to the plug of the cluster or the only option left is to buy new truck???

P.S. By the way my truck is 2004 Silverado W/T 1500 very basic model with 4.8l

Thanks John

BBSilverado · July 12, 2005

Last week I upgraded my Gauge cluster to a Cadillac Escalate so I decided to do get the DIC working .Now I do not have stirring wheel with the buttons I did it on the left hand side of the dash board. Went to Radio Shack got all the wire, buttons, conectors and everything I needed, made nice harness and got ready to install it or tie it to the cluster’s plug but…….. I discovered that my truck does not have the wires:

B7 FUEL ECONOMY - Yellow

B6 RESET – Dark Green / White

B5 TRIP – Dark Blue

B4 OPTIONS – Orange

in the cluster plug….only empty spaces…. So now I have got a nice positioned, nice looking buttons but so worthless.

My question is: Is there any way that I can add those wires to the plug of the cluster or the only option left is to buy new truck???

P.S. By the way my truck is 2004 Silverado W/T 1500 very basic model with 4.8l

Thanks John

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You have to add the wires to the connector, the terminals you need to put on the wires and slide into the spaces in the connector are GM no. 12089649 (bag of 10)

JAMChevy · July 13, 2005

Last week I upgraded my Gauge cluster to a Cadillac Escalate so I decided to do get the DIC working .Now I do not have stirring wheel with the buttons I did it on the left hand side of the dash board. Went to Radio Shack got all the wire, buttons, conectors and everything I needed, made nice harness and got ready to install it or tie it to the cluster’s plug but…….. I discovered that my truck does not have the wires:

B7 FUEL ECONOMY - Yellow

B6 RESET – Dark Green / White

B5 TRIP – Dark Blue

B4 OPTIONS – Orange

in the cluster plug….only empty spaces…. So now I have got a nice positioned, nice looking buttons but so worthless.

My question is: Is there any way that I can add those wires to the plug of the cluster or the only option left is to buy new truck???

P.S. By the way my truck is 2004 Silverado W/T 1500 very basic model with 4.8l

Thanks John

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You have to add the wires to the connector, the terminals you need to put on the wires and slide into the spaces in the connector are GM no. 12089649 (bag of 10)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

BBSilverado, is that all is to it...??? I read a post here where some one was explaining that the wires are already there all one have to do is to make the button harness and tap on to the existing wires.But i may be wrong.

Ok if that is all I got to do …is done tomorrow.

Thanks BB ,ones again i may have DIC working for me.

John

BBSilverado · July 13, 2005

Last week I upgraded my Gauge cluster to a Cadillac Escalate so I decided to do get the DIC working .Now I do not have stirring wheel with the buttons I did it on the left hand side of the dash board. Went to Radio Shack got all the wire, buttons, conectors and everything I needed, made nice harness and got ready to install it or tie it to the cluster’s plug but…….. I discovered that my truck does not have the wires:

B7 FUEL ECONOMY - Yellow

B6 RESET – Dark Green / White

B5 TRIP – Dark Blue

B4 OPTIONS – Orange

in the cluster plug….only empty spaces…. So now I have got a nice positioned, nice looking buttons but so worthless.

My question is: Is there any way that I can add those wires to the plug of the cluster or the only option left is to buy new truck???

P.S. By the way my truck is 2004 Silverado W/T 1500 very basic model with 4.8l

Thanks John

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You have to add the wires to the connector, the terminals you need to put on the wires and slide into the spaces in the connector are GM no. 12089649 (bag of 10)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

BBSilverado, is that all is to it...??? I read a post here where some one was explaining that the wires are already there all one have to do is to make the button harness and tap on to the existing wires.But i may be wrong.

Ok if that is all I got to do …is done tomorrow.

Thanks BB ,ones again i may have DIC working for me.

John

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Only the LS's and LT's have the wires there because the streering wheel controls where an available option on those trucks. You should be good to go if you add them from your buttons to the connector. The other side of your pushbuttons goes to a good ground.

lrymal · July 13, 2005

...my truck does not have the wires:

B7 FUEL ECONOMY - Yellow

B6 RESET – Dark Green / White

B5 TRIP – Dark Blue

B4 OPTIONS – Orange

....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are you totally and absolutely sure you are looking at the B row of the instrument cluster's plug? Am talking about the very BACK of the instrument cluster---that plug. My '05 and '03 trucks have the wires there and I modified them for the DIC with the momentary switches.

JAMChevy · July 13, 2005

Are you totally and absolutely sure you are looking at the B row of the instrument cluster's plug? Am talking about the very BACK of the instrument cluster---that plug. My '05 and '03 trucks have the wires there and I modified them for the DIC with the momentary switches.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes am sure I was looking right at the B row and number 4,5,6,7 are missing. Probably that is because I have the work truck basic model.

CapitalTruck · July 13, 2005

Man, that is ambitious...good luck!

TonyMazz · July 13, 2005

Last week I upgraded my Gauge cluster to a Cadillac Escalate so I decided to do get the DIC working .Now I do not have stirring wheel with the buttons I did it on the left hand side of the dash board. Went to Radio Shack got all the wire, buttons, conectors and everything I needed, made nice harness and got ready to install it or tie it to the cluster’s plug but…….. I discovered that my truck does not have the wires:

B7 FUEL ECONOMY - Yellow

B6 RESET – Dark Green / White

B5 TRIP – Dark Blue

B4 OPTIONS – Orange

in the cluster plug….only empty spaces…. So now I have got a nice positioned, nice looking buttons but so worthless.

My question is: Is there any way that I can add those wires to the plug of the cluster or the only option left is to buy new truck???

P.S. By the way my truck is 2004 Silverado W/T 1500 very basic model with 4.8l

Thanks John

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I too am interested in accessing my DIC on an o4 Tahoe LS and am interested in

1. where is the connector you are talking about.

2. what is the number for the switches you bought...

3. how did you mount them...

Thanks..this is great stuff.

JAMChevy · July 16, 2005

Last week I upgraded my Gauge cluster to a Cadillac Escalate so I decided to do get the DIC working .Now I do not have stirring wheel with the buttons I did it on the left hand side of the dash board. Went to Radio Shack got all the wire, buttons, conectors and everything I needed, made nice harness and got ready to install it or tie it to the cluster’s plug but…….. I discovered that my truck does not have the wires:

B7 FUEL ECONOMY - Yellow

B6 RESET – Dark Green / White

B5 TRIP – Dark Blue

B4 OPTIONS – Orange

in the cluster plug….only empty spaces…. So now I have got a nice positioned, nice looking buttons but so worthless.

My question is: Is there any way that I can add those wires to the plug of the cluster or the only option left is to buy new truck???

P.S. By the way my truck is 2004 Silverado W/T 1500 very basic model with 4.8l

Thanks John

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I too am interested in accessing my DIC on an o4 Tahoe LS and am interested in

1. where is the connector you are talking about.

2. what is the number for the switches you bought...

3. how did you mount them...

Thanks..this is great stuff.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Tony, here is how you do it I took it from a post that was posted here a while back, the only thing I did not do is cutting the back of the blanking unit, instead I drill a hole with saw hole ½”.it is really easy to do it took me an hour and 30 minutes. Here you go:

DIY DIC - Do It Yourself Driver Information Center for 2003+ NBS Trucks

How to get your DIC working on GM Truck with no steering wheel controls. This is a cost effective way to achieve this, rather than spend $400 to $450 on a steering wheel # 15188425 and abs coil # 26101829. This may, or may not work for your stock gauge cluster. I had already upgraded my cluster to a Denali unit and it worked. If this mod. Does not work for you, then you will need to find a friendly GM dealer who will have to flash your cluster to enable the options. You may be charged for this.

Anyone undertaking this modification does so at their own risk, these instructions are only a guideline and no responsibility is accepted for omissions or errors.

It is assumed anyone undertaking this modification has an understanding of basic electronics and electrical assembly.

Parts.

1 x Plastic plate, I cut this from an electronics project box, preferably Black.

1 x 2 part epoxy adhesive, I used VersaChem plastic welding system from Advance Auto Parts.

3 x momentary switches (black) Radio Shack #275-644

1 x momentary switches (black) Radio Shack #275-646

1 x Roll of ½” PVC insulation tape.

4 x 3M line tap connects #03777NA

1 x Ring or Forked crimp connector 18 to 20 AWG

5 x 2 feet (approx.) lengths of stranded wire 18 to 20 AWG (5 colors required) ie. Black, Red, Yellow, Blue, Green.

1 x 4” of solid wire or fuse wire 20 AWG

Tools.

Soldering Iron & Solder.

Pliers.

Wire Cutters / Stripper.

Trim removal tool (or screw-driver used with great care)

7mm Socket and extension.

Dremel with cut-off wheel and sanding drum attachments.

Sand paper

Drill and Drills (up to ½”)

Time: 1 ½ to 2 hours.

1. Remove dash bezel (held in with Clips) grip firmly and pull towards you, I find it easier to start at the left of the gauge cluster. (you will need to lower the steering wheel and place the gear selector in 1st gear).

2. Remove 4 screws on cluster (7mm socket required)

3. Remove Harness from back of cluster (be careful when pulling out) and place the cluster in a safe place.

4. On the cluster plug identify the following connections / wires

B7 FUEL ECONOMY - Yellow

B6 RESET – Dark Green / White

B5 TRIP – Dark Blue

B4 OPTIONS – Orange

These are the wires you will be connecting in to. Be careful, there are 3 x Dark Green / White wires. These 4 wires are all together, make sure you get the one in the first row with the Yellow and Dark Blue wires on each side.

5. Use the ‘tapping’ half of the 3M line tap connects and fix the on each of the identified wires about 3” away from the cluster connector where the wires are

not taped up.

6. Remove headlight switch, bed light switch, vent and recessed cover (blanking unit for 4WD controls on 2WD vehicles) as an assembly (held in with clips)

7. Remove blanking unit from assembly, use a small screwdriver to release retainers at top and one side of unit.

9. Modify recessed cover by removing approx. 1” from rear of cover parallel to the front/opening to the cover. Do not remove too much from the depth, the lugs on the top and one side that retain the unit in the assembly in 6 above must not be removed.

10. Using the sand paper on a flat surface, ensure the cut is leveled and is parallel to the front opening.

11. Cut plastic plate roughly oversize of cut opening in recessed cover. Roughen surface where the bond to the recessed cover will be bonded. I roughened

the whole surface to give a dull / brushed surface.

12. Mix 2 part epoxy and apply to cut surface of recessed cover, place flat plastic plate on table, roughened surface up, and place cut and glued surface of

recessed cover and weight with a suitable object until adhesive is cured.

13. Sand excess plastic plate to the profile of recessed cover.

13. The new back plate is about 4” long, 4 x ½” holes will now have to be drilled to accept the switches. I spaced my holes at ½”, 1 ½”, 2 ½”, 3 ½”.

14. Put switches into drilled holes, align the connections on the switches in 2 parallel rows and tighten nuts fully. I placed the red switch at the top of the recesses cover to use as the Reset switch.

15. Solder solid 20 AWG wire across one side of all 4 switches, this will be the common ground side of the switches.

16. Solder one of each length of each colored wire to each of the switches. I used Red for the Options button, Yellow for the Fuel Economy button, Blue for the Trip button and Green for the Reset.

17. Solder the Black wire to the center of the common ground wire, between the 2nd and 3rd buttons.

18. On the end of the black wire crimp the Ring or Forked connector, on the remaining colored wires, crimp the other half of the 3M line tap connects.

19. Dress wires together and use PVC tape to start a harness starting at the rear of the switches. After 2” separate the Black wire and continue to tape the other wires until 2” from the 3M line tap connector.

20. Feed wires through the original mounting position of the recessed cover and clip the cover back into place.

21. Remove fuse panel on left of dash and on front of door jamb you will see 2 bolts/nuts, feed black wire to left and down and fix crimp to vehicle body with one of bolts/nut. Refit fuse cover.

22. Feed wires towards front and around dash to cluster plug position and connect each wire to 3M line tap connects fitted in item 5. Refit headlight switch, bed light switch, vent and modified recessed cover assembly.

23. Mate the 2 halves of the 3M line tap connectors.

B7 FUEL ECONOMY – Yellow to Yellow wire

B6 RESET – Dark Green / White to Green wire

B5 TRIP – Dark Blue to Blue wire

B4 OPTIONS – Orange to Red wire

24. Reassemble cluster and dash.

25. Test – The ignition MUST be on for the DIC to function.

Hope it helps. John