Programming Options On Dic-less Vehicles

Gryphon · December 3, 2008

Anyways, my 05 Sierra has the SLE package so I have the single-line DIC without the programming buttons. I was wondering if there's any way to change the factory defaults of some settings. Specifically I'm interested in extending the delay of my perimeter lights and headlights when getting out of the truck so I have a little more light than ten seconds. Is there a way to do this without the fully-featured DIC?

txab · December 3, 2008

I'm not familiar with your setup, because I have all the buttons. Look in your manual. You might want to look into the upgrade that daddy did on his rig.

A dealer may be able to access and change the settings in your system.

DIC upgrade

huero626 · December 3, 2008

I'm not familiar with your setup, because I have all the buttons. Look in your manual. You might want to look into the upgrade that daddy did on his rig.
A dealer may be able to access and change the settings in your system.

DIC upgrade

The DIC upgrade in the link only works on GMT-900 trucks. It won't work on 2003-2006 trucks.

lrymal · December 3, 2008

Anyways, my 05 Sierra has the SLE package so I have the single-line DIC without the programming buttons. ...

OK.... I hardly remember how to do this since it was half a decade ago, but basically you gotta have an "advanced" model instrument cluster, such as from a Denali or SilveradoSS, etc., model truck. Or, if you have a dealer that KNOWS HOW to reflash the cluster to the VIN of such a model (I think---too long for my memory). You'll rig up a little box to hold four momentary contact switches, or if you are brave, you'll spend $$$$$$$$$$$ for a new clock spring and steering wheel with buttons. For NOW, forget that and at least get the electronics part working by rigging up the little project box with the four switches. I never did replace the steering wheel, clock spring, or install the wiring harness for all of this.

Basically, you'll find four contact points on the back of your instrument cluster. You rig your momentary contact switches to each of these, with one side going to ground. Read the link below, spend some time sorting through all the messages, and you'll find just which contact points on the back of your instrument cluster you will tap into.

BTW, please don't ask for any clarification from me for any of this. I just can't remember it any more---waaaay too long ago for me.

Now, this forum engine cannot pull up all the message exchanges using the standard searching. But, google search finds them. Here's the GOOGLE link using "lrymal dic" in the search field:

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/lofiversio...?t17291-50.html

Here is relative content from that link:

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Your right the airbag coil has no other purpose but to let the wires pass threw so that you can spin your steering all the way.

If you hooked up the switches so that you sent ground to each wire with a diffrent switch it WOULD WORK.

The Driver Information Center controls on my steering wheel worked as soon as i hooked up the battery no dealer programming required. Only programming needed is for the radio controls.

I used a short wire and at the main connector for the steering column harness i jumpered the steering wheel control supply ground to each of the dic control wires

just to see if it would work before i bought the stuff and it worked perfect.

On the main column connector that is part of the body harness (not the column harness)

A5 IS GROUND

B2 IS FUEL ECONMY

A4 IS RESET

B26 IS TRIP MILES

B13 IS VEHICLE OPTIONS

ON THE CLUSTER PLUG

B7 FUEL ECONY As long as you hook each of these wires to one side

B6 RESET of a switch and a ground to the other side it should

B5 TRIP work.

B4 OPTIONS

Personaly i would go the the harness plug because if you get some crimps like the factory ones you should be able to put the wires in the connector just like the factory would have and you would be using the proper ground. Then just run the wire to your switch bank and your all set.

If you would like me to get the wire colors let me know and i will get them for ya.

And there is a bit of a trick to pulling out the connector for the column harness to get your wires in.

If you want to keep the wires you already have hooked up from the past time just make sure you ground them out NOT SUPPLY VOLTAGE.

If you have you wires attached to the cluster wires, plug in the cluster in to the harness and tap your wires to the closest metal bolt and watch your odometer.

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b7 is yellow.

b6 is dark green on white.

b5 is dark blue.

b4 is orange.

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May 14 2004, 04:50 PM

Ok, y'all. IT WORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just simply shouting! IT WORKS!!!!

The key to this, if we can use my experience, is in the instrument cluster. It has GOT to have the full-DIC option turned on for the switches to work. If this option is not turned on, then tapping these four wires to ground will do absolutely nothing. I sort of think that some base clusters have this stuff turned already, and others (mine) do not.

Another user at the SS site traded a truck of his in on an SS. Previously, he purchased a SS cluster for the truck he traded, but never used that SS cluster and sold it to me which I just got today. With the SS cluster, my wires, when tapped to ground, cause the cluster to talk. Apparently, that SS cluster has most of the DIC turned on. My original one did not.

I have the SELECT, PERSONALIZATION, and FUEL options available. For the most part, it works just like the manual sez. CURB ASSIST is not available in the PERSONALIZATION. bummer..... It won't pop up at all. Maybe it has to be made available (flashed) so that the PERSONALIZATION option can find it. Oh yeah, the trip stalk NOW gives me the timer, business, personal, etc.

I'll be travelling to Dallas to a shop that will transfer my mileage from the old cluster to the SS cluster. Until then, I'll leave the SS cluster out so my mileage and hours will be perfect. I don't want any doubt of my mileage.

In the meantime, I'll be rigging up a decent switch bank. I intend to replace my steering wheel with the buttoned steering wheel and get the harness, but for now, the $$$$ will have to wait and I'll use my rigged up switcher.

I am so happy about this. Y'all know that I've been griping about this for a LONG time. Read back on this thread, starting at the beginning. Oh yeah, for the newbies, this is for the 2003 models and upwards. Not sure what the issues are for the '02s and lower.

Thanks to ss275hp for taking the $$$$ to push this project and to explain what he did. Thanks to the many others who explained things and offered ideas. Man, I wish I could pat y'all on the back.

Gryphon · December 4, 2008

Wow, awesome info, thanks for the link!

But...for the meantime, isn't there a way I can just extend the delay on my perimeter lamps without tearing apart my dash and getting the cluster flashed? Seems like an awful lot of work for something that should otherwise be fairly straightforward. I imagine there has to be a way to access these options other than the DIC. If I need a dealer with a diagnostic tool, not a problem. Just need to know if it's possible.

lrymal · December 4, 2008

But...for the meantime, isn't there a way I can just extend the delay on my perimeter lamps without tearing apart my dash and getting the cluster flashed?

From my memory, the cluster is the mediator to the BCM with even the Tech II having to go through the cluster to talk to certain parameters of the BCM. But, the cluster has to be flashed, or is a "luxury" cluster, to even have the right channels turned on to reach certain parts of the BCM.

This is what my memory has and I may certainly be wrong. At any rate, I'd go to the dealer and see if he if has a way of defining some of the perimeter lamp, etc., values.

But, if you can find a Denalie or SS cluster, and its odometer setting is close or redone to your factory cluster's value, the modification will take less than an hour with momentary contact switches.

I think the frustrating part for me was that I **knew** these options were resting in my cluster. Just that they were "asleep". When I woke it all up, it was a "hallelujah" moment, most definitely. You can imagine how happy I was when I discovered it was so easy to get this to work with the newer model trucks, such as the '08 I recently purchased.