How do you fix a 1996 Grand Cherokee limited instrument cluster?

Answer 1

Removing he instrument cluster from a 1996 Grand Cherokee Laredo Ltd. is easier than I thought it would be since Jeep designed it to be removed from the front of the dash. You don't have to lie upside down on the floor to do the work. You start by first removing the 6 visible screws surrounding the top underside of the bezel. Then you carefully pry off the two wood-grained trim pieces surrounding the controls below the instrument cluster bevel to the left and right of the steering wheel column. That exposes 8 more screws you must remove. Once these screws are removed, you carefully pry down the top of the bezel that surrounds the instrument cluster, pulling it forward at the same time. The bezel should pull forward and it can now be removed, exposing the instrument cluster. The instrument cluster is held in place with four screws. Use a magnetic tipped screwdriver, so you don't lose them inside the dash. The cluster may now be removed. The good news is that it is simply plugged into a socket behind the cluster, there are no wires to disconnect, which is nice. You gently rock it back and forth, while pulling it towards you. At this point you can either replace the entire cluster, which my local Jeep dealer charges about $325 for, or you can further disassemble the cluster to replace individual gauges, which I am doing. My speedometer stopped working and the dealer charged $118 for its replacement. You must supply your VIN and odometer reading and the old speedometer, to avoid the core charge. Take it slow on removing all plastic parts, to avoid breakage and you should do all right. If you need further help, give me a call at 650-638-5905 and I will try to help as best I can. I hope this helps give people the confidence to do this simple task by themselves.