How do you remove the instrument cluster on a 1997 Cherokee?

Answer 1

I have a '98 Cherokee Sport and I had to remove the center panel around the stereo and AC controls first. It just snapped off then that exposed the four screws holding the main panel in place. Once I removed those then the rest snapped off. Then four more screws around the instrument panel and it came right out. I hope this helps out because I've looked all over the net for info on this same subject and had no luck. I did find some info at this site http://wjjeeps.com . Thanks to this website I found that one. Good luck.

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To add to the above:

When removing the panel that wraps around the center a/c vents, a/c controls, stereo and accessory switches, it might be easiest to pull from the bottom, where it's easiest to get a grip. You can literally pull this panel off with your bare hands, without much trouble.

The panel surrounding the gauge cluster, a panel which has an arm reaching over to behind the center panel with the a/c controls, has four or five screws easily removed with a Philips-head screwdriver. The challenge in removing this panel is in getting it free of the steering column. There is a rubber "horse collar" surrounding the steering column, which fastens to itself underneath the column. Unhook the underside of this rubber collar, then gradually work the collar out by pulling the panel away to the right and up.

That leaves just four remaining screws holding the gauge cluster in place, all Philips head screws that are easily accessed. Once they're removed, you can pull the gauge cluster away from its connectors by wiggling it, pulling one side toward you, then the other, until it pulls free. Do this gently to avoid damaging the connectors on the cluster or the couplers in the dash.

It's likely you're doing this job to either fix a gauge cluster that doesn't display any readings, or to replace a simple dummy-light cluster with a more sophisticated one. If your gauges aren't working, you have no odometer reading, and your cruise control (if equipped) indicator light does not come on even if cruise control works, it's likely your problem is simply dirty connections.

Oxidation (grey film) on the contacts in the back of the cluster eventually builds up to such a level that all the gauges stop working simultaneously. Use a thin screw driver blade to scrape the grey film off, being careful not to damage the metal of the contacts or bend the tabs.

Be sure to clean both sides of each contact pin. There should be about 32 of them. Simply re-install the cluster by pushing it back onto the couplers in the dash, and give it a test. A neat test feature that Jeeps with this cluster have can be accessed by doing the following:

Put the key in the ignition, and while holding the trip odometer button down (it's in the cluster), turn the key to the run position (but don't start the engine). Then release the odometer button. You'll see the gauge cluster run a test sequence, which will display every warning light and test the functional range of every gauge, before returning to normal.

Once you're certain the cluster is functioning, you can put everything back together the same way it came off. The whole procedure, including all removal and replacement, should take about 20 minutes.