cluster screen swap?

[TheBlueMartin]

So my friend just brought his '08 A6 by that he bought this year, and its got a red large pixel screen in the gauge cluster like my old C5 had in it. My '06 C6 has the new hi-res multi color screen in it, so I think someone is wrong. Has anyone seen this swap done? I wouldn't think its possible, but I think the last owner screwed him.

[TheBlueMartin]

Mine and every other one I've seen looks like this.

[enoch861]

First off, he didn't get screwed (although I honestly think all of us with the stupid red screens got screwed).
Second off I don't really know what package you had to get to get the color screen. It's as if they mixed and matched whenever they felt like it. It's really weird.
Mine has the red screen too, I too wonder if you can swap gauge clusters for the colored one.

[Dutch_A6]

It would be great if it was an easy swap, the red screen looks just like the one in my wife's Jetta which is kind of a bummer.

[TheBlueMartin]

First off, he didn't get screwed (although I honestly think all of us with the stupid red screens got screwed).
Second off I don't really know what package you had to get to get the color screen. It's as if they mixed and matched whenever they felt like it. It's really weird.
Mine has the red screen too, I too wonder if you can swap gauge clusters for the colored one.

Did you buy your car new? I guess it could have been a premium option to get the multi color screen....but it seems odd not to have it standard. Now that I know there is more than one car out there, its not unheard of.

[enoch861]

Did you buy your car new? I guess it could have been a premium option to get the multi color screen....but it seems odd not to have it standard. Now that I know there is more than one car out there, its not unheard of.

Nope, bought it used. And all the A6's I test drove all had the stupid red screen. Not one had the multi-color screen although I wish I had the multi-color screen..

[Alym]

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/s...d.php?t=148264

Resident Curry Muncher!

[enoch861]

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/s...d.php?t=148264

Resident Curry Muncher!

Thats for an upgrade from MMI Basic to MMI High. We don't have MMI Basic in the US and we also couldn't tell what cluster type he had. If it was color or red. So that doesn't really help us.

[Alym]

I thought he changed his cluster in it!?

Resident Curry Muncher!

[superman_006]

The a6 contains a red monochrome center screen if yours is a 2005 with or without nav. In 2006 it came the red screen if there was no navigation system untill 2009 which is when they stopped producing the basic 2G and the Basic Plus 2G MMI (well al the 2G). Plus is the same as the basic except it has rear door speakers and an amp. If you have Nav... you have the technogy package which has High 2G MMI which has the color screen (except 2005).

Ive never heard of anyone trying to swap in a color for the red. Idk if its a plug and play or not

[enoch861]

I don't think he did. He did remove it though.
Our question is, what happens when you switch clusters? Is it a straight swap? Or do we also have to do some programming?

[enoch861]

The a6 contains a red monochrome center screen if yours is a 2005 with or without nav. In 2006 it came the red screen if there was no navigation system untill 2009 which is when they stopped producing the basic 2G and the Basic Plus 2G MMI (well al the 2G). Plus is the same as the basic except it has rear door speakers and an amp. If you have Nav... you have the technogy package which has High 2G MMI which has the color screen (except 2005).

Ive never heard of anyone trying to swap in a color for the red. Idk if its a plug and play or not

The US is different from UK or ROW. We all got MMI 2G High no matter what as far as I know. We don't have MMI Basic and if we do, I've never seen it.
The thing is, its as if they randomly switched between color and red screens in their liking. Doesn't matter if you got Nav or not.

[superman_006]

I don't think he did. He did remove it though.
Our question is, what happens when you switch clusters? Is it a straight swap? Or do we also have to do some programming?

The color monitor requires MMI high, a new front controller and a radio, and dealer level software... and you have to have the correct part number for the cluster for mph/v6 or whatever you have

[enoch861]

For the US (OP is in Michigan, and I'm in Minnesota), since we already have MMI high (All US A6's have MMI high), we don't need a new MMI system. We'd just need to find the right cluster but what would happen after that? Would it be a straight swap? And if it is, what kind of programming is needed?

[cebo0650]

It's certainly possible to swap the cluster. I have an 06 with NAV, and it already had the color screen but I swapped my cluster because I imported the car into Canada and the miles were bugging me.

I bought a used cluster from Europe and had a dealer do the swap. You could technically do the physical swap yourself, but you'll need to take it to the dealer for the final step of coding and removing component protection. I also don't see why there would be an issue of swapping in a color screen cluster in place of the red screen one. Again, it will be a matter of re-coding and removing component protection.

[enoch861]

It's certainly possible to swap the cluster. I have an 06 with NAV, and it already had the color screen but I swapped my cluster because I imported the car into Canada and the miles were bugging me.

I bought a used cluster from Europe and had a dealer do the swap. You could technically do the physical swap yourself, but you'll need to take it to the dealer for the final step of coding and removing component protection. I also don't see why there would be an issue of swapping in a color screen cluster in place of the red screen one. Again, it will be a matter of re-coding and removing component protection.

Thats good news.
Can you recode the miles?

[superman_006]

Idk, I just read where someone done it on a A4 and he first bought the wrong cluster (v6 instead of i4) and finally once he got the correct one he had to have the dealer program it. I" think" the programming is for the immobilizer which is built into the cluster. The color and red once seem to have the same information on it, maybe someone could swap out the screen itself, didnt see where anyone had done that yet though.

[Alym]

I wonder if it's possible to buy a 2nd hand unit and just swap over the screen's!? Without having to change all the rest. Just un-solder the screen's and swap.. keeping your original mileage/rev counter/etc...

Resident Curry Muncher!

[enoch861]

I wonder if it's possible to buy a 2nd hand unit and just swap over the screen's!? Without having to change all the rest. Just un-solder the screen's and swap.. keeping your original mileage/rev counter/etc...

Resident Curry Muncher!

Doubt it. The color screen has a different layout.

[Alym]

Without seeing the back of it I guess it's a guessing game... Screen might have a different layout but connections may be the same?

Resident Curry Muncher!

[TheBlueMartin]

The a6 contains a red monochrome center screen if yours is a 2005 with or without nav. In 2006 it came the red screen if there was no navigation system untill 2009 which is when they stopped producing the basic 2G and the Basic Plus 2G MMI (well al the 2G). Plus is the same as the basic except it has rear door speakers and an amp. If you have Nav... you have the technogy package which has High 2G MMI which has the color screen (except 2005).

Ive never heard of anyone trying to swap in a color for the red. Idk if its a plug and play or not

His is a 2008 with factory Nav and Premium packages. I'm starting to think someone swapped out the cluster...or at least the LCD screen. He did buy it from a car lot, so who knows when/how/who did something to it.

[cebo0650]

Thats good news.
Can you recode the miles?

Yes, but the dealer won't do it for you. You'll need a piece of software called VAG-Commander and the cable that comes with it. It can be found on eBay and it not expensive.

[superman_006]

You can only do the milege corrector once (with Vag-com) and it has to be forward and you have to start will less than 100K on it

[enoch861]

Most clusters always come with less than 100k anyway.
This sounds like a good project to take on.. Used clusters seem pretty inexpensive. The only thing is to get a dealer to program it.
I wish someone had actually tried it to see the outcome.

[superman_006]

im kinda intrested to see what happens if u would enter 999,999 for your miles then drive a mile to see if it zeros out from a roll over. No interested enough to do on mine

[SinCityA6]

I have the red screen in my 09 and frankly dont see the advantage of going with a color screen if the information displayed is the same. Too much time, hassle and money to get color. Just my .02

[MainlandMig]

the way i see it
object 1 .. monochrome center LCD screen DIS
object 2 ... more pixel color LCD screen DIS
object 3 ... the whole cluster display which includes everything speedo dials etc

swapping/removing just the DIS would likely need soldering but then what about the signal?
something is generating the refined display signal.. something is generating the different color/shading of the open car door image...
swapping out just the better DIS is like getting an HD TV but if the channel is not broadcasted in HD u get standard picture
IF u got that to work .. u would still only get monochrome red color and no detailed shading ...just more pixels ...
this reminds me about the park assist module... some cars were equipped with the module able to display vehicle image but they were coded to not utilize that feature ...but one could open it up with VCDS... maybe JUST MAYBE that can happen here ... likely a big stretch

my guess is there is a improved DIS module somewhere ...maybe it is built into the cluster..maybe somewhere in dash
looks like we need to look up cluster part #s and see where the change takes place and the differences of the two are.. see if it looks any different in back and if it has identical connections/plugs

[Jimingle10]

I want more info my 05 has the red screen. I have the nav package with 2g high.

If i buy a cluster with under 100K it can be rolled forward to my current mileage 150K?

[enoch861]

According to the info we have so far, yes.

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

[Jimingle10]

theres 2 on ebay right now for pretty cheap...how do you tell if its a color DIS

here are the ebay item #s

230960961403

231015134668

[ichi d]

I have a 09 and have the red screen because I don't have navi. I think the models that have navi comes coloured.

[Jimingle10]

I have a 09 and have the red screen because I don't have navi. I think the models that have navi comes coloured.

mine is the exception...i have the 2005 with navi but I dont think the color DIS was offered for 05

[cebo0650]

theres 2 on ebay right now for pretty cheap...how do you tell if its a color DIS

here are the ebay item #s

230960961403

231015134668

Do you see how 230960961403 has sliver trim around the screen and the other does not? If you see the silver trim around the screen that's a color one.

[Jimingle10]

im tempted to put an offer on the one if its color screen like you say. Looks like he can roll the mileage for you. If it's plug and play its just a trip to dealer for CP....

[enoch861]

If you do decide to do it, please let us know know it goes!

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

[Jimingle10]

If you do decide to do it, please let us know know it goes!

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

bump.. just ordered this
http://www.ebay.com/itm/110860470129

mileage is under 100k. Gonna look around for info on how to roll mileage forward

[Cobra357]

For the US (OP is in Michigan, and I'm in Minnesota), since we already have MMI high (All US A6's have MMI high), we don't need a new MMI system. We'd just need to find the right cluster but what would happen after that? Would it be a straight swap? And if it is, what kind of programming is needed?

It can work but you need to get a color screen cluster and program the gateway unit by the glove box.

[SindreVjohnsen]

Well I got the color one in cluster, but the red shit in the mid -.- and that my gentlemen SUCKS....And cost about 1500 dollars to swap :((

[skylinrcr01]

Sorry to revive an old thread from the dead, but if someone for some reason has pictures of the backs of both display types, can you post them? I want to see how different they are. My monochrome LCD is really starting to bug me.

[Jimingle10]

I have the color cluster at home I never used it. Ended up buying a C7. Its for sale if you want it. 96k on it