YENPINGW

Hi,
Does anyone know if it's possible for the 2000~2002 CLK320 or 430 to change the instrument cluster to the CLK55 one which is the AMG version ??? If so, would it be a direct swap. I remember that someone said that you will need to have the dealer download the problem to the new cluster in order to make it work. Dealer charged him somewhere close to $1000 for doing the reprogram. Is that true ?? Please let me know if anyone has done it before. Thanks.

mmgrad

Its a direct swap... however, you'll need to have the dealer resync your cluster to the computer, so it displays the new mileage... else, they'll think you were tampering with the mileage.

shouldn't cost too much

MARK CUMMINS

Yes It Has Been Done! The Dealer or Anyone with a Star Diag
Must Version code the New/Replacement Combi to work on your car..

tomtomtomtom

What if you just swapped a cluster of the exact same type(with lower mileage), would it have to be re-synced?

mmgrad

if you swap the cluster with a car exactly the same as yours, you still have to re-sync so the mileage will match & display correctly... unless you are doing it to purposely show a lower mileage.... but, which of course, will void your warranty since ur cluster's mileage won't match the mileage on the car's computer...

Josh K

Yeah, you also run the risk of making your car a TMU (true mileage unknown) which basically cuts the value of your car to 50% of blue book. Remember, everytime your car is services or has any type of shop do work on it, mileage is recorded and that ends up in a database. Once two numbers don't match = TMU.

YENPINGW

So would you guys recommand changing the cluster at all ??? It seems like a little more complicated than I thought. Have anyone actually done this with any further problems with the CPU of the car ??? Thanks.

Josh K

Try to find a dealer who will help you out with reprogramming it for cheap. If you can do that, it's a very easy swap.

MARK CUMMINS

The Mileage is also Stored in another Control unit..So REMEMBER It Will Show Up ! You can Also Replace Just the Dial Faces With Different color and AMG on them ...So It will look like a AMG cluster
Then Add the Chrome rings for a Nice touch

YENPINGW

hmm....Good idea. And I definitely like the chrom ring look with the AMG face. But then that means I will have to take apart the whole instrument cluster. I am little worry that might damage the cluster. Maybe the the dials will not read as accurate as before if I mess up. Btw, can you buy just the AMG face alone, where though ?? I think the dealer can only sell it as the whole unit which is the whole cluster. Please avise. Thanks.

MARK CUMMINS

Please contact xcfisher@aol.com for the Dial Faces..He Can Do them for you and Is Local..Great prices...The Front cover Is Very easy to remove!

mmgrad

Josh is absolutely right... if you don't want any problems with switching the cluster... just take it in to the dealer to do everything.

have them remove the old, put in the new, and re-sync it. remove & install should take like 5 minutes, literally... and re-sync will take another 5 min or less...

whiteyford

My cluster was replaced due to damage caused by boosting. When they replaced it the dealer ship had to put a new one in and they did not know how many kilometers were on the car. Apparentley the only mileage reading on the clk's, 2001's anyways, is located only in the cluster and no where else in the car. So my car had 0000 km reading when i picked up the car.

scorchie

I'm pretty sure that is not true (the part that it is not stored anywhere in the car). My CLK55 maintains mileage history of error codes despite the cluster being changed. I believe the total mileage can be extracted from the EIS.

-s-

mmgrad

I think the simplist explanations here are probably the most correct... The tech either 'forgot' to re-sync the mileage... or, he didn't know how to re-sync it...

whiteyford

You have to understand that my cluster was completely pooched. The dealer could not get any information off of it, nothing worked.
So when they asked me how many kilometers were on the car I wasn't a 100% sure so I had to guess and they put that number on my file at the dealership. I asked the tech why they didn't just take the number off the computer and he said that the mileage is located in the cluster and no where else.

MARK CUMMINS

Scorchie is Correct About the Total Miles!They are Stored in the EIS control unit...Yes If You Change The Cluster It Will read the Miles stored in the Cluster.BUT If There are Any Questions about Mileage the TOTAL Miles CAN Be Brought up through the Star Diag ...I Know I Have Done it on cars When I Was a Tech..

Btw Mercedes Will program the Miles and Ship the Cluster to the dealer..

The Tech You have Talked to re the (Total) Miles Misinformed You re the correct info It is Stored ..So Be Very Careful if you sell the car with the LOWER miles Shown..It May Come back and Haunt You!

YENPINGW

So there is a risk taking if I wish to change the cluster. It really depends on the technician at the dealers. They could mess it up if they are not well experienced with changing the cluster and resyn the program. Thanks for all the valuable info.

scorchie

I just checked with another tech too... it appears the mileage stored in the EIS began in either MY2000 or MY2001, so it is possible that his car didn't have mileage. In two weeks we'll check it in Star Diag and report the findings.

My apologies since I didn't have the exact year correct.

-s-

Ahmed

i swapped the cluster on my CLK320 to an AMG one staright off a CLK55AMG.

I had to send the cluster to germany where they downloaded my data onto the new cluster and kept my old one. They also charged me a grand for this!!!!

Josh K

Dang, Ahmed, they really ripped you off on that Germany thing, sorry to hear that. On the upside, your cluster looks great and I love the 300km top speed. :0) Now all you need is some Aluminum Dash Rings. ;0)

mmgrad

Ahmed does have one of the most unique CLKs I've seen... the color, and all the little mods that truely require a keen eye to appreciate...

YENPINGW

Does anyone know where I can purchase the origial AMG cluster face ?? Just the face alone. Thanks in advance.

Josh K

Mercedes doesn't sell the face alone - it's only sold as part of the cluster. Also, if you were to just get the face with the higher speed limit, your speed would always be inaccurate because the mechanics of the cluster would still think it had the old face. If you wanted something similar in look, the only way you would be able to go was to get a custom face made that had your same top speed.

scorchie

The regular AMG cluster is same top speed... 160mph (us version), which is what Mercedes would provide as parts. The 300kph is an "AMG special" modification, only available from Affalterbach.

-s-