Some of you may recognize me from a thread I had going about my 09 XF that lost programming when I changed the car battery and the subsequent chain of repair events.
I am wondering today if anyone can help clarify something for me. In the course of the repair, the dealer told me I needed, among other expensive things, a new cluster. When I looked into ebay for a used cluster for this make and model, there are numerous offerings for less than $100. When I asked the dealer about the possibility of using a used cluster, he flat out said it is IMPOSSIBLE, saying that once a cluster is married to any other car, it can not be programmed for a different car. I find this hard to believe since I have owned a truck before with a swapped cluster, but I was in the dreaded hands of the dealer.
My question is if anyone out there knows with certainty.....was the dealer simply lying to me, period? If what he said is true, why is anyone on ebay buying or selling salvaged clusters for Jaguar XF's? I am reading posts on this forum about guys who have changed out clusters.

WHAT IS THE TRUTH?

 

Newer clusters have programming in them that's tied to vehicles, even Jeeps, and Fords. The reason for selling clusters online is for parts (Taking the clusters apart and using the gauge faces, needle actuators, and lights, etc).

 

The people selling used parts have no idea what can and can't be done. It's just another part to move thru EBay.

If you get into it you will find there are just a couple of chips that need to be transferred from the old cluster and they can be soldered into the replacement cluster. It's NOT a repair for the dealer or a DIY guy faint of heart!

Again you need to search instead of posting to find that out. These cars are old and this has been discussed in very fine detail. We have thousands of threads with a very deep knowledge base.

But you need to understand why this is so hard? There are massive federal laws against odometer tampering. The car manufactures have responded trying to make it impossible to roll back the odometer. In fact the dealer would be held legally accountable if the car turned out to be stolen.

Your truck has nothing to do with it.

It's just like trying to siphon gas out of the gas tank. There are so many devices installed to prevent that now. I just can't get anything into the gas tank anymore and for good reason.
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thank you for that reply. Good to know. I guess i can ebay my old cluster for a few bucks then. What about the old kvm module? It looks perfect from the outside. I wonder if there is a way ro test functionality without being in a car? Circuitry test? And they actually did replace the entire fuse block in the passenger side footwell. Not sure why. I know the 15amp fuse for kvm is located there along with numerous other fuses. All the fuses are good. I checked them

 

On is these Jags even the TPMS box is VIN coded, and will throw a code if mis matched.

 

Thanks...Im jYes I see a lot of threads on subject. That is why I ask. There are threads or posts from guys claiming to have bought ebay used clusters and simply plugged them in and perhaps programmed. It contradicts information that it can't be done. Confusing. As for me..it doesnt matter. I already bought the new cluster and a bunch of other stuff from the dealer and the car is running again. Just sayin that in my other experiences with vehicles of same or newer vintage, instrument clusters have been changed. I got burned once by a thief who had swapped a cluster for lower mileage, but my point is that I bought a running chevy truck with a swapped cluster. Newer than 2009. I'm not trying to rattle anyone, I'm just asking questions so I can learn.