overhead console upgrade?

i have a 95 blazer. my over head console has temperature and compass. i was wondering if there was a way to hook up gas milage and/or tripometer to that? i know some bravadas can do that. anyone???

It can be done but from what I have heard , it is really hard to get it done right and have it working properly.

In essence, is all that work worth the unaccurate gas mileage reading? You already have a trip meter in your gauge assembly.

I've been installing an overhead console with the "mode" functions for about six months with no luck, but I have a new trick I want to try today. If it works I might be able to help you with that, but give me a day... It would only involve 2 extra wires, and is fairly easy in my opinion (that is, if you already have a working overhead console). I could even sell you the extra "mode" computer and display button I have laying around too if you wanted it.

I just installed my overhead console with the "mode" computer. I already had one with the regular compass and temp. My trip computer works great and was so easy to do.

Congratulations!
Pjlipieka, what year is your blazer?

Hahaha, the "mode" computer that I installed is not working in my 96, so I went out and bought another console with just the on/off switch. It's coming in the mail now. I know I'm downgrading, but at the moment I have 3 "mode" computers laying around if anyone wants to upgrade...

Congratulations!
Pjlipieka, what year is your blazer?

Hahaha, the "mode" computer that I installed is not working in my 96, so I went out and bought another console with just the on/off switch. It's coming in the mail now. I know I'm downgrading, but at the moment I have 3 "mode" computers laying around if anyone wants to upgrade...

Since we're on the subject, what do you do with the over head console when the Temp is 5°-7° F off. Do you have to replace the "Mode" computer or can it be calibrated. I have a 2000 Jimmy SLE.

It is so annoying to hear that the Temp in Phoenix is 118° F and your console is reading 125° F. :swear:

I just installed my overhead console with the "mode" computer. I already had one with the regular compass and temp. My trip computer works great and was so easy to do.

Please tell us how you did it?

All you need is 2 more wires, a "mode" computer, and a way to connect those wires to the computer.

One wire is a constant (always on) 12v. You can tap your domelights for that.

You also need a connection to your serial data. It can be found coming from your ecm (maybe pin 11 of black connecor), or you can tap pin 2 (purple) of your driver information connector under the steering wheel.

BlazerLT, I'm not sure if you can get it to work on a 95, I haven't been able to get it work on my 96 yet.

I have a 97 blazer. All I had to do was take out the digital display that was in it. I put the new one in. Now this is the tricky part to explain because I didn't have a 9 pin harness, I used the one that was from the old display (only six pins). I didn't even have to cut any wires. Hold the PLUG in your hand (not what you plug the plug into), and point it at your face. You have to snap the "clip" off of the plug. You also have to cut the lip off of the upper LEFT CORNER. (AS IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT IT STRAIGHT ON!) Now pretend that you are plugging it into the back of the display. Line it up with the left side (where the lip that you didn't cut will slide into the new display). You should have three pins on the right hand side left. The first pin is left blank, don't touch it. The middle pin is used for consant power. You can take this off from the overhead lights. Now, since I didn't have the correct pin harness, I connected the wire another way.
***Take an 18 gauge wire. Cut the end so it is a clean cut. Then take a large tack or toothpick, and make an opening between the threads of the wire. Make it big enough so you can slide it on the pin, but don't have it too loose where it slips off. ***
Now take the last pin, this is the important part, connect this wire by running it to where you plug in the computer. When looking at the computer plug, connect this wire with the second pin on the top. Look at the diagram below.

*O******
********
The "O" is the pin that you connect it too. After doing this, it should work. It sounds confusing, but follow it step by step. Don't worry about the colors of the wires or anything. You don't have to splice any wires or cut anything that is already installed. All you have to do is cut the plug, and use the same plug and wires. Just line it up on the left side, and plug it in, and add the last two wires on the end. It was really easy. I hope this helped, if anything was confusing, just leave a reply of what was confusing and I will try to clarify it. Good luck!!!

I have a 97 blazer. All I had to do was take out the digital display that was in it. I put the new one in. Now this is the tricky part to explain because I didn't have a 9 pin harness, I used the one that was from the old display (only six pins). I didn't even have to cut any wires. Hold the PLUG in your hand (not what you plug the plug into), and point it at your face. You have to snap the "clip" off of the plug. You also have to cut the lip off of the upper LEFT CORNER. (AS IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT IT STRAIGHT ON!) Now pretend that you are plugging it into the back of the display. Line it up with the left side (where the lip that you didn't cut will slide into the new display). You should have three pins on the right hand side left. The first pin is left blank, don't touch it. The middle pin is used for consant power. You can take this off from the overhead lights. Now, since I didn't have the correct pin harness, I connected the wire another way.
***Take an 18 gauge wire. Cut the end so it is a clean cut. Then take a large tack or toothpick, and make an opening between the threads of the wire. Make it big enough so you can slide it on the pin, but don't have it too loose where it slips off. ***
Now take the last pin, this is the important part, connect this wire by running it to where you plug in the computer. When looking at the computer plug, connect this wire with the second pin on the top. Look at the diagram below.

*O******
********
The "O" is the pin that you connect it too. After doing this, it should work. It sounds confusing, but follow it step by step. Don't worry about the colors of the wires or anything. You don't have to splice any wires or cut anything that is already installed. All you have to do is cut the plug, and use the same plug and wires. Just line it up on the left side, and plug it in, and add the last two wires on the end. It was really easy. I hope this helped, if anything was confusing, just leave a reply of what was confusing and I will try to clarify it. Good luck!!!


Where did you get your serial data from?

I am sorry, what do you mean by serial data?

nm, I see what you mean, you got it from pin 2 under the steering wheel just like I said, that's what's in your *0**** diagram. thanks

I just installed my "on/off" computer and it works perfectly. VSS signal is not the reason why my "mode" computer didn't work. These cars have been using the same vss signal for over 20 years.

Between 96-98 there must be different versions of the serial data signal. Keep this in mind if you try to do this!

I used a piece of wood to mount the front of my console and it got all chewed up from messing with it. Now I have to get something new to stick up there. :(

So I'd like to scrounge up a trip computer for my 99 to replace the temp/compass only.

Seems the there is a 6 pin F-micro pack 100 series connector in my console.

-------------------------------
| (10) (9) (8) (7) (6) (5) |
------------------------------

Pin Wire Color Circuit Function
----------------------------------------------
5 DK GRN 1301 fuse output retained acc pwr
6 Blk/WHT 451 ECM Ground
7 DK GRN/WHT 817 Vehicle Speed
8 LT GRN/BLK 735 Outside Abient Temp Sensor
9 GRY 1220 Variable voltage IP Dimmer
10 PPL/WHT 1382 LED Dimming Signal from BCM


and a trip computer connector has the following....

---------------------------------------
(15) (14) (13) (12) (11) (10) (9) (8) (7)
---------------------------------------

PIN WIRE Color Circuit Function
----------------------------------------------
7 DK GRN 1301 Fuse ingnition feed
8 BLK/WHT 451 Ground
9 DK GRN/WHT 817 VSS
10 LT GRN/BLK 735 Ambient temp
11 GRY 1220 Inter Lmp Dim sig
12 PPL/WHT 1382 BCM Output park lights on
13 ------- ------- Not used
14 ORN 43 Fused Battery Feed
15 YEL 1127/1132 Class2 Communication Bus


So with my 99 where would I get the #15 feed from again ?

Also is #14 the same as #7 ?

Finally where can I get a OEM computer fairly cheap ? Junk yard maybe ?

Don't want to go to the dealer and pay $200 bucks or something....ebay maybe ??

Thoughts??

Thanks

T

Don't you have a trip computer on your dash?

Hey Rick my books says:

"An innacurate DIC (Driver Information Center) temperature display indicates a high resistance condition within the system"

The sensor is behind the grille.

Ambient Air Temperature Sensor Resistance

Temp Resistance
MIN MAX
81 F 11150 ohms to 11250 ohms
92 F 8450 ohms to 8550 ohms
107 F 5950 ohms to 6050 ohms
119 F 4450 ohms to 4550 ohms
131 F 3450 ohms to 3550 ohms
140 F 2450 ohms to 2550 ohms

The compass should be recalibrated when changing consoles.

Electronic Compass Calibration

Important: Before calibrating the compass, drive the vehicle to an area that is magnetically clean, and free of large metallic objects.

1. Turn ON the ignition
2. Press the MODE button in order to advance to the COMP/TEMP mode
3. Simultaneously depress and hold the US/MET and MODE buttons untill a C is displayed., in approximately 10 seconds.
4. Release both buttons.
5. Drive the vehicle in circles at a speed of less than 8 km/h (5mph) untill the C is replaced by a proper vehicle heading. The calibration procedure is now complete.

Compass Magnetic Variation Adjustment

Important: Magnetic variation adjustments are required when the compass displays a constant error in heading. Variation is the difference between magnetic north and true north due to geographical location.

1. Locate your geographic location. Refer to the variation zone map.
2. Turn ON the ignition with the engine OFF.
3. Press the MODE button in order to advance to the COMP/TEMP mode.
4. With the DIC in the COMP/TEMP mode, simultaneously depress and hold the MODE and US/MET buttons untill VAR CAL is displayed in approximately 5 seconds.
5. Release both buttons.
6. Press the US/MET button in order to advance to the proper zone number.
7. Press the MODE button in order to enter and set the zone number.

This last step requires the map from the book which I haven't yet figured out how to post, however this is a minor adjustment. Here in NY the declination is about 13 deg. The zones are numbered from 1 to 15 with western Canada being zone 1 and northeastern Canada being zone 15. Texas is zone 6.

Don't you have a trip computer on your dash?


yep but I also want....

Average Economy

The Average Fuel Economy (AFE) is calculated as the ratio between the accumulated distance since the last AFE reset and the accumulated fuel consumption since the last AFE reset (Distance/Fuel Used)


Instant Fuel Economy

Instantaneous fuel economy is the ratio between the accumulated distance gathered for the last 1 second and the accumulated fuel used for the last 1 second .

Range

Range is calculated as the product of the Average Fuel Economy (AFE) multiplied by the amount of fuel remaining in the tank (AFE x Remaining Fuel). When a range of less than 40 miles is calculated, the low fuel range mode is entered

Fuel Used

The driver information center calculates and displays the total amount of fuel used since the last FUEL USED reset. Fuel used is the amount of fuel used since the last reset, accumulated from liters or fuel over real time converted to gallons or liters as required. Press the MODE and the ENGLISH/METRIC buttons simultaneously while in the FUEL USED display in order to reset the FUEL USED accumulator to zero


Average Speed

Average speed is the ratio of the accumulated distance over accumulated ignition on-time. Both values are calculated since the last average speed reset. On-time is measured from the time when the ignition switch is turned to the ON position to when the ignition switch is turned OFF of all of the ignition cycles since the last reset. Press the MODE and the ENGLISH/METRIC buttons simultaneously in order to reset the average speed to zero

Compass Display

With the long overhead console the compass display circuitry is entirely contained within the driver information display module. With the short overhead console the compass display circuitry is mounted externally, to the right of the driver information display module


Temperature Display

The driver information center applies voltage to the ambient air temperature sensor. The ambient air temperature sensor is a thermistor.

As temperature increases, the resistance decreases. As temperature decreases, the resistance increases. As the resistance of the ambient air temperature sensor increases, the driver information center senses a larger voltage reduction across the ambient air temperature sensor. This condition indicates a lower temperature.

As a resistance of the ambient air temperature sensor decreases, the driver information center senses a smaller voltage reduction across the ambient air temperature sensor. This condition indicates a higher temperature.

If the temperature is below 3°C (38°F) , the temperature digits will toggle between displaying the outside temperature and ICE for 2 minutes . This condition will occur once per ignition cycle.

The driver information center uses the vehicle speed signal from the vehicle control module in order to determine when to update the temperature display with a new outside air temperature reading. The vehicle must be driven more than 16 km/h (10 mph) before the temperature display will be updated


If it's all a matter of snapping one in........and simple wire hook up or two...

Let me put this issue to rest. Adding the trip version of the display to 96 to current is easy. (If anyone want it I have the wiring for it). The problem with the 95 programming (ecm under the hood, it will not work at all with the odbi.5 system under the dash) is the class 2 serial data protocol. The problem is the protocol is slightly different on the 95 then it is on the 96 and up and the display unit does not know how to interpret it. So when you hook up the trip display, it goes on from 20-30 seconds until it realized it can read it correctly. Now if you were to reflash the 95 ecm with the 96 programming it would work (but your injectors wouldn't)..

Let me put this issue to rest. Adding the trip version of the display to 96 to current is easy. (If anyone want it I have the wiring for it). The problem with the 95 programming (ecm under the hood, it will not work at all with the odbi.5 system under the dash) is the class 2 serial data protocol. The problem is the protocol is slightly different on the 95 then it is on the 96 and up and the display unit does not know how to interpret it. So when you hook up the trip display, it goes on from 20-30 seconds until it realized it can read it correctly. Now if you were to reflash the 95 ecm with the 96 programming it would work (but your injectors wouldn't)..

Be careful before installing a "mode" computer into a 96 vehicle. I tried it and it wasn't compatible. I have not found one case were a "mode" console to work in a 96 vehicle. Let me know if you do...

I've done a few into the 96's and 97s without issue...

I don't know why it didn't work for me... I tried 2 97 bravada console and a console from a 98 blazer. I've settled on an on/off console off of a 99 blazer.

I tried to get the serial data signal from pin 11 on the black connector and then tried the data signal under the dash. Now I'm curious and wonder what I did wrong! The instant I plugged the on/off console in it worked, so I assume the problem was the serial data signal.

To calibrate the temp and compass, just hold down both of the buttons on the left side of the display simultaneously for a few seconds. That's how I did it in my 96 LT. I recently removed it to install a sunroof, so I can't offer much more help.

I've done a few into the 96's and 97s without issue...
Were does the yellow wire go?

Were does the yellow wire go?

Serial data...I don't know where my diagrams for the ecm went off to. Just stop by the dealer and ask them to print them out.. It's how I got main