DIC problem and door lock issue

niceguypmp3

Original poster
Member
Oct 31, 2020
60
iowa
on my newly acquired '03 trailblazer i noticed that the steering wheel controls have the DIC control buttons but the only thing the DIC will show is the odometer and tripometer. it will not show anything else at all. if i push the steering wheel buttons, nothing changes from the odometer showing. is there an easy fix to get the DIC working again? Also, we dont have a remote for the doors and i tried the key in the drivers door lock and it just turns left and right doing nothing. is there an easy way to disable the door locks so that the lock/unlock button won't work? i pulled the under rear seat fuse for "locks" and the "lock" and "unlock" relays but the button still operates the locks. Thanks for any help!
 

Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
Could you take a pic of your instrument cluster for us? Just want to make sure you didn't have a regular cluster swapped into that truck before you bought it.

I don't have an answer about your door lock situation. If the fuses and relays have been pulled, they shouldn't operate. You can order key fobs online, and program them to work with your truck. Check this thread for a quick write up.

 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,262
Ottawa, ON
Could you take a pic of your instrument cluster for us? Just want to make sure you didn't have a regular cluster swapped into that truck before you bought it.

That or it's an LS that had its steering wheel swapped.
 
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Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,262
Ottawa, ON
Follow up 2. Does it have a key hole in the passenger door? That would prove it's a base LS and it never came with fobs.
 

niceguypmp3

Original poster
Member
Oct 31, 2020
60
iowa
ok, some more info. it is an ltz and it only has a keyhole in the drivers door. all of the other steering wheel buttons work except the ones for a DIC. i tried that too and i can control the radio with the buttons. the instrument cluster looks exactly like the one in the owners manual. the area where it shows the odometer reading is larger so it would appear that perhaps it was made to show messages but i sure can't get it to show anything. really weird. If i can't easily disable the lock/unlock buttons then how does the key work in the keyhole of the door? is there a switch that the key operates? because my key does nothing, it just turns left and right.
 

Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
You may have to pull the driver's door panel and see if the plastic clips that hold the lock rods in place have broken or come loose.

To confirm your odometer has a dot-matrix display type look to it, and not the old calculator style digits look?
 
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niceguypmp3

Original poster
Member
Oct 31, 2020
60
iowa
i would have to go look at it again tomorrow but it appeared as a dot-matrix display. i guess i may have to pull the door panel and check out the lock. i wasn't for sure if it used rods or was electronic on that year.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,262
Ottawa, ON
Does the odometer display show "ODOMETER: 123456" or just small numbers? If you use the button on the cluster, does it switch to the trip and say "TRIP: 1234" or just numbers again?

If it says ODOMETER, you do have the right cluster. In that case, I'm thinking that the clockspring may be broken or something in the wiring. The two wires for the DIC buttons are connected to the cluster only and this would not affect any other function.
 

niceguypmp3

Original poster
Member
Oct 31, 2020
60
iowa
now that you mention it, it only shows the small numbers but it appears to be a larger display area than the small numbers.
 

Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
I made the switch from a plain cluster to a DIC version, the display size is just a cutout section in the gauge face, which allows you to swap the circuit board behind it if you choose to. :twocents:

ETA: Plain cluster circuit board

IMAG0071.jpg



DIC circuit board

100_0749.jpg
 

niceguypmp3

Original poster
Member
Oct 31, 2020
60
iowa
ok, upon researching on ebay it appears that they came with and also without the DIC. if a person puts an instrument cluster without the DIC into a vehicle that originally had one, will the odometer and stuff still work properly with the only difference being the lack of DIC? if so, then i suppose it's possible someone swapped the cluster. now i'm worried if the odometer reading is accurate. from ebay listings, it appears the odometer reading is retained in the cluster and that it can easily be changed. so if it has been changed, then i should be able to change to a cluster with the DIC and then have a DIC, correct? i hope i haven't confused you.
 

Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
If they swapped in a non DIC cluster, I highly doubt they took the time to update the mileage. When I made my swap, I had to find a speedometer repair shop to fix the mileage, because the dealers would (could) not do it. But to answer your question, yes you could buy a used DIC cluster, update the mileage and it would be plug and play.
 
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Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,262
Ottawa, ON
Also having gone from a non-DIC to a DIC cluster, you can swap it back and forth and base functions will still work. Of course you would lose DIC functions going to a non-DIC. For what reason someone would swap it to, I can think of a couple like dead gauges, burnt display lights or to hide actual mileage without having to recalibrate the odometer.

If this is your case, easiest thing to do is to grab a DIC cluster and swap it in. Cheap enough if you have a Pick-n-Pull nearby.
 
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niceguypmp3

Original poster
Member
Oct 31, 2020
60
iowa
I found out the problem with the door lock. i took the drivers door panel off and the rod that connects to the lock cylinder, the clip had broke and the rod came off. the window had came down and bent it pretty badly. i took the rod off and it took a few times of bending it to get it to where it works and fits properly. so now i just need to get a new clip. also, when i removed the rod from the latch, it broke that clip. so hopefully i can find new clips to hold the rod in place.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,262
Ottawa, ON
And buttons work?
 

KEEBZ489

Member
Jan 16, 2018
245
Howard Beach NY
just seen this thread , my DIC was blacked out and my gear selector would fade but come back brighted if i tapped the cluster hard enough. i had blown out bulbs also , i installed led's and hit all the pin points on the DIC / selector , you couold see some solder cracks with a magnifying glass, and everything works 100%
 

niceguypmp3

Original poster
Member
Oct 31, 2020
60
iowa
yea, the DIC steering wheel buttons work! i was worried at first because when i first installed it and turned on the key, it said "service brake system" (the abs and brake lights are on constantly), and i was pushing the dic buttons and it wouldn't go away. finally i pushed the "arrow" button and it went away and then the other buttons worked properly. for a moment i had the thought "omg i just wasted $___ on this cluster". I am super happy now to have a DIC because now i can change some of the settings only accessible through the DIC. there was the option to return my old cluster for some core money but i decided to keep it so i have a backup that works even though it doesnt have a DIC.
 

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