Has anyone swapped to the full color display screen in the instrument gauge panel? [Archive]

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snopyro

05-31-2011, 02:27 PM

From what I understand, if your car came with factory RNS-e Navigation, you get a full color display screen between the tach and speedometer gauges. For everyone else with the Symphony II+ radio, they have the red pixel'd center screen in the instrument cluster. Is it possible to (easily) swap out the center screens to get the full color display? Can you do the screen only or would you need to swap the whole instrument gauge cluster? Any extra VAG programming needed?

onceover

05-31-2011, 02:32 PM

Not easily. You need a NEW cluster, or one with less then 15mi on it in order to reprogram it to your car.

A new cluster from the dealer is around $1000

bez101

05-31-2011, 02:55 PM

hmm 15k ?
id had a few done always over 15k last 1 was over 100k
need the skc code and then its a very easy swap
my mate does them for me and others all the time
but its IF you can find the colour cluster to start with

but im in the UK usa may be diffrent.

b7kevin

05-31-2011, 04:39 PM

On VW its stupid easy when your dealing with Immo 2. Immo 3 requires an SKC but the acronym stands for why its such a PITA, Secret Key Code.

viziers

05-31-2011, 04:56 PM

a4audi4fun

05-31-2011, 07:12 PM

That is incorrect I have the COLOR DIS and do not have a Rns-e in my car.... Just a FYI.

I believe the option package changed for 2006 on and it was part of either the Technology Package or the Nav package.

You can check here http://www.audiworld.com/model/ for more info on the option packages.

The instrument cluster with Colour LCD Driver Information System (DIS) can be replaced as per the statements in some of the earlier replies in this thread. I had that done on my MY2008 A4 Avant. You need the new cluster and a new wiper stalk with the computer controls on the end. PM me and I can find the links on other forums that describe the process in a lot more detail. Seems a lot of folks over in the UK, in particular, have done this.

Some VAG/VCDS coding is needed to get the new display options properly configured. The dealer had installed my new cluster but couldn't get things working completely. After doing the coding myself, I pointed the technician back to the Ross-Tech site for the info on the changes needed.

drumnjuny

05-31-2011, 07:27 PM

if you have bluetooth then you have a color DIS

snopyro

06-01-2011, 02:30 AM

if you have bluetooth then you have a color DIS

Negative... I have factory BT but the red pixel display.

Can the display screens be swapped or is it required to replace the entire instrument cluster?

Tanner

06-01-2011, 05:29 AM

Can the display screens be swapped or is it required to replace the entire instrument cluster?

No, onceover already answered that question above... you need a new cluster, you can't simply swap out the monochrome DIS for a colour.

Whether you have a colour DIS or not and whether it depends on what options you have, it seems that Audi kept on changing up the options every year.

drumnjuny

06-01-2011, 07:38 AM

Negative... I have factory BT but the red pixel display.

whoops, nevermind then! weird, I was told that by the dealership when i was test driving b7s last year. show's how much they know. [rolleyes] although it did make me want factory bt haha

Koby

06-01-2011, 08:53 AM

No Audizine thread would be complete without the usual mass confusion over option packages.

geekinc

06-01-2011, 09:53 AM

No Audizine thread would be complete without the usual mass confusion over option packages.

Haha so true. It's like you search a topic, find 500 threads with 1500 opinions, so you try to create a new one hoping to get some sort of consensus, and bam, a truckload more bullshit.

smartass

06-01-2011, 12:12 PM

No Audizine thread would be complete without the usual mass confusion over option packages.

Couldn't agree more. The color cluster is quite simple the following B7 cars got color clusters:

-Any B7 with RNS-E nav.
-All S4's
-2006 Cars with the lighting package (early 06) or technology package (later 06, the difference being the later 06 package had bluetooth) (with or without nav)

Mister W

06-01-2011, 06:27 PM

And where you find that SKC if someone find's a color dis cluster by chance?

a4audi4fun

06-01-2011, 08:04 PM

And where you find that SKC if someone find's a color dis cluster by chance?

Audi dealer only - needs to be retrieved online only from Audi factory.

Procedure described here - http://www.ross-tech.com/vcds/tour/pin-skc.html

tankdeer

06-02-2011, 08:15 AM

I love my 2006. Color DIS. Memory seats. All that good shit. [:D]

mscottdemarco

11-21-2013, 11:42 PM

I'm going to ask this a different way. has anyone taken apart the actual speedometer and disconnected the monochrome display and tried to plug a color in? I was inside of mine today and it looked really easy to do. I know a lot of people think it cant be done but has anyone tried it and it didnt?

thanks for not speculating.

georgio3gr

11-22-2013, 02:16 AM

It's been a lot of time since i read that someone here tried this but it was not possible (totally different display slots)... But i can't find the thread-post...

mscottdemarco

11-22-2013, 04:39 AM

Thanks. I'm not trying it then.

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Matteo Santucci

05-11-2020, 03:08 AM

Couldn't agree more. The color cluster is quite simple the following B7 cars got color clusters:

-Any B7 with RNS-E nav.
-All S4's
-2006 Cars with the lighting package (early 06) or technology package (later 06, the difference being the later 06 package had bluetooth) (with or without nav)

Maybe a dumb question but if I understand right I can swap in the RNS-E (planning on doing sick of single din in this day and age) I can hook up the colour cluster as well? [emoji28]

aluthman

05-11-2020, 03:46 AM

Maybe a dumb question but if I understand right I can swap in the RNS-E (planning on doing sick of single din in this day and age) I can hook up the colour cluster as well? [emoji28]
You can run a color cluster with or without RNS-E. They do not need to be paired together, but that’s how a lot of them left the factory. You will have to get the cluster coded to your car regardless of what radio you use.

Ray1031

05-11-2020, 05:11 AM

There’s a Facebook page that can do all of this, haven’t personally used them but you can check them out.,.

Clusters by litke, LLC

Check this other thread...

https://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/777846-C5-Color-MFA

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Nizmo

05-11-2020, 08:02 AM

Speedo Solutions can do it, short wait. Ive been meaning to send in a cluster to them....

https://www.speedosolutions.com/Audi-B7-20055-2008-A4-Color-Premium-DIS-Cluster_p_38.html

aluthman

05-13-2020, 04:51 PM

Speedo Solutions can do it, short wait. Ive been meaning to send in a cluster to them....

https://www.speedosolutions.com/Audi-B7-20055-2008-A4-Color-Premium-DIS-Cluster_p_38.html

They did mine with no issues. Quick turnaround also.

Matteo Santucci

05-15-2020, 12:13 AM

You can run a color cluster with or without RNS-E. They do not need to be paired together, but that’s how a lot of them left the factory. You will have to get the cluster coded to your car regardless of what radio you use.

Ok understood so that being said I could rip it out of any b7 or whatever, grab the code off it and reprogram it regardless of transmission drive type ect? I’m assuming programming the cluster to the car will take car of all that automatically?

(FYI I’m a super young apprentice mechanic that just got started and just started to mod his first car/b6 so bare with me here... sorry)

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