Instrument Cluster (Mic)

The Prowler utilizes a 'smart' instrument cluster. The tachometer and the voltmeter gauges are hardwired and are not part of the instrument cluster self test routine which will be explained later. They cannot be actuated. As mentioned previously, the tach is hardwired directly to the PCM, the illumination circuit, however, is part of the instrument panel lighting circuit. The voltmeter is hardwired to the B (+) circuit through the ignition switch.

The cluster positions its gauges based on a message formulated by the BCM for gauge position. All the sensors that are responsible for a gauge message are hardwired to the BCM  . The BCM then builds the message and sends it over the CCD bus where the cluster will receive the message, decode it, and position all the gauge pointers at their proper positions.

The cluster also contains hardwired and CCD bus controlled warning lamps. A hardwired lamp is usually supplied B (+) by the cluster and ground by the circuit that it monitors. Any circuit that has a lamp that is CCD bus controlled will be an input to the BCM, except the Airbag Lamp which receives it's CCD messages from the Airbag Control Module (ACM)  . If no messages are received from the ACM for 5 seconds, the Airbag lamp will be turned on.

There is an onboard self-test that can be actuated stand-alone or with the DRBIII®. During the self-test, the cluster will position all the gauges at predetermined calibration points, the CCD controlled lamps will be illuminated, as well as the segments of the LCD odometer. This allows verification of gauge operation, CCD operation, as well as a visual check of all the individual segments in the LCD odometer.