Toronto Integras - Torontos Acura Integra Club - DIY - JDM ITR Cluster Swap into a Non-ITR

Overview:

Small sized pictures have been provided in order to avoid over-sized pictures. Click on the pictures in-order to view them in full sizes.

This tutorial will help you install the JDM Cluster into a USDM-spec vehicle. I swapped the JDM ITR Cluster into my 95 USDM LS. After performing all the steps indicated in the tutorial below, you will be able to successfully operate the JDM ITR Cluster in your vehicle with all lights working as normal. This is not totally my work but I received some information from another website.

Cluster Comparison:
Before you begin, carefully compare both clusters. You will notice that your OEM Cluster has a Maintenance Required, Cruise Control, SRS and ABS Lights whereas the JDM Cluster does not have these lights. Another difference is that your Seat Belt Sign and Open Door Sign are placed at a different location in the JDM ITR Cluster as compared to your OEM Cluster.Refer to the images below for illustrations.

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That's the differences in the front. Let's take a look at the back as well. The only major difference between the backs is the ABS Light Connectors (the yellow plug at the back). They are totally different because the USDM connector's plug inserts upside down and the JDM ITR is the other way around. I'm sorry guys I do not have any pictures to illustrate this difference. If you did not understand what I mean by that, don't panic. It's not rocket science, you don't need to know anything about this. I just highlighted this in oder to differentiate both clusters and to provide reasons as to why we need to swap the cluster parts around. Just follow the instructions and you will succeed.

Problems You Might Face without Performing the Steps Below:
Now, if you simply take out the old cluster and install the JDM ITR as it is, chances are that the installation will not turn out to be perfect, i.e. you will face disasters such as:

a) The open door sign stays lit.
b) Your seat belt sign lights up when you open the door.
c) Your SRS light stays on. (This will happen only if your ABS light was always on in your old cluster)

These are the problems that I had faced which is what encouraged me to play around with the cluster itself and I was finally able to make everything work.

Tools Required:

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Precautions:Be extra patient because this swap is not a 20 minute thing. Wrong force applied at any time may result in damaging cluster parts. BE EXTRA CAREFUL GUYS.

Procedure:

1) Take the philip's screwdriver and start removing all screws from both clusters. Remove the screws circled in red in the picture below. Also start removing the bulbs (the black knobs). I highly suggest that you remeber which screws and bulbs came out from where. Even though it's not important to do so, but I highly recommend you to do so in order to avoid any future confusions.

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2) Place the screws in sequences as shown in the picture below.

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3) After you have removed all screws, do not remove the electronic board (the green plate) from either cluster. We don’t need to swap those. Start removing the small screws circled in red in the picture below.

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4) Now you can take apart the glass covering and the black housing from both clusters. This way you can remove the gauges from both clusters because you just removed the screws that hold the gauges in Step 1.

5) The picture shows the difference between the dummy lights in both clusters. Top – USDM and Bottom – JDM ITR.

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6) Using a small flathead screwdriver, carefully pry the plates from the studs on both dummy light housings. The studs will break if you are not careful. Swap your car's dummy light plates onto the JDM ITR CF bezel. The dummy light plates that come off from your old cluster go on the JDM ITR Cluster. So, I suggest that you first remove all the dummy lights on the JDM Cluster and leave them aside. Then swap the dummy lights from your old cluster to the JDM Cluster in order to avoid any confusions. Please make sure that you do not touch the surface of the dummy lights. Take good care while removing them and hold them from the sides. Do not touch the surface (neither top, nor bottom). Here are some illustrations to assist you guys.

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I suggest that you do not remove the dummy plate that has the Highbeam, left and right turn signal and the hand-brake sign from the JDM cluster. Picture below shows which plate is being mentioned here. This is to give your cluster that official JDM look because the USDM brake lights says “BRAKE” as compared to the JDM Cluster’s brake sign. Pay close attention in the comparison, you will not miss it.

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Okay guys, here comes the most confusing part.
Take the back housing (the white gauge housing) of your OLD CLUSTER and place all the JDM GAUGES in your OLD CLUSTER’S WHITE GAUGE HOUSING. Then, take the Dummy Light Housing of the JDM ITR Cluster (the one that we prepared in Step 6 – remember we removed the dummy lights from old cluster and placed them into the JDM ITR Cluster’s Dummy Light Housing)

In summary,
1) The white back housing of the old cluster takes the JDM gauges.
2) The JDM Carbon Fibre bezel takes all the dummy lights from your old cluster.
3) Assemble the white back housing of the old cluster (with JDM gauges) and the JDM CF bezel (with the dummy lights from your old cluster). Place the glass covering back on top.
4) Re-assemble everything. Leave the screws that came out of the JDM Cluster alone. Just use the screws and bulbs that came out of your old cluster.
So your new cluster should look something like this:

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Place all the screws and bulbs at the back and you have now finally everything should work normally. When you are tightening the screws, please make sure that you tighten them properly and don’t leave them loose. Also, don’t tighten them a lot either because you might damage the gauges. Apply REASONABLE FORCE.

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Re-install the final cluster into your car and have fun cruising with the JDM ITR Cluster.
P.S. – You will come across people that will tell you to switch the electronic board, but that does not matter. They're both the same. I had tested both plates and they function the exact same way. I understand that this tutorial might leave you with some confusions when you are just reading it. But when you begin to perform the swap, while following all steps, you will definitely not have any confusion. Please feel free to provide any suggestions and notify me of any corrections that need to be made in this tutorial. Remember guys, I am not a PRO!