How to connect an Overhead Console version 1.0
Items you will need: 1 Overhead Console with trip computer and mounting plate
2 Wiring Harness (connector portion to the console)
3 Ambient Temp Sensor
4 Electrical Tape
5 One Terminal Ring (this is for the ground)
6 60 ft of wire (I used both 18g and 12g (silver and gold colored)
for a total of 60 ft)
7 Soldering Iron with lead wire
8 Wire strippers/cutters
9 Screw drivers both Phillips and Hex Shaped
10 Fuse Puller
11 One ¼ inch self tapping screw
12 Power Drill
13 Chalk
14 Exacto Knife
NOTE: First thing you need to do, before attempting the install is make sure your PCM
can communicate with the mini trip computer. This is done by asking your local
Mopar dealer to look up vehicle schematics. To my understanding as long as
you have either/or any of these functions you are golden… them being: Keyless
entry, fog lights, steering wheel controls.
Install Process: (tools needed in this section are patience, screw drivers, wire strippers)
Removal Section
1. Make sure your battery is disconnected.
2. Remove the A-pillar panel (driver side)
3. Remove the Door sill panel (driver side)
4. Remove the connecting panel between the door sill and A-pillar panels.
5. Remove the Light assembly, this is done by applying pressure to the front of the light assembly housing (portion facing the front window). Pull down till the housing is removed, don’t be scared to give it some force, for it will come out.
6. Remove the mounting plate, by removing the 2 screws that hold it into place, you will not need the plate for the overhead console, but keep the screws, for you will need them to connect the mounting plate for the overhead console.
7. cut the wires, which are 20g, about 4 inches up from the wiring harness connector (away from the plug side connected to the light assembly housing) the wires are Pink (is the power line for the lights, off the battery) , Yellow (power line for the lights, runs the lights for when the doors are open and when closed prior to arming the alarm) , and Black (is the Ground)
8. Strip the wires about a ¼ or ½ inches if this is your first time.
9. Optional Have a beer for you are about half way done.
10. Prepare the wiring harness that came with the overhead console by stripping all the wires about ¼ to ½ inches. The wires are 20g and are as followed:
Overhead Console Lights Section
Black (Ground for the lights)
Yellow (Power for the lights off of battery)
Pink (Power for the lights, when doors are open and prior to
setting the alarm)
Overhead Console Ambient Temp Section
Black/Light Blue (Sensor Ground)
Violet/Light Green (Ambient Temp Sensor Signal)
Overhead Console Mileage and Gas Consumption Section
Violet/Brown (+ for the CCD BUS)
White/Black (- for the CCD BUS)
NOTE: You must twist these wires for proper readings.
Overhead Console Power Section
Black/Tan (Ground for the Trip Computer)
Blue/White (Power for the Trip Computer)
(Tools needed in this section are patience, soldering iron and
lead wire, wire cutters, electrical tape, the 60 feet of wires, fuse
puller, power drill, and self tapping screw)
Soldering Section
NOTE: pre measure all wires to desired length prior to cutting and
stripping. After soldering make sure to use your electrical
tape and tape up the new connection(s).
Overhead Console Lights Section
11. Connect via soldering the existing light section wires, them
being Pink on Pink, Black on Black and Yellow on Yellow (the
pre-existing wires to the new wiring harness for the overhead
console). This will now give you proper light function in the
overhead console.
Overhead Console Ambient Temp Section
12. Under the Hood on the passengers side front between airbox
and radiator, you will see a plug, that plug is the connector for
the Ambient Temp Sensor. Follow it till it connects to the main branch of wires (about 8 inches) and cut. Prepare two 12 feet of 18g worth of wire (measured from the grill to passenger side door, up the A-pillar, to the wiring harness connections) Now I ran my wires this way for convenience, you can follow the wiring layout done by dodge, but that will take longer and the frustration level is much, much higher. Now solder one wire to the Black/Light Blue (Sensor Ground) and use a strip of tape on both ends to distinguish between the two sets of wires. Now solder the other wire Violet/Light Green (Am Temp Sensor Signal). Afterwards, run the newly connected wires to the wiring harness of the overhead console and solder them to the corresponding wires on the harness.
Overhead Console Mileage and Gas Consumption Section
13. Measure two 12g worth of wires ( I used silver and gold colored wires to help distinguish between them) of the same length from the overhead console wiring harness across the headliner towards the driver side A-pillar, down the A-pillar to the diagnostic port (black 16 pin plug found under the steering wheel by the hood release lever). Now it is very important that you twist these wires, for you will get incorrect readings if you don’t. Once again soldered the wires and taped them at the wiring harness, I used the Silver wire and connected it to the White/black (- CCD BUS) wire and the Gold wire and connected it to the Violet/Brown (+ CCD BUS) wire. Afterwards twist the wires with a power drill (connect one end of the silver and gold wires to the drill and the other end fasten down or held in place by someone, just pull the trigger and watch them twist.) Run the wires to the diagnostic plug and this is where you will need to splice the number 3 and 11 pins aka the White/black and Violet/Brown. Cut and strip these wires and then solder them back together.
Overhead Console Power Section
14. Measure two 18g worth of wires from the overhead console to
the fuse box (found on the drive side) and cut and strip. Solder and tape one end of the wire(s) to the Black/Tan (Ground for the Trip Computer) and the other wire to the Blue/White (Power for the Trip Computer). The wire that is now the new ground, connect the terminal ring to the other end, running the wire to the fuse box, you will see a screw on the top left side of the fuse box. This is a perfect place to mount the terminal ring, at that screw to create the ground. Now the other wire, which is now your new power wire, run it to the fuse box and place it in fuse number 11 (a 10a fuse). This is the consoles power fuse block location.
(Tools needed will be patience)
Testing Section
15. With the newly created Ambient Temp Sensor plug, connect the Ambient Temp Sensor to the plug and run it through the rubber barrier to the outside of the engine compartment (there is a cross shaped cut out which to run the sensor plug through on the passenger side of the D) Taking your self tapping screw, connect the Ambient Temp Sensor to the body next to the left as you face the D, of the cross shaped cut out. Connect the plug to the Ambient Temp Sensor if you unplugged it from the sensor to screw it into place.
16. Connect the newly wired wiring harness to the overhead console, place the console either on the dash or let it dangle for the moment.
17. Connect the battery
18. Turn the Key on
19. You should see the newly powered mini trip computer turn on and the lights turn on
20. Check to verify that the lights work, both manually turning each light on/off and checking to see if they operate with the doors open and the alarm being set.
21. Verify that the temp sensor is reading properly and that your mileage programs are working…ie DTE, AVE MPG, ECO, ET, TRIP ODO (the ECO should read zero when not in motion)
22. To Reset the mini trip computer, hold down both the Step button and the US/M button.
23. To Calibrate the Compass hold down US/M button followed by the Step button till you see the CAL on the temp and compass display screen. Release the buttons and in an area free of large amounts of metal, do three 360 and the CAL should disappear, which means your compass is now calibrated.
(Tools needed will still be patience, chalk, and screw driver, and
exacto knife)
Cutting and Connecting the Overhead Console
24. After verification of proper working order, turn off vehicle and disconnect the battery and overhead console.
25. Now with the Overhead Consoles mounting plate in hand, place it on the headliner with the two screw holes lined up with the two screw holes in the roof. Screw it temporarily in place.
26. Taking the chalk, draw an outline of the console
27. Remove the console from the headliner by the screws
28. Draw a new outline inside the old one ½ inch in, with the chalk
29. Cut out the headliner on the newly drawn line
30. Place the mounting plate under the headliner (this will take a few tries to get it in right) and secure it to the roof via the two screws
31. Connect the wiring harness to the overhead console and attach the overhead console to the mounting plate
32. Connect the A-pillar panel, door sill panel and the panel in between
33. Reconnect the battery
34. Start the Dakota and drive away with your newly connect overhead console
Linear Mode
