Well thanks to the truly excellent service from Ales at www.skodateile.cz my Maxidot dashboard arrived yesterday from CZ.

I picked up my OE Bluetooth kit on Monday as well so this weekend's going to be a busy one.

I could do the BT with my eyes closed but I've never done a cluster swap before, any BTDT before I start asking stupid questions? I know a few have had this done but many people got someone else to do the coding etc.

The cluster is brand new and I have both SKCs.

Lets get pictures from the assembly Skodateile is great, bought my maxidot from Ales. However I did get my local skoda pusher fit it, so I dont have any input for you.

Yep I can get a few pictures while I'm at it. There are a few pics on here but no actual how-to.

Sounds like a lot of work but good luck

Well thanks to the truly excellent service from Ales at www.skodateile.cz my Maxidot dashboard arrived yesterday from CZ.

I picked up my OE Bluetooth kit on Monday as well so this weekend's going to be a busy one.

I could do the BT with my eyes closed but I've never done a cluster swap before, any BTDT before I start asking stupid questions? I know a few have had this done but many people got someone else to do the coding etc.

The cluster is brand new and I have both SKCs.

Do you have the info on what needs to copied from the old one? Also do you have the instructions on how to get the old cluster out?

If you do, then it's easy as it can be.

Basically from the old cluster you'll only need the mileage and variable service info. Both SKC's are needed to adapt the new cluster to the cars ECU and to code the keys to match the cars IMMO.

Coding of the dashpod with VCDS/Vag-COm is very difficult, you need to interrogate everything in the cluster and write everything down on paper as its not possible to copy the settings over. Its quiet possible to screwup the replacement cluster when programming, especially when entering the mileage. Stu tried for ages with mine, and in the end it was far quicker for the skoda dealer to make the swap which is where my coding was done i the end.

It will take you several hours just to sort the dash coding out and it could go badly wrong, or your dealer about 15 mins using their VAS tool which copies the settings from one cluster to the other. Just make sure you have both car keys handy and your current 4 digit SKC before you start (either way).

i would personally take it to the garage and tell them its a striaght forward dashpod swap, if they say they cant do it tell them to treat it as a faulty dashpod being replaced with a new one and to follow the correct on screen procedures, shouldnt take them more than half an hour really. It can be done with vag com but it can also be a huge pain in the bum as ive found out.

Best person to speak to will be a member called vrstu who knows the procedure etc inside out and can even talk the technicians through the step by step guide on what to do.

I know I'll have to copy the variable servicing adaptation channels and code the mileage. I also know that it would be a lot easier to get the garage to do it, but that's not challenging

Going to do it tomorrow as I'm out furniture shopping today.. great!

It can be done by VCDS it just takes time I think.

I know a little more now Manny than when we tried yours.

Well we bought a new sofa yesterday so with a happy Mrs I embarked upon fitting this today.

The immobilizer adaptation currently isn't working and I've read a few things on the internet from someone at Ross-Tech suggesting that perhaps VCDS can't do the immobilizer adaptation on new clusters, they have to be done by a dealer.

This is rather annoying and I've emailed Ross-Tech but don't expect a response until Monday or Tuesday at the earliest. I've also PM'd VRStu to see if he has any ideas but I think I've hit a stumbling block that VCDS can't get around.

Who had their clusters fitted by a dealer or did them DIY? If anyone did theirs DIY I'd be grateful to hear from them.

Had mine done by the dealer today as it so happens, and i had to take both my keys in as per VRStu's instructions to ensure that the immobiliser was coded correctly. IMHO i would still say that you are better getting it done at a dealer as it only costs around 50 quid.

Had mine done at our local dealers, they just followd the VAS procedure for swapping the instrument cluster. Hardly had time to drink a coffee! Despite all the excellent support & advice from the forum, I just didn't think my skills with VCDS were up to it!

Had mine done at our local dealers, they just followd the VAS procedure for swapping the instrument cluster. Hardly had time to drink a coffee! Despite all the excellent support & advice from the forum, I just didn't think my skills with VCDS were up to it!

Same for me

Move this on a bit. I wished now that my car I ordered the Maxidot with it and very interested in get one and for dealer to fit etc.

But how do you control it? do you need the multi function steering wheel as well? Or can be done via the trip control button.

James.

James - it's all done by the trip computer buttons.

As for the other posts - I appreciate that it is only £50-£60 to get it coded in but I will only do that if I have to. I thrive on this sort of thing and have done alsorts in the past, the only thing that will stop me doing this and learning how to do it is if VCDS can't do it. Which will be a shame.

Plus I hate dealers and their attitudes towards retrofits!!

James - it's all done by the trip computer buttons.

As for the other posts - I appreciate that it is only £50-£60 to get it coded in but I will only do that if I have to. I thrive on this sort of thing and have done alsorts in the past, the only thing that will stop me doing this and learning how to do it is if VCDS can't do it. Which will be a shame.

Plus I hate dealers and their attitudes towards retrofits!!

Always feels good DIY a good job:D Only thing that would worry me is fiddle with car to that degree.... May I ask how much did you pay for at www.skodateile.cz ? Please with postage etc.

James.

Always feels good DIY a good job:D Only thing that would worry me is fiddle with car to that degree.... May I ask how much did you pay for at www.skodateile.cz ? Please with postage etc.

James.

Oh this is just light play, you should have seen my A4. I retrofitted just about every option on the option list Cost me a fortune and became an obsession.

Cost £251 + £9 bank charge delivered.

Finally got this done tonight after some issues with VCDS coding in the new cluster, all sorted now and I'll know for next time! Thanks for the help given by the guys on here namely Stu and downtime

Right, who wants a standard vRS dash cluster!

Glad it's sorted - Can't believe I didn't click onto what the problem was.

was it the same one we had stu?

Just a quick question on this topic, i have used cluster with maxidot, but the glas is scratched and ugly, im a correct in thinking that the glas from the other cluster, the one without maxidot, would fit...?

Yes it does swap straight over.

Just don't take your car to Autohaus in Northampton - they failed to install my MaxiDot despite having the car twice.

My local dealer, Vindis in Cambridge sorted it in 3hrs (over 2hrs were spent fixing what Autohaus had messed up)