Gear Selector Indicator: Operation

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2006 Dodge Sprinter. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

The electronic gear selector indicator gives an indication to the vehicle operator of the transmission gear that is currently selected with the automatic transmission gear selector lever. This indicator is controlled by the instrument cluster circuit board based upon cluster programming and electronic messages received from the Transmission Control Module (TCM) over the Controller Area Network (CAN) data bus. The gear selector indicator information is displayed by the multi-function indicator Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) unit on the instrument cluster electronic circuit board. The multi-function indicator LCD is completely controlled by the instrument cluster logic circuit, and that logic will only allow the gear selector indicator information to be displayed when the instrument cluster detects that the ignition switch is in the On position. Therefore, the gear selector indicator will always be off when the ignition switch is in any position except On.

The TCM continually monitors the transmission range sensor, then sends the proper gear selector indicator position messages to the instrument cluster. For proper diagnosis of the transmission range sensor, the TCM, the CAN data bus, or the electronic message inputs to the instrument cluster that control the gear selector indicator, a diagnostic scan tool is required. Refer to BODY DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES .