Right on, cool mod!

 

Nice idea! To bad I'm to lazy. Maybe one of these days.

 

nice! put this on my long list of mods.

 

where is the instrument panel harness located? the harness where i need to push wire into pin #25???

 

that is located at the very top of the speedometer.

 

thank you! and thanks for writing up the how-to. hopefully it will be a reminder to turn off the locker when not needed. i can't see my locker switch when driving so this will help. ccasion5:

 

Great how-to.

 

nice job. however it should be mentioned that that light is for status feedback of the locker itself, which you would not be getting by wiring up a relay to the locker rocker switch. this is due to the fact that an arb locker has no end switch to wire to. that light is normally actuated by an end switch in the electronic locker itself confirming mechanical engagement of the locker. still a nice mod for those who want a pretty light on their dash. it will also at least tell you your switch is getting power.
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Rook, I quite don't get what your stating here...

All this mod does is turns on and off the dash locker light towards the status of the rocker switch... doesn't connect directly to the air locker's mechanical status...

I love it cause I can simply just look at the dash instead of looking down to where the locker rocker switches are in my case next to the mirror controls..

 

im saying that originally...that light is intended for mechanical status. (as in..it has an endswitch) your mod is awesome..but i just want people to understand its not a "proof" of status of the locker itself like the oem one is.
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Here is the Connector for the Combination Meter;

This is a connector made by AMP.

Stuffing wire into the Connector Receptacle isn't the greatest idea, it could easily loose contact or short against other pins.

I have the pins for this connector, if anyone would like one or many, check out my thread here (option 6);
MPS: 6CD Changer Aux/Steering Control Harness & Other Pins/Wiring - Second Generation Nissan Xterra Forums (2005+)

You can see the pin partially inserted in the picture above on the White Wire. This is Slot 6, NOT 25. It simply pushes in until it clicks to lock in place.

 

What is the easiest way to get to the wiring harness that is needed? I am looking at doing this sometime soon.

Bump, Do i have to take apart my dash? or can the wire be found somewhere else?

 

To get to the connector, yes, you have to take your dash apart. Same exact process for removing the instrument cluster itself.
http://www.thenewx.org/forum/showthread.php?t=24974

If your vehicle didn't come with a locker, the wire doesn't exist. You have to add it. There are plenty of connectors in the vehicle that use the same family connector with the same wire terminals so you could chop one off and hope it wasn't something important or:

I have the pins for this connector, if anyone would like one or many, check out my thread here (option 6)
http://www.thenewx.org/forum/showthread.php?t=56529

 

Does the wire i pull from pin 25 have to go to a negative battery terminal or can I just ground it? I would bypass the relay all together.. all I want is the locked light to work.

 

You have an X model. Did you put a locker in it? ARB or swap for oem E-locker? Give us the background. Since you have an x model, you wont have the wire there. I looked through your posts and see no mention of you installing a locker, so I'm confused.

 

The chassis of the vehicle is tied directly to negative battery so all you need to do is ground that pin and the light will turn on.

You need the relay (or a transistor) to connect pin 25 to ground. If you hardwire it directly to ground the light will just come on all the time (unless that's what you want??).

I'm assuming you installed an aftermarket locker, right? And you want to know when you have the switch for the locker on? You need something to connect pin 25 to ground whenever the locker switch is on. That's what the relay is for.

 

I will be putting a locker on, I have a switch that will run 12v to the locker and since this switch has 3 legs im going to just take a leg and dedicate it just to the indicator light on the dash if it only requires 1 ground wire to turn on. I have it open right now and do not have a wire in both the 5 and 25 pins. I grounded both out so far on some metal in the dash but no luck yet.

 

The key should be in "ON" for the light to come on and the entire connector will need to be plugged into the instrument cluster. Make sure you have the correct pin.

If the switch has 3 legs it is a single pole, double throw (SPDT). You still need a relay one way or the other.

 

Thanks for the quick reply btw!!!

 

so looking at the wiring harness as it is plugged into the cluster the number go from left to right, pin 25 would be the 5th on to the left, closest to the windshield? I have empty (no wires) pins 5 over (left) from the right side of the connector on the top and bottom.

 

I'm not entirely sure but if you look really closely at the harness side, the first and last pin should be labeled on the edges.
if it's any help, the white wire half-inserted in the picture in post 12 is pin 6
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Thanks a bunch.

 

1 last thing, before disconnecting the combo meter, should the battery negetive be disconnected?

 

Any time you are doing any electrical work you should disconnect the battery. It will save from very costly repairs that may happen. I've heard of some techs destroying several hundred dollar components because they didnt' disconnect the battery.

 

shouldn't really matter. it doesn't hurt to take the extra caution but i've never done it and i've had it out a few times.
it'll do some weird stuff when you first plug it back in but don't let it freak you out it's just initializing everything.
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Thanks again, a lot!

 

Thanks for all the help guys, I got it functioning!

 

Triple check the position you put the wire into the connector - if you look closely at each end of the connector, the pin numbers for the 4 corner pins are labeled.

If you're certain it's in the right spot, connect the wire directly to ground and turn on the ignition. If the diff light doesn't come on, you're not making contact or the diff light is broken.

If it does come on - your relay isn't wired properly.

To check if your diff light on the cluster itself is working:

Turn the ignition switch ON, while pressing the odometer meter switch for 5-8 seconds. When the diagnosis function is activated, the odometer/trip meter will display tESt.
Then release the odometer switch. Press the odometer switch again to cycle through each test mode. It should go from tESt -> GAGE -> everything illuminated -> bulb -> then like 100 other tests
bulb test illuminated all the LEDs on the cluster regardless of options. If your diff light doesn't come on during "bulb" then it's broke.
When you're done just turn ignition to OFF

 

I guess it's possible - the LEDs are surface mount chips soldered on the board. If you read through the LED swap threads on here you could probably take the cluster apart and check to see if the LED is in place.

I will try the bulb test within an hour or so and double check that the diff light comes on in mine during that test. The service manual says every light should but I'll double check before you start pulling things apart.