GXE Gauges to SE gauges

I ordered the SE gauges for the simple reason that i wanted the white face gauges but didn't like the aftermarket reverse glow ones i found out there. So you can't beat OEM. I also found that the GXE gauges are slightly different the OD light is in different spots and the GXE don't have air bags. And since my GXE don't have air bags the Air Bag light would just stay on.

Obviously i could just take out the bulb and that's what i did at first but found that I did pay attention to the OD light to see if it was on and off. I never noticed that i payed attention. So i figured screw it I'll just swap out the guts and since it is plug and play no biggie! this way i get the benefits of the odometer still being correct and the OD light still is functional.

Tools needed : Philips screw driver, Kool-Aid (optional)

Start buy removing the gauges



Next take the front cover off



than you have this



Then remove these screws and undo the connection

 

as you remove the screw each one of the gauges will come off



at this point you are half way threw

Do the same with the other gauge

swap gauges, I don't know for sure it will make a diffrence but make sure to use the same screws in the same spots IE. tach screws speedometer screws etc

now work in reverse and when you are done you now have a GXE gauges with the white face gauges of a SE your speedometer is still correct and the OD light is functional



I added the CF bezel it was part of my dash kit. If you want the gauges to light white use the SE bulbs if not it will light up Green. thats what i did keep it all one color (dash) but still not sure though

I know few people will say that since the harness on the SE and the GXE are different the airbag light is different. Actually NO! the plastic board is different as you can see here the lines are not the same

 

Nice write up that should help the noobs!

 

dont forget you can also just swap the odo from one gauge to another if you wanted to keep the correct mileage.

 

Careful with the new tach, Loco, redline shifting might get expensive!

 

well i got a Auto tranny so i have to go out of my way for that so not too much of a problem

 

Great write up! the SE guages really update the inside of the car. Plus you get white faces without using indigo ebay guages that might look tacky.

 

1. GXE had airbags as an option same as the SE (92s)
2. should have just gotten a 89-91 SE w/ AT cluster easier than all of that work.

 

I have a noob question about swapping SE gauges on a GXE. Since our stock speedometer only goes upto 125 and the SE's go upto 145...if you swap them isn't your speedo reading like 20mph higher than you're really going, or is there some way to fix this when installing the 145mph gauges on a GXE?

 

Guess i could of but since i got mine at a steal for $25 w/shipping and it wasn't that hard of a MOD

don't have to do anything it adjusts itself don't believe me I'm sure other people will confirm

 

I'm pretty sure Loco is right I mean its just the gauge and I bet the cars ecu just makes necessary changes.

 

Is the circuitry for the airbag light built in to the clusters for cars w/o airbags? In other words, if I swap mine will that particular light function if I put a bulb in it?

 

nope its correct. They both use the same gearing in the speed sensor and cluster (has nothing to do with the ecu as one guy said) so it turns out right.

Many have done the swap without problems.

 

I did this swap back in October 05..I just replaced the gauges, my GXE has airbags. the OD light is covered but I dont care as I can tell when its on/off anyway. If I would've known that the 145mph was plug and play with out any problem I would've just gotten that!

The best way to learn is practicing on junkyard cars

 

Getting ready to change my gauge cluster. To a 91 se. Will the abs light ,light up or give me any problems?

 

it will work the same. i did this to my '93 GXE back in '02 and i did the same exact thing as what Loco did. i just swapped out the gauge faces and not the whole cluster. after i was done with it, i did a test drive and had my friend next to me to tell me how fast i was going next to him in his car and it read the same as his. i also knew it was correct once i installed the HUD in my car the mileage was correct.

 

I think he meant swap the whole ODO which is easy to do (few screws). I have taken a ODO out and changed the mileage as well because I had a non working ODO or a bad trip ODO cant remember. Anyway its not too hard if you take it all apart and align it. Mine didnt look tampered with at all. After you take the ODO out (screws on the back) you can see that there is another metal lever that holds the bar which holds the numbers etc...I cant remember the details but remember it wasnt so bad doing it that way either. Matter of fact it may be your car I did the ODO on because of the trip ODO. I cant remember though since I have so many of these clusters (got two spares sitting in my carport I dont know where they came from). I didnt change the mileage BTW.

 

painting the bezel in silver looks nice too, i had it that way on my mx-6

 

ONE last thing that Loco (and I) forgot to mention on the swap..for the tach gauge, there's gonna be some plastic "spacer" like material that'll leave an ugly gap on he gauges, for me all I had to do was clip it with some wirecutters and it looks decent. just letting the others that havent done the swap know so they dont umm freak out. Did any of the guys that have swapped had that same problem?

 

no mine was a pretty simple straight across swap. didn't have to cut anything and there is no gaps? kinda of curious as to what you are talking about. i don't remember seeing anything like that

 

I'll take some pics when I get a chance.

 

yeah definitely need pics