Gear Selector Indicator: Description

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2003 Dodge Dakota. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

An electronic automatic transmission gear selector indicator is standard factory-installed equipment on this model when it is equipped with an optional automatic transmission. The gear selector indicator information is displayed in a Vacuum-Fluorescent Display (VFD) unit. The VFD is soldered onto the cluster electronic circuit board and is visible through a window with a smoked clear lens located in the lower right quadrant of the cluster overlay. The dark lens over the VFD prevents the indicator from being clearly visible when it is not illuminated. The gear selector indicator displays the following characters from left to right: "P," "R," "N," "D," "2," and "1." Respectively, these characters represent the park, reverse, neutral, drive, second gear, and first gear positions of the transmission gear selector lever on the steering column. The VFD illuminates a rectangular box around the character that represents the currently selected lever position.

The gear selector indicator characters and graphics appear in the same blue-green color and at the same lighting level as the odometer/trip odometer information when illuminated by the instrument cluster electronic circuit board. During daylight hours (exterior lamps Off) the gear selector indicator VFD is illuminated at full brightness for clear visibility. At night (exterior lamps are On) the VFD lighting level is adjusted with the other cluster illumination lamps using the panel lamps dimmer thumbwheel on the headlamp switch. However, a "Parade" mode position of the panel lamps dimmer thumbwheel allows the VFD to be illuminated at full brightness when the vehicle is driven in daylight hours with the exterior lamps turned On. The gear selector indicator VFD is serviced as a unit with the instrument cluster.