Dodge Nitro. Manual - part 808

the remaining switches feature momentary operation.

Four screws secure the switch to the back of the instrument panel center bezel through integral mounting tabs 
that are molded into each corner of the switch housing. The back of the switch housing has an integral 
connector receptacle containing terminal pins that connect the switch to the vehicle electrical system through a 
dedicated take out and connector of the instrument panel wire harness. 

Panel lamps dimmer controlled illumination lamps integral to the circuit board within the switch provide back 
lighting for visibility at night, but these lamps are not serviceable. The individual switches in the instrument 
panel switch pod cannot be repaired and are not serviced separately. If any component within the switch pod is 
ineffective or damaged, the entire switch pod unit must be replaced. 

OPERATION 

INSTRUMENT PANEL SWITCH POD 

For information covering details of operation for the individual switches or indicator contained within the 
instrument panel switch pod, refer to the specific service information covering the system to which that switch 
or indicator belongs. 

REMOVAL 

INSTRUMENT PANEL SWITCH POD 

WARNING:

To avoid serious or fatal injury on vehicles equipped with airbags, disable 
the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) before attempting any steering 
wheel, steering column, airbag, Occupant Classification System (OCS), 
seat belt tensioner, impact sensor, or instrument panel component 
diagnosis or service. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative (ground) 
cable, then wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before 
performing further diagnosis or service. This is the only sure way to 
disable the SRS. Failure to take the proper precautions could result in 
accidental airbag deployment.

 

2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 

2007 ACCESSORIES AND EQUIPMENT Instrument Cluster - Service Information - Nitro

  

Fig. 24: Identifying Center Bezel, Instrument Panel Switch Pod & Screws 
Courtesy of CHRYSLER LLC 

1. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable.  

2. Remove the center bezel (1) from the instrument panel. Refer to REMOVAL .  

3. Disconnect the wire harness connector from the back of the instrument panel switch pod (2).  

4. Remove the four screws (3) that secure the switch pod to the back of the center bezel.  

5. Remove the switch pod from the center bezel.  

INSTALLATION 

INSTRUMENT PANEL SWITCH POD 

WARNING:

To avoid serious or fatal injury on vehicles equipped with airbags, disable 
the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) before attempting any steering 
wheel, steering column, airbag, Occupant Classification System (OCS), 
seat belt tensioner, impact sensor, or instrument panel component 
diagnosis or service. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative (ground) 
cable, then wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before 
performing further diagnosis or service. This is the only sure way to 
disable the SRS. Failure to take the proper precautions could result in 
accidental airbag deployment.

NOTE:

There are several different instrument panel switch pods available, depending 
upon the optional equipment content of the vehicle. Be certain that a 
replacement switch pod matches the optional equipment of the vehicle into 
which it is being installed.

 

2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 

2007 ACCESSORIES AND EQUIPMENT Instrument Cluster - Service Information - Nitro

  

Fig. 25: Identifying Center Bezel, Instrument Panel Switch Pod & Screws 
Courtesy of CHRYSLER LLC 

1. Position the instrument panel switch pod (2) to the back of the center bezel (1).  

2. Install and tighten the four screws (3) that secure the switch pod to the center bezel. Tighten the screws to 

2 N.m (17 in. lbs.).  

3. Reconnect the wire harness connector to the back of the switch pod.  

4. Reinstall the center bezel onto the instrument panel. Refer to INSTALLATION .  

5. Reconnect the battery negative cable.  

LOW FUEL INDICATOR 

DESCRIPTION 

LOW FUEL INDICATOR 

Fig. 26: Identifying Low Fuel Indicator 
Courtesy of CHRYSLER LLC 

 

2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 

2007 ACCESSORIES AND EQUIPMENT Instrument Cluster - Service Information - Nitro

  

A low fuel indicator is standard equipment on all instrument clusters. The low fuel indicator is located above 
the fuel gauge needle hub on the cluster overlay, to the left of the speedometer. 

The low fuel indicator consists of a stencil-like cutout of the International Control and Display Symbol icon for 
Fuel in the opaque layer of the instrument cluster overlay. The dark outer layer of the overlay prevents the 
indicator from being clearly visible when it is not illuminated. An amber Light Emitting Diode (LED) behind 
the cutout in the opaque layer of the overlay causes the indicator to appear in amber through the translucent 
outer layer of the overlay when it is illuminated from behind by the LED, which is soldered onto the instrument 
cluster electronic circuit board. 

The low fuel indicator is serviced as a unit with the instrument cluster. 

OPERATION 

LOW FUEL INDICATOR 

The low fuel indicator gives an indication to the vehicle operator when the level of fuel in the fuel tank becomes 
low. This indicator is controlled by a transistor on the instrument cluster circuit board based upon cluster 
programming and electronic fuel level messages received by the cluster from the Totally Integrated Power 
Module (TIPM) over the Controller Area Network (CAN) data bus. 

The low fuel indicator Light Emitting Diode (LED) is completely controlled by the instrument cluster logic 
circuit, and that logic will only allow this indicator to operate when the instrument cluster receives a battery 
current input on the fused ignition switch output (run-start) circuit. Therefore, the LED will always be OFF 
when the ignition switch is in any position except ON or START. The LED only illuminates when it is provided 
a path to ground by the instrument cluster transistor. The instrument cluster will turn ON the low fuel indicator 
for the following reasons: 



Bulb Test - Each time the ignition switch is turned to the ON position the low fuel indicator is 
illuminated for about three seconds as a bulb test.  



Less Than 11 Percent Tank Full Message - The TIPM provides a constant current source to the fuel 
level sending unit and monitors a return input on a fuel level sense circuit. The resistance through the fuel 
level sending unit increases as the fuel level rises and decreases as the fuel level falls causing changes in 
the fuel level sense input voltage. The TIPM then sends the appropriate electronic fuel level messages to 
the cluster. Each time the fuel level messages to the cluster indicate the fuel tank is about 11 percent full 
or less for 10 consecutive seconds and the vehicle speed is zero, or for 60 consecutive seconds and the 
vehicle speed is greater than zero, the gauge needle is moved to the appropriate position on the gauge 
scale, the low fuel indicator is illuminated, and a single chime tone is sounded. The low fuel indicator 
remains illuminated until the fuel level messages indicate that the fuel tank is greater than about 14 
percent full for 10 consecutive seconds and the vehicle speed is zero, or for 60 consecutive seconds and 
the vehicle speed is greater than zero, or until the ignition switch is turned to the OFF position, whichever 
occurs first. The chime tone feature will only repeat during the same ignition cycle if the low fuel 
indicator is cycled OFF and then ON again by the appropriate messages from the TIPM.  



Less Than Empty Stop Message - Each time the cluster receives a fuel level message indicating the fuel 
level in the fuel tank is less than the E (or Empty) gauge needle stop position for five consecutive 
seconds, the gauge needle is moved to the low end of the gauge scale and the low fuel indicator is 
illuminated immediately. This input would indicate that the fuel level sense input to the TIPM is a short 

 

2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 

2007 ACCESSORIES AND EQUIPMENT Instrument Cluster - Service Information - Nitro