Dodge Nitro. Manual - part 810

Fig. 29: Odometer/Trip Odometer 
Courtesy of CHRYSLER LLC 

An odometer and trip odometer are standard factory-installed equipment in all instrument clusters. The 
odometer and trip odometer are displayed in a common electronic, blue-green Vacuum-Fluorescent Display 
(VFD) unit. This VFD unit is soldered onto the cluster electronic circuit board, and is visible through a window 
with a smoked clear lens located on the lower edge of the tachometer in the lower right area of the cluster 
overlay. The dark lens over the VFD prevents the indicator from being clearly visible when it is not illuminated.

The odometer and trip odometer information are not displayed simultaneously. The trip odometer reset switch 
on the instrument cluster circuit board toggles the display between odometer and trip odometer modes by 
depressing the odometer/trip odometer switch button that extends through the lower edge of the cluster lens, just 
left of the minor gauge set. When the trip odometer information is displayed, the text TRIP A or TRIP B is 
also illuminated in the lower right corner of the odometer/trip odometer VFD in a blue-green color and at the 
same lighting level as the trip odometer information. 

The odometer and trip odometer information are stored in the instrument cluster memory. This information can 
be increased when the proper inputs are provided to the instrument cluster, but the information cannot be 
decreased. The odometer can display values up to 999,999 kilometers (999,999 miles). The odometer latches at 
these values, and will not roll over to zero. The trip odometer can display values up to 999.9 kilometers (999.9 
miles) before it rolls over to zero. 

The odometer display does not show leading zeroes, does not have a decimal point and will not show values 
less than a full unit (kilometer or mile). The unit of measure (km or miles ) for the odometer display is not 
shown in the VFD. The unit of measure for the instrument cluster odometer/trip odometer is selected at the time 
that it is manufactured, and cannot be changed. The odometer has a RENTAL CAR mode, which will illuminate 
the odometer information in the VFD whenever the driver side front door is opened with the ignition switch in 
the OFF or ACCESSORY positions. 

During daylight hours (exterior lamps are OFF) the odometer VFD is illuminated at full brightness for clear 

 

2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 

2007 ACCESSORIES AND EQUIPMENT Instrument Cluster - Service Information - Nitro

  

visibility. At night (exterior lamps are ON), the VFD lighting level is adjusted with the other cluster general 
illumination lamps using the panel lamps dimmer function of the interior lighting control sleeve on the left 
multi-function switch control stalk. However, a PARADE mode position of the control sleeve allows the VFD 
to be illuminated at full brightness if the exterior lamps are turned ON during daylight hours. On vehicles 
manufactured for domestic markets, the odometer VFD is also illuminated at full brightness whenever the 
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) or the Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) indicator is illuminated, and cannot be 
dimmed until the MIL or TPM indicator is extinguished. 

The odometer/trip odometer VFD, the trip odometer switch and the trip odometer push button are serviced as a 
unit with the instrument cluster. 

OPERATION 

ODOMETER/TRIP ODOMETER 

The odometer and trip odometer give an indication to the vehicle operator of the distance the vehicle has 
traveled. This indicator is controlled by the instrument cluster circuitry based upon cluster programming and 
electronic messages received by the cluster from the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) over the Controller 
Area Network (CAN) data bus. 

The odometer and trip odometer information is displayed by the instrument cluster odometer/trip odometer 
Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD). The VFD will display the odometer information whenever the driver side 
front door is opened with the ignition switch in the OFF or ACCESSORY positions. The instrument cluster 
circuitry controls the VFD and provides the following features: 



Odometer/Trip Odometer Display Toggling - Actuating the trip odometer reset switch button 
momentarily with the VFD illuminated will toggle the display between the odometer and trip odometer A 
and B information. Each time the VFD is illuminated with the ignition switch in the ON or START 
positions, the display will automatically return to the last mode previously selected (odometer or trip 
odometer).  



Trip Odometer Reset - When the trip odometer reset switch button is pressed and held for longer than 
about two seconds with the ignition switch in the ON or START positions, the trip odometer will be reset 
to 0.0 kilometers (miles). The VFD must be displaying the trip odometer information in order for the trip 
odometer information to be reset.  



Gas Cap Message Display - On vehicles manufactured with a United States country code, each time the 
cluster receives an electronic message from the PCM indicating a monitored leak in the evaporative 
emissions system, the cluster replaces the displayed odometer/trip odometer value with the textual 
message, gas cap . This message serves as a reminder to the vehicle operator to check that the gas cap is 
properly installed and tightened, but could also indicate another source of air leakage in the on-board 
evaporative and vapor recovery emissions systems. Unless the leak is corrected, this message will latch 
and remain displayed during the current and each subsequent ignition cycle until the trip odometer reset 
button is pressed and released momentarily, which will revert the display to the odometer/trip odometer 
information that was last displayed for the remainder of that ignition cycle. Once the source of a leak has 
been corrected, either momentarily pressing the trip odometer reset button or cycling the ignition switch 
will unlatch the message and return the odometer/trip odometer to normal operation.  



Communication Error - If the cluster fails to receive an electronic distance message during normal 
operation, it will hold and display the last data received until the ignition switch is turned to the OFF 

 

2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 

2007 ACCESSORIES AND EQUIPMENT Instrument Cluster - Service Information - Nitro

  

position. If the cluster does not receive a distance message within one second after the ignition switch is 
turned to the ON position, it will display the last distance value stored in the cluster memory. If the 
cluster is unable to display odometer information due to an error internal to the cluster, the VFD will 
display error .  



Actuator Test - Each time the cluster is put through the actuator test, the odometer VFD will display all 
of its segments simultaneously during the VFD portion of the test to confirm the functionality of the VFD 
and the cluster control circuitry.  

The PCM continually monitors the vehicle speed pulse information received from the wheel speed sensors, then 
sends the proper messages to the Electro Mechanical Instrument Cluster (EMIC) (also known as the Cab 
Compartment Node/CCN). 

For proper diagnosis of the wheel speed sensors, the PCM, the EMIC, the CAN data bus or the electronic 
communication related to odometer/trip odometer operation a diagnostic scan tool is required. Refer to the 
appropriate diagnostic information. 

REAR FOG LAMP INDICATOR 

DESCRIPTION 

REAR FOG LAMP INDICATOR 

Fig. 30: Rear Fog Lamp Indicator 
Courtesy of CHRYSLER LLC 

A rear fog lamp indicator is standard equipment on all instrument clusters for certain markets where rear fog 
lamps are available. However, on vehicles not equipped with the optional rear fog lamps, this indicator is 
electronically disabled. This indicator is located near the bottom of the speedometer dial face of the cluster 
overlay, just right of center. 

 

2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 

2007 ACCESSORIES AND EQUIPMENT Instrument Cluster - Service Information - Nitro

  

The rear fog lamp indicator consists of a stencil-like cutout of the International Control and Display Symbol 
icon for Rear Fog Light 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 rear fog lamp indicator is serviced as a unit with the instrument cluster. 

OPERATION 

REAR FOG LAMP INDICATOR 

The rear fog lamp indicator gives an indication to the vehicle operator whenever the rear fog lamps are 
illuminated. This indicator is controlled by a transistor on the instrument cluster circuit board based upon cluster 
programming and electronic messages received by the cluster from the Totally Integrated Power Module 
(TIPM) over the Controller Area Network (CAN) data bus. 

The rear fog lamp indicator Light Emitting Diode (LED) is completely controlled by the instrument cluster 
logic circuit, and that logic will allow this indicator to operate whenever the instrument cluster receives a 
battery current input on the fused B(+) circuit. Therefore, the LED can be illuminated regardless of the ignition 
switch position. The LED only illuminates when it is provided a path to ground by the instrument cluster 
transistor. The instrument cluster will turn ON the rear fog lamp indicator for the following reasons: 



Rear Fog Indicator Lamp-On Message - Each time the cluster receives an electronic rear fog 
indicator lamp-ON message from the TIPM indicating the rear fog lamps are turned ON, the rear fog 
lamp indicator will be illuminated. The indicator remains illuminated until the cluster receives a lamp-
OFF message from the TIPM, or until the exterior lamp load shedding (battery saver) timed interval 
expires, whichever occurs first.  



Actuator Test - Each time the cluster is put through the actuator test, the rear fog lamp indicator will be 
turned ON, then OFF again during the bulb check portion of the test to confirm the functionality of the 
LED and the cluster control circuitry.  

The TIPM continually monitors electronic exterior lighting request messages from the Electro Mechanical 
Instrument Cluster (EMIC) (also known as the Cab Compartment Node/CCN) to determine the appropriate 
outputs to the rear fog lamps. The TIPM activates or deactivates the rear fog lamps then sends the proper lamp-
ON or lamp-OFF message back to the EMIC. 

For proper diagnosis of the rear fog lamp system, the TIPM, the EMIC, the CAN data bus or the electronic 
communication related to rear fog lamp indicator operation a diagnostic scan tool is required. Refer to the 
appropriate diagnostic information. 

SEATBELT INDICATOR 

DESCRIPTION 

SEATBELT INDICATOR 

 

2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 

2007 ACCESSORIES AND EQUIPMENT Instrument Cluster - Service Information - Nitro