Heavy Duty Clusters

Because HD trucks spend a lot of time on the road, they tend to have problems with heat-related damage. Over time, heat will damage the circuit board that controls the gauges, and that in turn will cause to erratic stepper motor behavior (gauges work sometimes, not all the time). In some instances, circuit board wear will result in stepper motor failure (gauges no longer work).

For all of these reasons, it's crucial that any instrument cluster replacement or repair includes testing of the controlling circuit board. It's not enough to simply remove and replace any components that are obviously damaged - the entire board should be checked for problems. At ISS, we have specialized equipment for testing.

The best replacement gauges for heavy-duty truck instrument clusters have three features:

1. Premium grade stepper motors. The most common point of failure in an instrument cluster is the stepper motor. Because we are one of the world's largest instrument cluster companies, we're able to secure premium grade stepper motors from the same companies that sell directly to vehicle manufacturers.
2. Carefully tested and repaired (if necessary) circuit boards. Over time, many of the components on the cluster circuit board wear out. This can be due to excessive heat, or it can be a result of vibration. In either case, visually inspecting and testing the circuit board is a big part of what we do when we're working on an instrument cluster.
3. Testing and validation. Before any instrument cluster is shipped, it must be tested and validated. We use proprietary equipment developed specifically for instrument clusters to test and validate every single gauge. Most of the companies that repair instrument clusters do not have any testing equipment, let alone an OEM grade testing tool.

While there are lots of companies that offer instrument clusters or instrument cluster repairs, none have our capabilities.

Yes, custom lighting is available for heavy-duty clusters. We use LEDs to upgrade the lighting, and we talk a bit about why you might want LEDs in this post on the ISS blog. LEDs have a few benefits, including a clearer view of the gauges and also less impact on night vision (red and green, only at lower lighting levels).

If you’ve checked your fuses and checked with the manufacturer to ensure there is not a recall on your vehicle's instrument cluster, the next step is to look at repair or replacement options for your Freightliner or other heavy-duty gauges. 

We list most clusters on this page of our website but you can also contact us directly about your heavy-duty cluster repair needs. Note: Cosmetic flaws/damage. Your cluster will still have the same scratches and scuffs it had when you sent it to us.