Dakota Durango Forum banner

Help with 98 Durango

10K views 96 replies 7 participants last post by  duramaxdodge 
#1 ·
Ok guys I have found a donor 01 interior. The rest is destroyed. Here are my questions.
  • I want to do an 01 dash swap in my 98. If I use the dash harness that goes from the firewall plug under the dash and runs through the dash from the 01 is it possible?
  • Can I add the overhead console with the homelink buttons in the middle(like out of the rams) with the factory 98 overhead console harness, and the auto dimming features to my 98?
  • lastly, Can I use the headliner, harness, and ducts in the donor to put rear hvac controls in my 98?
Sorry for all these question, but I am used to the Rams. They arejust plug and play. From my research If I get the overhead console and mirror console harness out of a 98 they should work. But I hate the big 98 overhead consoles and want to add the small one from the later Durangos.
 
#3 ·
Quick answer, no.

The computer bus is different. The instrument cluster won't connect to the PCM. Even the headlight wiring is different. In the '01 it provides a "sense" to the CTM that controls the headlights unlike your '98.

The HVAC controls are also electronic, not vacuum, so you'd need to swap the plenum as well - with the actuators.

The overhead console won't work either - again, due to the computer bus.

If you found an '00 it would work. '01 and up won't.

I'd be surprised if there weren't changes in the Ram around then too.
 
#5 ·
Not sure on the rear HVAC.

The dash won't work.

It's not just the PCM, everything would need to be changed. The PCM, CTM, air bag controller, cluster - every module is different. Your '98 uses a 2 wire bus and '01+ use one wire. The CTM also controls a lot more in '01+ than it did in earlier models.
 
#22 ·
I just like it seems more "heavy duty" to me
True, and even if you choose to disagree with me, that does not make me wrong.
My dad had an 06 with the 4wd knob like that took at least 5 seconds to enhance mengage and was a bitch to disengage I like the new style dash because one room to put a touch screen in and two dual climate control plus the rear can adjust it. Personally I get cold easily even in 110 degree weather so having all the different zones be able to choose their temp is a plus. I am going to do this I bought a whole 01 with the 4.7 that'll I'll be tearing apart.
 
#25 ·
I never said you were wrong, I never said you were a asshole either.


I just like it seems more "heavy duty" to me

My dad had an 06 with the 4wd knob like that took at least 5 seconds to enhance mengage and was a bitch to disengage I like the new style dash because one room to put a touch screen in and two dual climate control plus the rear can adjust it. Personally I get cold easily even in 110 degree weather so having all the different zones be able to choose their temp is a plus. I am going to do this I bought a whole 01 with the 4.7 that'll I'll be tearing apart.
While to me they seem more crappy. They engage like a Eaton Fuller. I had one in my 98, now I have a 03 and it works just fine. Your idea about swapping dashes may seem like a cool idea but you are one of two types of people.. 1. Have a great deal of knowledge on electrical wiring and electronics as well as the means to program these control modules. (which I highly doubt) or you are 2. A guy in way over his head and has no idea what you are getting yourself into.


Speking of switching to the 01 dash and electronics, he will have warning lights for his 4wd without that switch and the electronics for the transfer case. Also, the electronics changed in the transmission which will also freak out the PCM so he would need to change that as well.
Yep, and probably another 100 unforeseen problems.
 
#29 ·
I predict we will be flooded with a barrage of questions about how to make everything work, what goes where, where this connector goes, what is this box for, do I need this part, once he gets started on the project, and in the end he will be parting out a 98 and a 01 Durango and buying something different. Because if he gets everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, swapped over he would need to do to even come close to making it work the only thing left that would be from his '98 would be frame, body, and rear end.

If all he wants is the '01 interior and a manually shifted transfer case, he would be better off trying to put the older style transfer case into a '01+ Durango than swapping all the '01 stuff into his '98.
 
#30 ·
I thought about that but like the challenge I did my buddy's 02 Ram and made a dash wiring harness for an 06 and had a buddy program the 06 computer to recognize the 06 uconnect in the 02. I might be trading the 01 4.7 for an 01 5.9 if I do that then yes I will just swap the floor 4wd into it. From wiring diagrams for the dash harness the wires aren't there different. There are some differences. But my 98 has a 5.7 Hemi in it so I just got to sit down and think about how to tackle this. Thanks for the input and maybe after I'm done with this you'll have more confidence in me :)
 
#32 ·
I wish you luck in the challange because it will definitely be one. There is a lot that changed between 98 and 01 for making inteerior parts fit right on top of any electrical or computer communication problems you may run into. I think this will be more than a buddy with a dealer starscan can tackle for programming.
 
#33 ·
You will need EVERYTHING under the hood, wiring, mounts, electronics, brackets, everything in/on/under the dash wiring, HVAC parts, boxes, brackets. Center console(the floor pan changed so will need to modify stuff to make center console fit) Wiring to doors, door panels, side mirrors. I'd keep the 98 seats, they are a ton more comfortable and supportive.
 
#34 ·
Well here is my plan please let me know if I'm wrong or if you have a better idea. Modify a dash harness to use the dash. Take all four doors off and use that is harness and modify if needed (haven't found a diagram for the door harness for both years) from my dealer buddy he said my engine harness wiring should work as in 01 the 5.9 wire harness is the same as my 98 5.2 harness that I have. Now if modifying the harnesses don't work I'll swap in the computers and see if that works with programming. If not I can get a completely customized computer to read both my 98 wiring and 03 writing which is the most expensive harness.
 
#35 ·
Sounds like your dealership buddy doesn't really know what he is talking about. You are better off doing like I said, and just ripping out the entire wire harness from the '01 and everything it plugs into that isn't part of the engine itself and swapping it over. While the motor is the same, the PCM, and most stuff under the hood is different as far as the wiring and communication bus go. Same with the dash. You try to start cutting and splicing two different wire harnesses together you are going to go crazy tracing electrical problems and trying to find wire colors to match up.
 
#48 ·
What don't you get? The new airbox from the 01 will have all the electronic actuators, and the new dash will have the electronic control that runs them. You won't be using any of the vacuum stuff.
 
#51 ·
Dude find a donor 98, 99, or 00. If need be besides some of the rear HVAC stuff you could probably interchange a dash out of a Dakota from those years as well as 97. I totally agree, I think the first push button 4wd systems were garbage, I don't think the technology was good enough to have it done electronically (look at any GM SUV or truck with push button shift from those years, they all crapped out). I'm partial to the shift on the fly hand shifter because my 97 Dakota has one and so did the 99 Durango. And as far as the homelink goes, I just picked up an 04 Stratus Coupe and it has it built into the rearview mirror, that might be a better alternative than trying to screw with your overhead console that already works fine. Buy a mirror that just needs power and run wire for that.
 
#52 ·
That completely moots what he wants to do.. He wants the refresh dash and full rear HVAC.. The rear system was AC only up to 00, and to make the 01 heat/AC work requires the 01 front control panel (and by default the full PCI communications system since it won't work in a standalone mode).
 
#63 ·
I guarantee you it wasn't working. There's no possible way it worked, because the dash harness is wired to work with PCI bus not CCD. The 01 CTM, airbag module, cluster, and HVAC will not work with your 98 PCM.
 
#71 ·
Ok, well, since he is the only person in existence that can make a PCI interior work with a CCD drivetrain, you best go search it back out and ask him to wave his magic wand over you, because if you do it you will have nothing but a dead truck.

IT.
WILL.
NOT.
WORK.

PERIOD.

In order to do what you want to do, you must swap the ENTIRE wiring harness - headlight to tail light - before you do ANYTHING else. Then the ENTIRE powertrain, then the airbox and dash. It can be no other way.
 
#84 · (Edited)
I'm sorry, but you did not plug a complete CANBUS dash into a PCI truck and have it just 'work'. You have to be using the 02 cluster and all of the 02 modules. It's like saying you put diesel in your gas tank and it just works. They are 100% INCOMPATIBLE with each other.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top