Help! Cluster Pairing Problem

[Juicyseven]

Long story short, my buddy bought a used JDM 86 cluster for his 2020 BRZ ts(Canadian Car), the car starts, but with a CEL and limp mode on. The car will not rev pass 4500 rpm.

We got some codes about lost communication with ECM, and used techstream to try to perform a "handshake" procedure, which is ECU Communication ID Registration. However, we got a message from techstream saying ECU Communication ID Registration has failed.

I have tried 2 different versions of techstream, and got the same results. I have read through every possible post about cluster swap on this forum, and found out nothing about this situation. Most people seem to not able to start the car after the cluster swap (cars with key ignition), and push start car should be plug and play.

Information I got here makes the situation even more confusing, because I put a brand new GR cluster in my GF's 2017 86(key ignition), it was a true plug and play, no techstream or anything involved, it just works. My buddy's BRZ is a push start car, which is supposed to be plug and play, but the car is now in limp mode. The results we get is the opposite to the posts here, maybe because we are in Canada??

Hope we can get some help here. Thanks in advance.

[steve99]

Yes seems unusual


do you have fhe actual CEL code like Uxxxx ?


if you put original cluster back is problem solved ?


was cluster from samextransmission type car ie auto or manual


have you tried loop ing pins 4 and 13 on obd port for 30 minutes as per fhe ecu replacement proceedure ?


do you have a tactrix cable you could try flashing a later ecu calid revision to cars ecu. Its possible the latest 2020 needs to see and updated ecu revision

[q100082832]

I got same problem with it.
When I try to use TechStream to do ECU communication ID registration, it said needs "Smart cancel funtion is OFF"...
WTF is smart cancel function???????

[q100082832]

Originally Posted by steve99

Yes seems unusual


do you have fhe actual CEL code like Uxxxx ?


if you put original cluster back is problem solved ?


was cluster from samextransmission type car ie auto or manual


have you tried loop ing pins 4 and 13 on obd port for 30 minutes as per fhe ecu replacement proceedure ?


do you have a tactrix cable you could try flashing a later ecu calid revision to cars ecu. Its possible the latest 2020 needs to see and updated ecu revision

Hey man thanks for reply, i got same problem with this guy. It is U1015. when change back to stock cluster, problem is gone.

[steve99]

Originally Posted by q100082832

Hey man thanks for reply, i got same problem with this guy. It is U1015. when change back to stock cluster, problem is gone.

was your cat. 2020 as well was cluster from a 2020


the latest model 2020 have differebt ecu firmware, this may look for a specific cluster


you may need to revert the ecu firmare to a earlier revision. Not sure the cluster swaps worked on pre 2020 fine, but it pissible skmthing changed

[Opie]

I'm pretty sure the cluster ties to the VIN from the BIU. When you do the ECU Communication ID Registration it writes the VIN from the BIU to the cluster, if the cluster already has a VIN stored it cannot be overwritten.

This is why when you lose all the keys in the car the cluster has to be sent in along with the BIU/Immobilizer (for Subaru's) and be erased before it can be programmed with new keys. Not sure if Techstream can erase the cluster info.

[Yoshoobaroo]

Originally Posted by Opie

I'm pretty sure the cluster ties to the VIN from the BIU. When you do the ECU Communication ID Registration it writes the VIN from the BIU to the cluster, if the cluster already has a VIN stored it cannot be overwritten.

This is why when you lose all the keys in the car the cluster has to be sent in along with the BIU/Immobilizer (for Subaru's) and be erased before it can be programmed with new keys. Not sure if Techstream can erase the cluster info.

But push button start cars' clusters are supposed to be virgin, as they are not part of the immobilizer loop on a push button start car.