First off, apologies if I am using the wrong flair; I did not know which one to put it under. Recently, I bought a 2013 Holden Cruze. Everything in the car works fine except the dashboard was not showing the kms. After some investigation with a scan tool, I found out that the cluster had a different VIN programmed to it compared to the rest of the car, and I also got an immobilizer fault code from the cluster. This leads me to believe that the previous owner had replaced the cluster without programming it. I bought a CH341A EEPROM programmer and followed instructions from a video on how to install the right drivers and software. When I tried reading the 24C16 EEPROM chip, the software only showed FF everywhere, which means there is something wrong according to my research. I tried unplugging and replugging, cleaning the terminals on the chip and connector, and flipping the connector, but nothing worked. The only thing I haven’t tried is desoldering the chip, which I am leaving as a last-ditch effort. I noticed that on my programmer’s chip it says CH341B instead of CH341A, which is odd because everywhere else on the programmer it says CH341A. Any help in resolving my issue would be greatly appreciated.
It sounds like the EEPROM chip might be corrupted. Have you tried using a different programmer?
Make sure your connections are secure. If you’re reading FF, it could mean the chip isn’t communicating properly.
The CH341B chip might be a clone. Try using a different software version that supports the B model.
If you end up desoldering, make sure you have the proper tools. It’s tricky work.
You might be able to find a used cluster with the correct VIN. That could save you a lot of hassle.
Before desoldering, double-check that your programmer is compatible with 24C16 chips.
If you’re comfortable with it, you can try writing a new VIN to the chip using your programmer once you get it working.
Check online forums for anyone who has done a similar swap. There might be specific steps for your model.
Good luck! This stuff can get complicated, but you’re on the right track.