[Soumyajit9]

The absolute credit of this DIY goes to fellow BHPian salbin, who out of his passion towards automobiles, has unlocked a very much important feature in Chevrolet Beat (All Variants).

The feature is hidden/locked by General Motors in all Chevrolet Beat vehicles sold in India (unaware of other countries).

Please don't be surprised when you see these features in the facelifted Beat, whenever it is launched.

As we (Beat Owners) know, the Instrument Cluster constitutes of various features to display.
As shown in the picture below, there are three buttons that do the job.
From extreme left:
1st Button: Dummy Button - Unlocked Now
2nd Button: Beat LT, LS and PS - Trip Meter
3rd Button: Beat LT and LS - Clock


Source: Chevrolet India Website.

Below are the features which were hidden/locked in all Chevy Beats (Petrol/Diesel, all Variants), sold in India (unaware of other countries).

1. Distance to Empty (DTE)
2. Average Speed (km/hr) in the current Trip.
3. Time Spent in the current Trip
4. Outside Temperature - This is available only in LT Variant, since the Temperature sensor is pre-installed in LT variant for Automatic Climate Control.

After a hot discussion on salbin’s findings, myself, superutp and adg_andy decided to meet salbin and carry out the DIY and see the results.
Salbin had already ordered and received a pack of 10 Tact switches (minimum order). These would be used in the DIY, 1 each on 1 car.

Website to order switches: http://in.rsdelivers.com
Also, EBay

[Soumyajit9]

Here is a detailed guide on a step-by-step approach to carry out the DIY.
Please note that this is not a Standard Feature on Chevrolet Beat. Hence any kind of damage during the process will not be covered under GM India warranty.
Therefore, please be extremely cautious while carrying out the steps. Please do it at your own risk.


1. Remove one screw near the bonnet open lever and pull the cover outwards with reasonably good force.
Tool: Philips head screw driver.













2. Remove steering column bottom cover - 3 screws to be removed: 1 near the steering tilt lever and 2 from either sides of the steering centre console.
Tool: Philips head screw driver.









3. Flip open the plastic round nut cover from behind the top of the instrument cluster. Try with finger nail or else use a flat head screw driver. 10mmA/F nut will be visible from top.









4. Use a 10mm box spanner and remove the nut completely.



5. The second nut is from bottom - you need to disconnect the wiring harness connector to the wiper stack/combination switch. This can be done by hand, pull by holding the connector - not wires.







6. Now second nut from bottom will be visible. Use 10mm box spanner and remove the nut completely.







7. Take-out the instrument cluster by releasing the mounting bracket from the 2 mounting bolts.





8. There is a plastic cap behind the round portion of the console - this is just press fitted. Use a sharp knife / flat head screw driver to remove cover.

[Soumyajit9]

In between, a quick snap of our rides. adg_andy's ride is missing though.

From Left: salbin > soumyajit9 > superutp
I envy salbin's Alloys !!!



OK, now back to our DIY...

9. Now the wiring harness connectors will be visible - One green connector & another black connector. There will be a latch lock for the connector. To release the latch, use a flat screw driver and press the locking slot and pull the latch outwards slowly. The connectors are self-release type - it will come out as you pull the latch outwards. Similarly, remove the other connector also.











10. Take out the instrument console to a comfortable place and remove 2 Philips screws from rear side. Using a flat head screw driver or any other flat pointed tool, split open the 2 plastic covers, first the rear cover(black) followed by front cover(silver for LT/black for base variants)







11. Remove the front cover (silver for LT/black for base variants) by unlocking the plastic clips running across the entire border of the console.



12. Cut the extra long leg of the dummy button and bring it to level with the other buttons. Check for free movement of the dummy switch. If tight, then clear any fouling projections using a knife.







13. Note the location to solder the switch and a picture of the switch itself. (Image credits: salbin)







14. Now the tact switch can be soldered to the PCB. Soldering in process. Be extremely cautious while doing this. Incase needed, seek a professional help.



14. Close the covers and assemble the items in the reverse sequence.

15. Voila !! This is how the display looks now.

Press the Dummy button, which is now active with the tact switch soldered behind.

Distance to Empty (DTE):



Average Speed (km/hr) for the Current Trip:



Time Spent in the Current Trip:



Outside Temperature:



Once again, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to salbin for assisting us with unlocking this feature in our Beats'.

Good Luck Beat owners. Hope this guide is clear and helps you in your DIY.

Further info is available on the Chevrolet Beat Test Drive and Review thread: HERE onwards.

[noopster]

Thread moved from Assembly Line to Technical Stuff forum.

Super stuff, Soumyajit9 and salbin! DIY ingenuity at its best. Times like this I wish I had more of a tinkering nature

[ani_meher]

Superbly documented thread. One of the most useful DIYs for Beat LT owners. Not useful for me because mine is a PS model; but very useful for LT owners. A lot of discussion in Beat thread was technical, and this thread just tops it.

PS: read that it can be done on PS too! Anyone in Pune adventurous enough to do this mod? I will join you.

[Soumyajit9]

Originally Posted by ani_meher

PS: read that it can be done on PS too! Anyone in Pune adventurous enough to do this mod? I will join you.

Yes, it can be done in PS too.
I guess, you do not have the clock function. So you would have only one button - Trip.
You would require two switches to solder behind those dummy buttons.
This would give you the Clock feature too !!

However, you would not get the Outside Temperature reading, since PS does not have the sensor installed.

[kvish]

Great stuff for Beat owners. What surprises me is why would GM not offer something like this. This shouldn't cost them anything!

[audioholic]

After VCDS modding, this is the next best thing out there. How I wish something like this could be done to my car too - Both of them miss a MID. It is indeed so stupid that GM couldnt just add a tack switch and boast of a few additional features at such a low cost that too when the whole hardware and software is ready for the same.

[ramkris]

Good to hear a small investigation by me turned out to be a very useful DIY. Well done guys. Those PS owners including me are out of luck if we have to go by the original thread. Probably it's worth another try. Yet to get confirmation on diesel versions. If someone tries this, please update in this thread on how it goes b

[salbin]

Originally Posted by ani_meher

Superbly documented thread. One of the most useful DIYs for Beat LT owners. Not useful for me because mine is a PS model; but very useful for LT owners. A lot of discussion in Beat thread was technical, and this thread just tops it.

PS: read that it can be done on PS too! Anyone in Pune adventurous enough to do this mod? I will join you.

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

Yes, it can be done in PS too.
I guess, you do not have the clock function. So you would have only one button - Trip.
You would require two switches to solder behind those dummy buttons.
This would give you the Clock feature too !!

However, you would not get the Outside Temperature reading, since PS does not have the sensor installed.

Nice write-up Soumyajit.

One correction: PS version do not have this feature.
This was earlier confirmed by our fellow T-BHPian Sajjt. Check the link to his post:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...ml#post3264698

May be some other PS owner can re-check - without removing the entire console. The button alone can be pulled out and use a small wire to short the terminals.

[Vid6639]

Excellent work guys but this is outright ridiculous from Chevrolet.

When all it needs to do is provide a 30 cent push button, why not offer it as standard. Pretty lame when the console allows it. What were they thinking by not giving this is what I would like to know.

[Mr.Beat]

Hats off Sablin and team! Thanks for the detailed pictures and step by step guide. I am pretty sure GM would introduce this feature in the beat face lift due next year.

This has actually made me curios about bluetooth feature in the audio, any chances we can unlock that too ?

@ Mumbai Beat Owners - Can we also have a meetup on a weekend and complete this?

P.S: Sablin, those alloys are awesome!

[Soumyajit9]

Originally Posted by salbin

One correction: PS version do not have this feature.
This was earlier confirmed by our fellow T-BHPian Sajjt. Check the link to his post:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...ml#post3264698
May be some other PS owner can re-check - without removing the entire console. The button alone can be pulled out and use a small wire to short the terminals.

Aww, I misunderstood then. My bad. Yes, Beat PS owners can try and give us a confirmed update whether it is possible in their variant or not.

Originally Posted by Vid6639

Excellent work guys but this is outright ridiculous from Chevrolet.
When all it needs to do is provide a 30 cent push button, why not offer it as standard. Pretty lame when the console allows it. What were they thinking by not giving this is what I would like to know.

Money, my friend. The facelifted version would definitely carry this feature and more feature means more money. Silly people who think that they can outrun a BHPian's brain.

Originally Posted by Mr.Beat

This has actually made me curios about bluetooth feature in the audio, any chances we can unlock that too ?

I was telling salbin the same thing. He was showing his OBD Bluetooth dongle and I was wondering, doesn't our HU has inbuilt bluetooth !! Hopefully salbin stumbles upon something new and exciting again.

[ghodlur]

Soumyajit, salbin and team,

Simply superb DIY. Hats off to the team who found out the hidden feature and published it on the forum with step by step details and pics to accompany. Must admit you guys did a hell of a job. It would be worth seeing the faces of GM sales team when told about this feature, will force them to become T-BHPians to keep updated.

Bad on the part of GM to keep this feature hidden, a simple push button was all needed to be provided.

May I know how the DIY team came up with the idea that the feature was hidden till date? What led to "we know what" DIY?

Rate this thread 5 stars (Sorry could not do it while inital posting)

[vidyanand]

Great DIY and Excellent guide.
I wonder if something like this could be implemented on the New Gen i20 after they removed this features on the lower variants.

Originally Posted by ghodlur

May I know how the DIY team came up with the idea that the feature was hidden till date? What led to "we know what" DIY?

This would be interesting, waiting for the reply.