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Compass Variance Adjustment

Instrument Panel, Gauges and Warning Indicators › Compass
Compass Variance Adjustment13 steps
△ CAUTION
Do not place any external magnets, such as magnetic roof mount antennas, in the vicinity of the Remote Compass Module (RCM) located at the top center of the instrument panel. Do not place any electronic devices (cell phones, laptop computers, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), portable DVD players, etc.) on or near the instrument panel as the RCM performance may be affected. Do not use magnetic tools when servicing the RCM.
ℹ NOTE
If the vehicle is equipped with a Chrysler Uconnect(TM) GPS (Navigation Radio), the navigation system will provide the compass direction, so the Variance and Calibration menus will be unavailable. The compass performs accurately based upon GPS signals rather than based upon the Earth's magnetic field.
ℹ NOTE
If the vehicle is taken on long trips into a new variance zone, the compass accuracy may be affected. Compass variance may need to be manually adjusted to the proper variance zone setting to restore accurate compass indications.
ℹ NOTE
The factory default for the compass variance zone setting is zone 8.
ℹ NOTE
The default variance zone number setting is 8. During programming, the variance zone number will wrap around, from zone 15 back to zone 1.
ℹ NOTE
The default variance zone number setting is 8. During programming, the variance zone number will wrap around, from zone 15 back to zone 1.
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  1. Using the Variance Settings Map, find your geographic location and note the zone number.
  2. Start the engine but leave the manual transmission in the Neutral (N) position or the automatic transmission in the Park (P) position.
  3. Depress and hold the odometer/trip odometer push button or the RESET push button for approximately 10 seconds, until the current variance (VAR) zone number is displayed. Then release the push button.
  4. To change the zone, press and release the odometer/trip odometer push button or the STEP push button to increase the variance zone number upward incrementally. Repeat pressing and releasing the appropriate push button as necessary, until the desired variance zone number is reached.
  5. After about 10 seconds, the new variance zone number is stored in memory and the compass will resume normal operation.
  6. Confirm that the correct directions are now indicated by the compass. WITH ELECTRONIC VEHICLE INFORMATION CENTER To view or adjust the compass variance zone setting:
  7. Using the Variance Settings Map, find your geographic location and note the zone number.
  8. Start the engine but leave the manual transmission in the Neutral (N) position or the automatic transmission in the Park (P) position.
  9. Depress and hold the MENU push button (6), until the Personal Settings (Customer Programmable Features) menu appears in the display.
  10. Depress and release the Step / Down Scroll push button (4), until Compass Variance along with the current variance (VAR) zone number appears in the display.
  11. Depress and release the Select / Reset push button (3) to increase the variance zone number upward incrementally. Repeat pressing and releasing the push button as necessary, until the desired variance zone number is reached.
  12. After about 10 seconds, the new variance zone number is stored in memory and the compass will resume normal operation.
  13. Confirm that the correct directions are now indicated by the compass.
Factory service manual
From the 2008 KK factory manual — descriptions, specs, torque & procedures for this part.
SP/COMPASS VARIANCE ADJUSTMENT📷 1
NOTE: If the vehicle is taken on long trips into a new variance zone the compass function may be effected. Compass variance will need to be updated to the new zone number to function properly.
Compass variance, also known as magnetic declination, is the difference in angle between magnetic north and geographic north. In some geographic locations, the difference between magnetic and geographic north is great enough to cause the compass to give inaccurate readings. To optimize compass accuracy, the compass variance should be properly set according to the compass variance map zone for the region that the vehicle is in.
To set the compass variance:
1. Using the Variance Settings map, find your geographic location and note the zone number. 2. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position. 3. Depress the instrument cluster button for approximately 10 seconds until the current variance zone is displayed.
NOTE: The default for the compass variance from the factory is 8. During programming, the Zone value will wrap around from Zone 15 to Zone 1.
4. To change the zone, press and hold (longer than two seconds) the instrument cluster button to increment the variance one step. Repeat as necessary, with individual long (longer than two seconds) instrument cluster button presses for each increment, until the desired variance is achieved. When the correct zone is displayed, wait approximately 15 seconds. The instrument cluster will store the new variance value in memory and the compass will resume normal operation. 5. Confirm that the correct directions are now indicated by the compass.
ELECTRONIC VEHICLE INFORMATION CENTER
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COMPASS VARIANCE ADJUSTMENT📷 2
Compass variance, also known as magnetic declination, is the difference in angle between magnetic north and true geographic north. In some geographic locations, the difference between magnetic and geographic north is great enough to cause the compass to give false readings. If this problem occurs, the compass variance must be set.
NOTE: If the vehicle is taken on long trips into a new variance zone the compass function may be effected. Compass variance will need to be updated to the new zone number to function properly.
NOTE: The default for the compass variance from the factory is 8.
To set the compass variance:
1. Using the Variance Settings Map, find your geographic location and note the zone number.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN position. Press and release the MENU push button (1) until "Personal Settings" is displayed. 3. Press the STEP push button (4) until "Compass Variance" is displayed. 4. Momentarily depress and release the RESET push button (3) to toggle through the zone numbers (1-15), until the zone number for your geographic location appears in the display.
NOTE: The default for the compass variance from the factory is 8. During programming, the Zone value will wrap around from Zone 15 to Zone 1.
5. Momentarily depress and release the C/T push button (2) to enter the displayed zone number into the compass unit memory. 6. Confirm that the correct directions are now indicated by the compass.
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