V8BoatBuilder
Transplanted Bostonian
- Joined
- November 4, 2002
- Messages
- 3,411
- Reaction score
- 8
- City, State
- East Brunswick, NJ
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 97 Mountaineer V8 4x4
TTG said:Is there any difference between a message center and a overhead console in terms of what they do? Or was it just 2 different styles of the same computer?
My Mountaineer came standard with the overhead console, which contains a magnetic compass and a display for outside ambient temperature.
The Message Center is, for the most part, a fuel management computer. It came on Eddie Bauer and Limited models. Since it uses VSS input, 95-97 models use one version, and 98-01 models use another. They are not compatible with each other.
With inputs such as fuel level, speed, and fuel flow, it displays the following functions:
1) Distance Traveled. Nothing more than a 2nd trip odometer, its resetable.
2) Miles untill empty. Using both fuel level and average MPG to calculate the reading.
3) Gallons untill empty.
4) Gallons used. Resetable.
5) Instantaneous MPG. Fuel flow with speed compensation.
6) Average MPG. Resetable.
7) There are other functions as well, such as windsheild washer fluid level monitoring, oil temp monitoring, and exterior light monitoring. I only hooked up the fuel management features.