In-Console Message Center Question

[MrMatt]

Hey all,

I'm considering getting a message center and wiring it up in a 98 Mountaineer. A guy a know has one for sale cheap but it doesnt come with the wiring harnesses just 'with the pigtales' is what he told me.

Is this worth the time or should I try and find a junked X to take one out of?

Thanks
-Matt

 

[BIG COUNTRY]

the harness to the dash or the harness to the message center???

what year is the message center coming off of?
if same year, get it, cuz you always can go to the junkyard and grab the harness...also, i called the ford dealership and they said that there are different message centers for different years....like my x is a 98, the message center is off a 95, it works, but not all of it like the average mph and miles driven, but it shows how many miles, gallons used and gallons left in the tank...also, check to see if your x was made in the early or late production of 98 (look on the side of the door), cuz the late models like mine, the lamp warning module has been deleted, and for the early production explorers and mountainers the lights are wired in series, so the lamp warning module would act like a jumper, so pretty much useless...

and yes, you would have to run your own lines for it there is no plug and play for FORD, the only thing that is plug and play is the factory fog lights, which i also put in with the platinum bumper, anyways....it takes 2 hours of wire harness prep work, about 10 hours of installation (running the wires thru), and it tooked me 10 hours of studying the cd rom...on where the wires go and crap. all in all, i say it is worth it, i like it, and it is helpful to know how many gallons and miles i have left.

any other questions on doing this mod, go ahead and ask, however, i also started a thread on it
"THIS IS HOW TO INSTALL A MESSAGE CENTER"
so check that out, it tells you what you need, sensors and stuff, what the wire colors are and where they go...
good luck...

 

[X~FACTOR]

Are you planning to do this yourself? I heard this is a lot of work. Running all those sensors and such. Imagine all the wirings that have to be done. Just imagining it is making my head spin. But hey, if you got the skill and the patient, go for it. Just make sure you know what kind of work is involve. Good luck, man.

 

[MrMatt]

Thanks for the help guys, Its off a 99 and mine is a 98 so not sure if I wan't to mess with it, I'll think about it I may just wait tell I can find a good deal on one from a 98'

Thanks again
-Matt

 

[BIG COUNTRY]

you will only need two sensors....1. low washer fluid sensor and 2. low oil level sensor...you will have to install them...for the oil sensor, there will be a freeze plug...and for the washer fluid sensor, you can either drill a hole and plug it in and seal it up good. or buy one that already has the hole...

there is a alot of wires to deal with...but its simple, they are mostly going to your headlights, tail lights, brake lights, washer fluid sensor, low oil level sensor, couple of grounds, hot wire @ all times, hot wire @ ignition, instrument illumination, engine temp sense, fuel flow @ the PCM (you must tap a wire into it), EATC (leave out cuz you dont have it), air ride control, (leave out, cuz you dont have it), and so on...its not that hard...but i will advise you to buy the cd rom for your year on ebay...about $5....

 

[MrMatt]

I did order the CD Rom off ebay a couple days ago just because it sounded like a great supliment to my Haynes manual and $5 aint too bad.

I haven't decided if I'm going to tackle the message center yet, I may do some other things and save that one for next year

Thanks again for all the help
-Matt

 

[98EBV8]

Big Country,
What does the jumper mean for the Lamp Out Module in the message center? Is it something I can pull the jumper out and plug in the LOM?

Thanks,
Shane

 

[BIG COUNTRY]

im sorry, the lights are wired in parallel in 98...previous years are wired in series...
the early production 98 explorers/ mountaineers lamp warning modules act as a jumper, cuz the lights are wired in parallel...meaning that the lights are attached to each other...and in previous vehicles, it is wired in series...meaning directly from the lights to the module for each light...why it acts as a jumper, i dont know...it was a late running change in the message center...i guess engineers thought that running the lights in parallel are better than series...or just to save $$$ on wire if they did it in series... when i ran my wires to the lights...on the Message Center, it displays warning...check brake lights, head lights, tail lights...so i unplugged the module and it doesnt display that no more...makes me wanna wire my damn lights in series...
and for the late production explorers/ mountaineers...there isnt any lamp warning module...it has been discontinued...stupid ford...what good is a message center if it cant track all systems???