Indiglo Gauges--very confused

[mounty71]

First, i wasn't sure if this should go in the Lighting Forum or Audio & Navigation; moderators, feel free to move it where it should be.

About 4 years ago i got these gauge faces for my 2000 mountaineer. I wasn't a member here yet but i read through the install write ups and thought it sounded easy enough. I ended up having problems, threw the gauges in a drawer and forgot about them until yesterday. I can get the instrument cluster apart, the gauges fit over the needles, but the wiring has me confused because mine are different than anyone elses i've seen.

Here are the 3 pieces, each with a wire and plug at the end

Here's a cheap looking button that came with it, i'm not sure what it's for though.

This is a plastic box with something like hardened resin holding 4 wires into it, and the box has some double stick tape to go somewhere behind the dash.

There are single red and black wires (for power source and ground), a double black wire that fits with the plug on the on/off button, and a double black wire with 3 consecutive plugs that fit the plugs on the gauge faces. I presume that i'd just have to find a wire to splice the red wire into, and ground the black wire somewhere...easy enough, hopefully even for me.

This is where i get really confused. There are some warning indicator lights on the gauge faces that don't match with the ones on the stock gauges...

...for example, the "door ajar" should be top center between the tach and speedometer, but on the new gauges it's far left by the fuel gauge. So did i get defective parts or.....? I don't know how i would fix this besides cutting out the misplaced indicators, but i shouldn't have to do that.

I realize after all this time i'm probably just stuck with what i have. Any tips? Am i right about how to hook the gauges up? What's the button for?

 

[jad2411]

That's because the gages are for an explorer and you have a mountaineer, people have reported that here when they swap the cluster to get the white one

 

[section525]

You need the one bigtig has in his write-up:

Dead Link Removed

Those may be for the 95-97.

 

[mounty71]

So in both of your explorers (jad's 97 and section's 96) these gauges would work? Still a little confused as to why an explorer and mountaineer would have different gauges, just doesn't make sense to me. But whatever...not a big deal. I saw the ones bigtig has when i decided to get these years ago, i liked these better.

 

[section525]

I think its a 95-97 VS 98-01 thing and not an Explorer VS Mountaineer. I added the white '01 Sport gauges to my '96. The lights were all in different places. But it worked perfect in my '98 Mountaineer.

"No check engine light. And everytime a door would open the "gas cap" light would go on instead of the door ajar." is the problem I was having in my '96.

So if the 'gas cap light' on your new gauges is where the 'door ajar light' is on your stockers... you have the 95-97.

 

[mounty71]

Ok, well i'm glad that's cleared up after all this time...maybe they were advertised wrong on ebay, i can't remember.

 

[section525]

While I was just checking for pics, I noticed a lot of those on eBay were listed as 95-01. Which sucks.

 

[mounty71]

Ya those buyers will encounter the same discrepancies. Anyway, any tips on installation? Just hook up all the plugs, splice into a wire, and ground it, and it should work right? Is that black box and the button unusual for these gauges? I couldn't find anyone with the same thing. What does the button do anyway?

I doubt i'm going to install them anymore, but if i am able to sell them i'd like to know that whoever buys them can install them.

 

[fixxxer]

That is a manual on/off switch. I have the same gauges as you except they are for a 91-94, not very happy with them. They worked great and looked fine for about 3 weeks then the little black box with the epoxy encapsulation went out (power supply), then the plastic film on the gauge overlay's started to lift from the gauge faces themselves. i'm going to wait until spring and take them off and do an all LED conversion

 

[jad2411]

Glow Gauges Installation Instruction and Wire Connection
The following is a generic installation guide.

The first step is to remove the instrument cluster. Removing the 2 screws located in the top portion of the cowl, and gently pulling on the bottom portion of the instrument cowl. The panel is usually on held on clips so you will have to pull it out. Then remove the remaining 4 screws (two on the top portion, and the other two on the bottom right and left respectively) holding down the actual cluster and slowly remove it. Now you have very little room to work with, as the connectors need to be carefully unfastened and removed. BE CAREFUL! Do not damage any of the connectors or part of the cluster's backside.

Now you will remove the front clear face shield, do this by pushing in the retaining pieces which are found on the corners, then slide it out the clear glass. This will remove the face, and allow you access to the gauges.
When installing the gauges. Take precautions,


DO NOT PULL THE NEEDLES OUT
DO NOT MOVE THE FUEL NEEDLE. KEEP IT IN ONE PLACE WHILE SLIDING THE GAUGES
DO NOT BEND THE NEEDLE
THE WORST THING IS PULLING OUT THE SPEEDO / RPM NEEDLES. HOLD THE NEEDLES DOWN WHILE SLIDING THE GAUGES IN.
YOU CAN MOVE THE NEEDLE LEFT AND RIGHT TO GET A GOOD SPOT TO SLIDE IN THE GAUGES BUT DO NOT PULL IT UP.

Carefully unscrew the 2 screws holding the RPM / SPEEDO face gauges on. (IF NECESSARY ONLY - pull the needle stopper slowly! You can damage it if you use any sharp tip. Use needle nose pliers. Slowly and gently push and work the gauges on. You may want to use a rounded tip (like a pen) and push the bubbled gauge where the needle is. If you don't, then it may interfere with the proper operation. The fit will be tight as it is, and having the extruding underside is best to get out of the way. You then replace the screws and needle stop.)

Next will remove the screws and needle stops on the speedo and need to slide the trip odometer hole over first. Then work the needle in and work the gauge on. This one will require a lot of time. If you did the speedo and tachometer gauges they will have free play. Meaning they don't have any tension stopping or slowing them from doing what they were designed for. After your prolonged battle to get the gauges on, you will string the power lines out of the cluster and place the transparent face back on. Gently and slowly close it to not kink any line. Do not put the instrument cluster back into its place yet.

Wires Connection: Power and ground leads are hardwired to the power inverter (black box). The power lead (red wire), which has an in-line 1-amp fuse, should be connected to your vehicle's dash lights power wire or cigarette lighter power wire. While the ground lead (black wire) should be connected to an existing ground wire or any clean metal surface.
2-pin female connectors are hardwired to the power inverter. Connect each gauge overlay to these connectors.

Power Inverter, Dimming Switch or On/Off Switch Mounting: (If comes with the kit) Using the supplied self-adhesive foam pad, you can mount the power inverter and dimming switch or on/off switch on any flat surface. Each kit comes with either Dimming Switch or On/Off Switch, but not both.

Put everything back together in the reverse step as you pulled everything out.
Installation Note:
#1 -- Gauge installation is recommended for experienced installers.
#2 -- The power inverter for the indiglos is very sensitive. You could burn it out if the wattage is too high. To prevent this from happening, you can connect a separate 10 Amp fuse inline with the red wire
#3 -- If the gauge faces are loose, you can use 3M thin double sided tape to stick them on the stock gauges.

 

[Bill Kemp]

This may help. If they are the same type???
http://www.autoaccessorystore.com/indiglo_instruction.html

 

[mounty71]

Nice, thanks guys.

 

[daviehill80]

can someone tell me where i can get the a/c panel that goes with these gauges