HOW TO: Install Glow Gauges (6 color)

[Ripped ST 151]

Since i've gained so much knowledge from Focusfanatic.com I figured I should give a little back.

The glow gauges I used were from Procarparts.com. They were $25.00 plus around $11.00 for shipping. Here is the link for the 2005 Glow gauges. Procarparts.com also carries reverse glow gauges.

http://www.procarparts.com/store-de...e=onlinestoreDB

Pictures of installed gauges, before and after shots :) They don't look that bright, but trust me, they are BRIGHT!!

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/818812


Overall, the install was simple. took about 2 hours. I could do it again in 20 minutes. The only difficult part was being so delicate with the gauge cluster, while removing it. Good luck friends!!

How to remove 2005 dash instructions from member BackNFocus. I added a few tips to make things more simple and complete.

Tools you will need to remove dash AND install glow gauges.
A 7mm socket
A 8 mm socket
A 10mm socket
Star Bits. (I don't know how to explain them, but they come with most tool kits. It's not a special tool)
2 Philips head Screw Drivers
Glow gauges ofcourse
Glow gauge removal tool (some kits come with them and some don't.)
Spray adhedsive
electrical tape
wire taps


*IMPORANT* NO 00-04 GAUGE CLUSTER WILL WORK IN AN 05
THE CONNECTOR ON THE BACK LACKS 4 PINS THAT ALL 04'S
HAVE YOU MUST HAVE AN 05 CLUSTER!

Ok now that thats out of the way!

**Disconnect negative battery terminal** Just in case :)

Step 1: Move your steering wheel into the lowest
position you can (I couldn't mine doesnt tilt or
telescope, can you say "next mod!")

Step 2: The plastic shroud around the steering wheel
is 2 separate pieces. Pull up on the top piece by the
back of the airbag cover it should pop right up. Try using to flathead screw drivers to loosen the clips. then push back on the rubber cover that goes down under the
dash to loosen it up.

Step 3: Once the steering column cover is removed
you can get to the screws that are located at the lower part of the dash using the 8mm socket.
There are 4 screws. 1 is located next to the cd holder
in the dashboard, on the right, the other is on the
right side of the steering wheel right in the line of
sight the CD player buttons are. The other 2 are parellel with the 2 at the top. Remove all of them and pull up and out it should come loose. They are EASY to find. There's a clip holding it in on the left side so make sure you gently remove it. It will not completely come off because it's connected to a main wire harness so DON'T rip it out.

Step 4: To remove the round looking piece that surrounds the gauges and upperdash: On the left side of the "gauge cluster shroud"
pull up and out with your hands it takes some force
but it wont hurt anything. Once it pops loose you'll
notice that the trunk release button is still
connected. Squeeze the connector to disconnect it or
pop it out completely by pushing forward, than disconnect it.

Step 5: Once the shroud is out of the way you can now
see the 4 screws that hold in the gauge cluster. There
are 2 up top, and 2 on the button by the steering
wheel. Remove the screws to free the gauge cluster using the 7mm socket.

Step 6: Remove the wiring harness from the back of the gauge
cluster by pressing down on the top of the connector
and pulling the lever half way up and then pulling up
to loosen the connector and then pulling the lever to
release the connector fully. To the put the cluster back press in the cluster and lock down the lever back in place.

**HOLD THE GAUGES UP RIGHT SO NO SILICONE CAN LEAK OUT!!!!**

Step 7: Now that your gauges are out set out an clean area to work out. Lay out a towel so you won't scratch up the gauge cluster. To get to the gauges you have to disassemble the
cluster which is really easy. The backing comes of first. Unscrew the 2 star screws and then unclip the 4 clips. Once that is off you will be able unclip the front portion of the cluster by unclipping it and unscrew a few more star screws.

Step 8: Taking out the bulbs that light up the stock guages. I believe there are 4 possibly 5. Use needle nose pliers to get them out. Twist to the right and lift as you twist. They will come right out. SAVE THEM!! If you skip this step you will see these bulbs over the glowing gauges, I tried to see how it would look if I left them in and looks like CRAP!!

Step 9: Taking the needles off. The most important part of this whole installation is keeping track of were the needles were before you take them off. By doing this, start your car, let it fully warm up, you can either take pictures of the gauges, or write down on a piece of paper exactly where they are. Once you do that.....If the kit came with the needle removal tool than USE IT. I used my hands because i've a done it a billion times and know how to lift it off. If you kit didn't come with a tool, a fork or something similar to a shoe horn. Something that will lift the needles STRAIGHT up. If you break a needle your screwed so be patient when lift them. Once the needles are off, the factory gauges should peel right off. Pull them slowly, the adhesive is very sticky, but if you do it right, no "stickyness" will be left on the plastic. Save the gauges on a piece of wax paper just incase something goes wrong and you need to put back the stock gauges.

Step 10: Use a little of spray adhesive on the plastic, then lay the gauges down. After this step, let it dry ofcourse, and than plug and set the gauge cluster back in car were it normally sits. Reconnect the battery and start your car, but MAKE SURE nothing is in the way of the pedals. Also make sure you allow your car a little time to warm up. Refer back to the pictures or drawings of the previous locations of the needles. Do one at a time. Be very careful that you don't push them in to far otherwise they will rub on the glow gauges, or also known as, "sticky needles". Once the needles are on and accurate, this may take a few tries, maybe alot of tries, turn your car off, unplug the negative battery terminal, and take your gauge cluster out.

**If you have traction control, everytime you turn it off, a light comes on that looks like a tire slipping. The stock gauges cover it well, but the glow gauges don't. The glow gauges should be black, but they white. You can do 2 things to fix this problem. 1) On the gauge cluster BEZEL, put a small piece of electrical tape that covers the hole, this action will dull the light that the L.E.D. produces when you turn the traction control off. The first time I installed these gauges I didn't do this step, and when everything was hooked up and working, I went for a drive, turned the traction control off and BOOM, the light that comes on is REALLY REALLY bright.

The second thing you can do is, cut up the stock gauges, you would be cutting out a small circle out that has the little "slippery tire" indication. If your confused about this step, PM me and i'll explain it better.

Step 11: Put the gauge cluster back together nice and careful so you don't shake it up and loose accurate positioning of the needles.

Step 12: Your glow gauges should come with a small black box that controls the lighting of the gauges. I forgot what it's called, but you will have to hook up 3 wires. Power, ground, and ofcourse, your glow gauges. Some manufactures are different so buy the same ones I got, and all this will make sense. There is few ways to go about getting power to your gauges. 1) Hook up the power and ground to the back of your radio wiring harness. Because, when you turn your lights on, the radio lights up, the ac knobs light up, and also the you can dim the radio, ac knobs, and gauges by turning the knob.

Anyways.....On the back of the radio wiring harness, you will need to tap into orange and black wire(power)and the green and yellow wire(ground). For more information about removing the stock radio, see the HOW TO section in the Car and Electronics forum, or ask me.
Once you tap into the 2 wires, plug in the glow gauges, reconnect the battery, and test the gauges to see if you get power. If you don't get power you did something wrong. Ask me for help

**There are two orange and black power wires in the radio wiring harness. There's also 2 green and black ground wires, either ground wire will work. However the orange and black power wires look exactly the same, so if you don't get power the on the first try, tap into the second orange and black wire. The orange and black wire is the Radio Illumination wire.

The second way to hook it up it is using the gauge cluster wiring harness. I could not find an online wiring diagram so I used the radio one. If you can find which on is power, and which one is ground, USE THIS METHOD. Or other methods of you can think of it.

Once you have power and all the wires are hidden and away from anything that moves, put the gauges back in and screw everything back together, use the steps above to help put everything back in. Take your time so you don't break any clips.

**Some glow gauges will come with instructions, MAKE SURE you read them well!!

My gauges came with a little controller that glows. This controller can switch the color and also dims the gauges. You will have to find a location somewhere under the steering wheel or somewhere near by. This is very easy to do because it comes with adhesive backing. Before mounting the controller, wipe down the area, make sure its clean, otherwise the controller won't stay put. I took a picture of the controller so check the pictures and you will see it right under the keys (its a bad picture, but you'll get the idea.

Good luck with everything!! Gave me about 38whp ;)

[Ripped ST 151]

this was previously posted my pzevfloord140, which is me, i wanted to change my member name because i dont have a pzev engine anymore

[WD40]

Thanks Ripped ST 151!
It's a sticky till S2 adds it to his mega "How To" archive...

[S2]

Added to the HOW TO ARCHIVE, link is in my signature. Our policy isn't to sticky HOW TO's anymore ONCE they are moved over to the archive as to keep the top of each forum clean and organized. Thanks Doug for the temporary stick on this, I appreciate it.

Thanks again, excellent writeup!!