Mustang Parts Installation & Tech Articles Mustang Parts Installation InstructionsMustang Gauge Inserts Installation Instructions

Mustang Gauge Inserts Installation Guide

The below installation instructions work for the following product:

Ford Mustang Gauge Inserts

Here at American Muscle, we're all about DIY (do it yourself). Of course, there's nothing wrong with seeking out a little bit of tech help prior to taking on an installation on your own. Our Mustang installation guides will provide valuable instructions and hopefully answer any how-to questions that you may have along the way.

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Please read through the instructions from start to finish before starting this project.

Before you begin:

Some types of gauge overlays require that you remove the needles. Therefore, it is vital to either take a picture of or draw the gauge cluster with the needles, with the car with the key in ignition in the on position, but not running. This will provide power to the gauges so your needles are accurate when replaced.

The battery needs to be disconnected because you are working with the instrument panel behind the airbag. You MUST disconnect the battery and wait approximately 15 minutes before beginning to work on this project. In addition, there may be electrical work which needs to be done, and it is never wise to work on "hot" wires. Disconnect the battery by removing the negative terminal from the negative electrode on the battery. Remember that all interior lights, headlights, and other electronic in-car devices will not work with the battery disconnected, so make sure to have a droplight or other portable lighting source handy; you're gonna need it. Here's what the old gauges look like:
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In order to gain access to the gauge cluster, the first thing you need to do is open up the dash. You will need a size T-15 Torx tool and a sharp nail bent near the tip at a 90 degree angle. In order to get the dash panel off, you will need to take off the headlight knob. Rotate the headlight knob counter-clockwise until the slit is facing towards the door. Look inside and you will see a metal clip. Using the bent nail, lift this clip outward toward the driver's side door, and pull on the headlight knob. It should slide off without a ton of effort.
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Once the headlight knob is off, use the T-15 Torx bit to remove the two screws holding the dash panel to the dash. Once they are removed, the panel will pull outwards with moderate effort. Note that the panel is additionally secured with clips and pins behind the dash, so be careful to only pull straight outwards to avoid bending or breaking them.
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After the dash panel is removed, this is what your dash will look like. There are four T-15 screws, two on each side, of the gauge cluster which secure the cluster to the dash. Remove these screws.
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Lift the gauge cluster gently out of the dash. The cluster is additionally restrained by two electrical connectors which connect the gauge cluster to the PCM. They have a push clip in the middle which, when pressed, will allow the connector to be removed from the gauge cluster. Once the cluster is free of both connectors, remove it from the dash.
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Here is what your dash will look like after the gauge cluster is removed. Note the two connectors referenced in step 5.
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Set the cluster on a clean bench or table. Remove the 8 Torx screws holding the unit together.
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The clear lens and black surround will lift off the gauge cluster as a unit.
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Some gauge inserts will allow you to slip the insert over the existing overlay. An easy way to tell if this is the case is to look at the holes in the insert where the needles will go. If they are large enough to accomodate the black circular needle mount, simply slip the insert over the needles and onto the cluster. Be careful not to break or over-stress a needle during this step; an additional set of hands will be useful.
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If your inserts were not designed to slip over the needles, they will need to be removed. Use either the supplied needle-removal tools, or if your overlay didn't come with needle removal tools, a fork or two spoons can be used to pry the needle off the gauge cluster. Then you can overlay the new gauges. If your new gauges are thick and may restrict the needle's movements, you can remove the old overlay with a metal putty knife. It is glued to the cluster and a putty knife will be needed in order to scrape off the glue underneath the insert. Make sure to get all the glue off. New glue can and should be used with the new insert. Make sure the glue is applied evenly and smoothly to avoid bubbling or lighting inconsistencies.
After the new overlay is installed, reinstall the black surround and lens unit with the 8 Torx screws.
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This step may or may not be required, depending on the design of your gauges. If your new gauges require an external power source, they will need to be wired into the car's electrical system. The best way to do this is to wire them into the headlight switch, so that they will turn on and off when the headlights are, just like the originals. Remove the headlight control unit from the dash by removing the two Metric hex bolts and sliding the unit out. The large grey wire in the center of the connector in the rear of this unit is the switched positive wire. Connect the red (or positive) wire to this gray wire using whatever method is most convenient for you. The negative (or black) wire in your new gauges should be attached to a good chassis ground. The ground illustrated in the picture is a large, 5+ inch tubular steel bar behind the dash. The picture illustrates the negative wire soldered to the bar; this proved effective at grounding the wire but it vibrated loose after about a week. We recommend that you drill a hole into the bar somewhere convenient and attach the negative with a ring terminal, a bolt, and a nut.
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Now that the electrical portion is complete, go ahead and reconnect your battery. This will allow you to test the new gauges to make sure that your electrical connections are correct. Once you are satisfied that the gauges operate to your satisfaction, button everything back up by reversing steps 5 through 1. The headlight knob will just slide back on; there is no need to fiddle with the clip anymore. Enjoy your new gauges!
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