I've been reading some threads on here saying that the gauge system in our S197 Mustangs are all idiot gauges. They are an "all or nothing" gauge and don't actually provide a variable reading. I think what I'm reading is true. One thing I did notice is that when I rev my engine at idle the oil pressure gauge doesn't move. When I rev the engine, on all the other cars I've owned that have oil pressure gauges, the gauge will move slightly with the rev. If this is true then this changes my opinion of the car somewhat. I like to know when my car is running warmer then normal or has an oil pressure differnt then what I'm use to. It cheapens the car in my opinion.

Can anyone add to this???

Does the Shelby have the same idiot gauges? ( If so what a shame)

Did the SN95 Mustangs have idiot gauges???

 

Well my heat gauge moves, can't say for oil pressure but you know what I only really care if my gauges move when there is a problem. In my mind not showing flucuations is good in two ways. One I'm not always monitoring the gauges worry about each movement and two, it also generally means that Ford built a good car that stays within it's required operating specs.

 

Search on "idiot gauges" to find previous threads on this.

 

Yes, all the gauges, other then the tachometer and gas gauge are “idiot� gauges. The way they work is they receive a signal from the computer. Real “idiot� gauges will have only 2 positions, an on position and off.

Off as in when the vehicle is not running, and on IF for example a specific measurement signal sent to the computer is within a particular range. Take the oil gauge, if you have somewhere around 5 psi of oil pressure your oil gauge will read in the “normal� range. If your oil pressure was above a specific range it would read in the “high� range and same for “low� range. Your oil pressure could be from say 5 psi to 60 psi and still read the same on the dash gauge.

One of the main reasons manufactures do this is NOT to save money but rather to keep the majority of customers out of their service bays. When oil gauges worked as they should many people would bring their cars in for warranty work thinking the oil gauge was not working correctly or not in a range the customer “thought� it should be.

If you rev a motor your oil gauge WILL move if it were truly mechanical or electrical linked to the gauge but since they are not and send a signal to the computer the computer is what is connected to the gauges on the dash.

Same with water temperature it will move, not nearly as much as an oil gauge may but you know its an “idiot� gauge when you hear your electric fan come on and watch the gauge and it don’t move…

The way today’s cars are designed and programmed, such as the Mustang, the majority of the time the computer will shut down the motor or go into fail safe to save the motor before a human normally would with real gauges…

 

Thanks for the great info. I just thought the gauges were more sensitive. I didn't even think of the computer shutting the car down and putting it in fail safe mode if there is a serious problem.....That makes total sense and they are fully capable of doing that. Cars these days really are rolling computers. The gauges more or less are really just for show now a days. I'm the type of guy who glances at their gauges every now and again on long trips or hot/cold days or whatever but there's really no need to do that anymore. If you see a light and/or your car shuts down you know you have a problem. The gauges in the mustang do look a little cheesy. (No numbering, just a range) I have a 2001 Chevy Silverado Pickup and all the gauges on that are well annotated and seem to behave more "real". I can see cars driving themselves via the computer and GPS in the future. I'm sure in my lifetime. Maybe I'll be able to tell my grandkids that there was a time when people controlled the cars themselves........

 

Yes the gauges are idiot lights and you can really see this when you install real gauges that actually monitor your engine. After installing my oil pressure gauge you can watch it raise and lower. If you want to feel a little bit better and know what exactly is going on you may want to get some autometer gauges.

 

Also, in response to your other question: The SN95 gauges were also "idiot light" type gauges as well. The last REAL gauges were in the Fox Mustangs.

I remember in my '89 watching the voltmeter fluctuate when the turn signal was flashing.

Also, the oil pressure gauge read constantly lower and lower until I cleaned out the (sludge filled) oil pump filter - then it was back to normal.

I was initially outraged by the cheap gauges, but then realized that if the computer will shut down the engine or go into "fail safe" mode, who cares?? All I need to know is why the car shut down. Hope this helps!

 

The fuel gauge is also an idiot gauge. I was on a 200 mile trip and the needle didn't move - it stayed on F. Then at about mile 190, the gauge went to E and the car started beeping at me. It was astonishing.

 

Maybe you should get that gauge checked out. Mine has never done that.

 

I was just joking.

 

By the time the factory "gauge" for oil pressure would move to indicate a problem, you'll need a new engine. A friend of mine lost 4 quarts of oil in his '99 GT and the factory POS never even flinched

 

Yeah, but you wuz riding high there for about 3 hours.

 

mine actually did something strange the other day... I got in the car, and was rolling away from the garage when the low fuel tone sounded... I looked at the message center, and it said 20 some odd miles to empty. I cleared it and had only 150 miles on the trip odometer... WTF... I checked the gallons used, and it was like 9 gallons or so. Then the guage started creeping up as I was driving.. about 3 miles later, I had a little better than a quarter tank left... and the miles till empty went up to 100.
It would have been cool if I had used like 18 gallons... and it kept going up... but this was just plain wierd.

Sorry for jackin' your thread black sunshine. .... and I can never say that name without White Zombie playin' in my head..

 

To add more to this....... 99+ SN95 cars had idiot guages. Im pretty sure all 94-98 had real ones, as my 96 cobra had real ones that would fluctuate with varying conditions (temp, oil, volt and fuel).

 

Hmmm... that may be true... trying to remember! I seem to recall my 1998 'Stang NOT reacting to the turn signal flashing, but it has been a while...

 

My 96GT had idiot "gauges" as well. A few Ford Racing mechanical gauges took care of that though

 

IIRC, the 4-cylinder Fox Mustangs had idiot gauges as well. The voltmeter on my '90 will dip slightly if I flashed the high beams while the fog lights are on. If Ford is using idiot gauges, they should at least ensure that they point straight up (or straight down) like they do on the BMWs.

 

The S197 temp gauge is not an idiot gauge. It follows my nice Autometer gauge. The problem with the stock gauge is that its so small you lose a lot of resolution (ie can't distinguish between 185 and 195).

 

If the gauges are connected to the computer as a previous poster suggested, would it be possible to connect the sender unit directly to the gauges?