Mine seems to be splitting open from the inside out. Although my pic doesn't show it well, it it starting to bulge out on the top half and can be easily felt where I've drawn the lines. Anyone else experience this and is it a concern? Thanks all..!

 

Yes mine is doing this also. The location you highlighted is the seam that ruptures when the airbag is deployed.

I'm going to take a stab and suggest that it's a simple oversight by the engineers who designed it. Ford would have never allowed a supplier to produce a trim piece like that. It's most likely one of those things that doesn't show up in normal automotive testing regimens.

Anytime a critical element such as an airbag needs altering, all of the Ford, federal, and international testing requirements have to be reevaluated. Not to mention the cost of retooling, etc. Of course, if this is the same airbag breakout piece since the introduction of the 2005+ Mustang, that's another story.

 

Mine is like that too, might drop by the dealer and look at a few and see what they have to say.

 

Mine is like that too.

 

Mine too. It's been like that for as long as I remember, and I haven't noticed it getting any worse.

 

Same here, i think they are all like that,reason being becasue of the airbag deployment. Thats is probably where it splits in an accident. Also, willie, do you have GT500 gauges in your car?? It sure does look like it from the little bit you can see in the pic you posted!

 

Interesting..... I've never noticed this before until a couple of days ago. The thing is, I don't think it was like this until recently. I'll have to wait until my wife gets home with her '05 to see if it's doing the same thing.

I thought I read somewhere that one or more guys had theirs replaced under warranty for this type of thing......

Yes, I have a GT500 cluster. Although I don't have any specific pics of it, here's a couple I have that shows most of it.

Willie

 

I never knew the tach and speedo were different colors on the gt500 gauge. Interesting.

 

dude what guage is that? looks awesome.

 

How much did the cluster cost you? And was it a PITA to install or did you have someone else install it?

 

Every S197 I've seen has had that visible seam in the airbag. Just the way it is. I don't see Ford replacing expensive airbags for that.

 

Mine has always been like that from day 1. It's still the same, hasn't changed or gotten worse. As others have said I think it's just the seam were it slits open during deployment.

 

Everyone I've seen is like that, there's a thread all about putting in the GT500 guages, they are however a might bit difficult to read in the daytime.

 

The gauges look great.

 

I remember seeing press photos. (You know. The super high res pics that the manufactureer releases on the car's debut.) They even show that seam. It was one of the first things I noticed about the interior. In the pictures it stuck out like a sore thumb. Although I haven't really noticed it on mine. I know it's there though.

 

i just noticed those GT500 gauges are red, white & blue

very cool.

 

Not to hijack my own thread but I'll answer all the "other" questions.

I never knew the tach and speedo were different colors on the gt500 gauge. Interesting.

This cluster has an additional My-Color setting. It's called R-W-B (red, white & blue). I use this occasionally but I still like the blue the best.


dude what guage is that? looks awesome.

Do you mean the gauge in the single SOS pod? It's the Innovate Motorsports LC-1 wideband with a blue Nordskog digital gauge.


How much did the cluster cost you? And was it a PITA to install or did you have someone else install it?

http://forums.bradbarnett.net/showthread.php?t=14688

Towards the end of this rather long thread, I posted info about the GT500 cluster and also swapping a GT cluster into a V6.


Everyone I've seen is like that, there's a thread all about putting in the GT500 guages, they are however a might bit difficult to read in the daytime.

That may have been my reply. I do NOT like the background color -- medium charcoal is the best I can describe it. It does not contrast enough with the white lettering, especially in the sunlight. If someone would make either a black or white overlay, I'll be the first in line for it..


The gauges look great.

Thanks. But you haven't seen my center pod..... yet, nor my upper console.... I've done some custom work, unique to everyone else's.


i just noticed those GT500 gauges are red, white & blue

very cool.

Yeah, didn't know about this setting until after the cluster was installed. I said, "R-W-B. What's that?" It is kind of cool but what I like the most about this cluster is the ability to set the shift light parameters through the message center buttons, not through the tune.... Light on/off, audible chime on/off, and the rpm. Now that's really cool..!

Willie

 

Quote:

i just noticed those GT500 gauges are red, white & blue

Hrm..
So are the Canadian GT500s R-W-R?

 

can you bury the needle?

 

#@*%!!! Why'd you have to go and point out that line on the wheel? Now it's going to bug me for a while!!!