wjones14

The oil pressure gauge needle in my '05 GT just started pointing somewhere between 11 and 1 o'clock instead of the normal 5 to 7 o'clock positions. This just happened yesterday.

I searched and Googled and it seems the problem is probably the stepper motor that controls the needle. They go bad after some time. One solution is to replace the instrument cluster because you get new stepper motors for each gauge. But that solution may cost $500 or maybe more.

A DIY solution is to remove the cluster yourself and replace the stepper motor. The stepper motors cost about $5. In fact, if you do this, it may be a good idea to just replace all the gauge stepper motors while you have the cluster off, since there may be other gauges nearing failure.

Has anyone done this themselves?

I did find a excellent web page with pictures on doing the job:

http://www.ratstangrestoration.com/S...ent%20Pack.htm

And here is a link to the stepper motors themselves:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Gen-4-X2..._Video&vxp=mtr

I posted the same links in another thread dealing with a speedometer issue, but thought I would start a new thread for the oil pressure gauge in case someone was only searching for oil pressure gauge problems.

texastboneking

That gauge is a fake gauge so I would just leave it alone if it were mine...

wjones14

now that's great advice...

texastboneking

If you want to make it a real gauge there is a guide to doing so.

wjones14

I don't really care that it's not a "real" gauge to be honest. This car has been a daily driver for the past 6-1/2 years, and that's really all it is. I have taken it to 4 HPDE track days (Lime Rock, Loudon, and Watkins Glen twice), but for the most part it is just a daily driver.

I'm sort of an OCD individual, so leaving it broken would drive me insane. So I think my options are fixing it or replacing the cluster.

I did see the cluster on RockAuto.com for $189. Would I be able to replace the cluster myself, and then bring it somewhere to have it programmed? Can they restore the odometer mileage so it is accurate?

texastboneking

As far as I know Ford will have to program it. And yes they can restore the miles. Its pretty easy to replace you just take interior panels off.

Pete07GT

That gauge is complete GARBAGE! Best to run a fuel pressure guage yourself so you're able to fully see and understand what is happening with your oil. My buddy develop a really bad knock in his original 4.6L block in his 98.. Unfortunately for me he picked up a 98 Cobra motor off of Craig's List for $200 and threw it in his GT with the Mark IV intake manifold... His 4-Valve 14 year old car whoops my 5 year old 3 valve all of the time. So goes the pissing contest of power adders between he and I. Back on topic, get an actual oil pressure gauge from an aftermarket supplier and install it. For all you know you could have an oil leak one day and end up seizing your motor because you weren't as OCD as you are proclaiming to be right now.

texastboneking

Or he could do the mod to make the gauge real..

wjones14

Thanks for all the advice so far, but I think you guys aren't getting it for my situation. I'm not arguing that the original oil pressure gauge is great. Clearly, some people here think it's useless. That's fine, but not what I'm interested in.

If I had an oil leak I'm pretty sure I would know it - the car is garaged so I'd see a spot on the floor. My Kawasaki Z1000 has no oil pressure gauge at all, yet I would know if that had an oil leak too.

I just want a working factory gauge. Period.

I should point out that this car has never had a single scratch or ding since new, nor even the slightest problem mechanically. Everything works, there are no rattles, no flaws inside or out - it's really amazing for a car that's almost 7 years old. And that's why I can't live with the broken gauge. Not only that, but I'm thinking of possibly replacing the car later this year with a new 5.0, and I just hate selling something that isn't perfect.

I did find yet another possible solution for this problem. http://circuitboardmedics.com/ford-m...luster-repair/ This company will repair 2005-07 Mustang GT instrument clusters, replacing the defective stepper motors with higher quality parts. The whole job is $179, the odometer mileage is unchanged, and the re-installation requires no re-programming.

I'm undecided at this point which way to go, so I'm just throwing these solutions out there to see if anyone has any experience with any of them.

05YellowGT

If you get a different cluster it only needs to be reprogrammed if it has an option that your car doesn't. When mine went bad I got a GT500 Cluster from Tousley ford and they put your mileage in it before they ship it to you. Since it was for an 07 it had the TPS system and my 05 didn't , so I got the warning about it at start up. I took it to the dealer and they have to down load you cluster info from the old cluster and then install the new cluster and upload the old info into it. They charged me 1 hour labor to do it ...

wjones14

Oh, that's good info. Thanks!

What went bad with your original cluster?

Funny thing about my oil pressure needle now... it's been a few days since it went bad and at first the needle was pointing straight up, but since then it's been gradually creeping clockwise. Today, when looking at the gauge before turning the ignition on, the needle is pointing midway between the L and H marks (it should be on the L mark), and when the engine is running, the needle is pointing just past the H mark. So it doesn't look as wacky now as when it was pointing straight up.

05YellowGT

It's been a while , but if I remember correctly it was the speedometer and the fuel gauge , both would malfunction only intermittently ...

redpony05

In answer to the original question, yes it's a pretty easy DIY fix. My tach had the same problem and I did exactly what it sounds like ur planning on: buy the motor off eBay and use that guide. Worked for me. I have very little soldering experience and I was still able to do the whole job in under an hour. Works perfectly now. I'm OCD about that kinda stuff too.. My GT is an auto so I don't technically need the tach but i wanted all my gauges working regardless. I say go for it if u just want to have a not-broken gauge.

wjones14

Just wanted to follow up here a year and a half later...

The gauge problems started with the oil pressure gauge reading all over the place randomly. It was definitely the stepper motor problem. Oddly, in the warmer weather, the gauge worked. I lived with it for over a year because frankly, the car is a daily driver, and I really couldn't be without it for a week or two. I did not want to drive the car without gauges, for odometer reasons, and just OCD issues.

Recently I bought my daughter's 2003 MINI Cooper as a "beater," and that car has been an absolute blast. If you ever get a chance to drive one, do it, and you'll see what real communicative steering is all about. Anyway, now that I have a second car I finally was able to send my instrument cluster out for repair.

In addition to the oil pressure gauge not working, the fuel gauge also started pointing randomly, where it would be pointing well beyond the Full mark, even with half a tank.

I shipped the cluster to Circuit Board Medics in NC. http://www.CircuitBoardMedics.com , and had it back within a week. Total cost was $169.94 including return shipping, plus $11 to ship it there. I'm totally pleased with the results - all the gauges are working and I have the peace of mind of not having to worry about defective stepper motors failing again in the future.

Their website has a video of the cluster removal, which is super easy and takes about 10 minutes. The only glitch in the process for me was on reconnecting the cluster, the check engine light came on. A trip to AutoZone for a free scan showed an error code for a bad electrical connection between the fuel sensor and the gauge. The fuel gauge was working however, so not sure why the light came on. It stayed on until I disconnected the battery, and now it is off and has not come back on.

I would recommend Circuit Board Medics to anyone who has the stepper motor gauge issue and is reluctant to try and fix it themselves.

Lime GT

Good to hear.

willyam111

I have the same problem and was looking to send it into Circuit Board Mechanics. However, I daily drive my Mustang.

Does anybody know if you can drive the car without the instrument panel attached?

goldenpony

Where is this guide?

TheDarkSide

I just checked the site and I think I am going to do this. It started with my Tach and moved to fuel, then oil, then battery, then thermostat…. and now it is affecting my speedo. It is odd because every time a gauge has an issue it is right after a real cold spell here in FL. Which is weird because we don't get many of them, but I guess my Stang has always been a Florida chick and little cold makes her ornery.