MY COLOR RETROFIT INSTRUCTIONS {THE FIRST} MY COLOR 2005-2009 S-197 Gen 1
Thread Starter
Administrator clevparts@aol.com





Joined: November 27, 2004
Posts: 12,593
Likes: 4,346
From: Visalia Ca.
The Gt-500's Have the RPM Feature. The Non GT-500's with the Message Center which were in Fleet or Rental Service had a Beep at I Believe 80mph or So. It would have to be Set at the Dealer if Memory Serves. I will Check The Shop Manual.
KC
Normal Operation
The performance shift warning indicator shares the SVT logo on the tachometer. The performance shift indicator is configurable on or off and uses engine rpm to determine when to illuminate. The SVT logo is normally backlit in red when the performance indicator is configured off. When the performance shift warning indicator is configured on, the SVT logo red backlighting is turned off. When a preset engine rpm is reached, the SVT logo illuminates orange to alert the driver of the selected shift point. The performance shift warning indicator can be configured on or off through the message center.
The performance shift indicator receives the engine rpm status from the PCM over the high speed controller area network (HS-CAN) communication bus lines. When the engine rpm is equal to the preset (configured) shift rpm, the instrument cluster (IC) turns on the performance shift indicator.
KC
Normal Operation
The performance shift warning indicator shares the SVT logo on the tachometer. The performance shift indicator is configurable on or off and uses engine rpm to determine when to illuminate. The SVT logo is normally backlit in red when the performance indicator is configured off. When the performance shift warning indicator is configured on, the SVT logo red backlighting is turned off. When a preset engine rpm is reached, the SVT logo illuminates orange to alert the driver of the selected shift point. The performance shift warning indicator can be configured on or off through the message center.
The performance shift indicator receives the engine rpm status from the PCM over the high speed controller area network (HS-CAN) communication bus lines. When the engine rpm is equal to the preset (configured) shift rpm, the instrument cluster (IC) turns on the performance shift indicator.
Last edited by 05stangkc; Jun 7, 2008 at 03:50 PM.
Hmm where is the block off plate?
KC, just joined the website..got referred by a fellow member at a mustang get together lastnight..i was one of those unfortunate people to drive off the lot with a new stang without realizing i had no mycolor
I read through the first pages looking for where the block off plate is and no luck..is it underneath the steering column?
thanks for any help..im trying to get things started as i just found out i could actually have mycolor and message center put in..now just to see if i have the wiring

I read through the first pages looking for where the block off plate is and no luck..is it underneath the steering column?
thanks for any help..im trying to get things started as i just found out i could actually have mycolor and message center put in..now just to see if i have the wiring
nvm
I do have the cable present in my stang, i have both the cluster and switch on order should be here tom..but dealerships are all saying atleast an hour of labor for 95 bucks..anyone else paid less than that?
am i getting a good deal? ive talked to them about it only take about 10 mins to 20 replacing the cluster but they keep telling me "well we dont know if problems are going to arise during the install"..
im still looking around other dealerships for cheaper labor..
ok found lower quote lol 90 bucks installed..hmm
am i getting a good deal? ive talked to them about it only take about 10 mins to 20 replacing the cluster but they keep telling me "well we dont know if problems are going to arise during the install"..
im still looking around other dealerships for cheaper labor..
ok found lower quote lol 90 bucks installed..hmm
Last edited by LynkDev; Jun 23, 2008 at 10:12 AM.
Thread Starter
Administrator clevparts@aol.com





Joined: November 27, 2004
Posts: 12,593
Likes: 4,346
From: Visalia Ca.
Realize Dealers Labor is charged by FLAT RATE. They have a Book which States the Allowed time a Specific Operation calls For. In the Case of the My Color installing the Message Switch Which Calls for a Radio Removal by the Book BTW. Most People Just Snap the Cover Carefully out and Snap in their own switch. You can Save that side of the Install. As Far as the Cluster itself it is no Different than Simply Replacing a Bad Cluster with a New Cluster. So Labor time Should Be Listed in any Dealers Book for that. FLAT RATE is Not this Job will take an Hour so we charge an Hour it is more of an way of charging for a Specific operation. Some Operations Pay More than the Actual Job Takes in Man Hours and Some Pay less. As a Rule Warranty Time is Less than Customer Pay time. It is Very Hard for a tech to Beat Warranty time these Days!
KC
KC
I got the dealer around here to do it for 30 mins labor...of course that was with me doing the cluster swap in their parking lot. It literally took me 5-7 mins to swap out the cluster. No idea why they charge for an hour labor. The 30 mins of labor they charged me was for the download/upload to the new cluster. That literally took minutes as well. I know that their manual dictate the time to charge but dayum...do they have a slow monkey being used to base this on?
howd your remove the cover plate?
is there any tool people have been using to remove the cap, i dont really care to scrath my plastic up..i know it has tabs and where to remove it from..but what are you guys using to get it out?
thanks
thanks
Use a thin blade screwdriver wrapped with a thin towel. DON'T twist the screwdriver, or you WILL mess up the plastic around the plate, just get the blade under the cap and pry it off. You're throwing it away anyway, so don't worry about damaging the cap.
@ Scootr - I see you're in Tallmadge. Did Park Ford do the install for you, and if so, do they still have that white convertible Saleen on the showroom floor? I almost bought that a few months ago, but we were about $2.5K apart. Went to Montrose Ford and got the Shelby instead.
@ Scootr - I see you're in Tallmadge. Did Park Ford do the install for you, and if so, do they still have that white convertible Saleen on the showroom floor? I almost bought that a few months ago, but we were about $2.5K apart. Went to Montrose Ford and got the Shelby instead.
Yep, that's where I went but all they did was download the info from the old cluster and uploaded to the new cluster. I did the swap in their parking lot. Their service dept people have somewhat of an attitude so now I take all my service issues to Klaben in Kent. They are awesome down there and treat you like you're important. Last time I checked the Saleen was still there at Park Ford. They had $13,500 off the sticker advertised on the windshield.
Last edited by Scootr; Jun 26, 2008 at 04:34 PM.
I have been trying to find a dealer in SoCal who can/will install the IUP in my 2008 and have been, to date, unsuccessful. I am in San Diego but am willing to drive anywhere within reason if any of you can help me out here. Thanks!
Jim
Jim
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Administrator clevparts@aol.com





Joined: November 27, 2004
Posts: 12,593
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From: Visalia Ca.
KC
Last edited by 05stangkc; Jul 16, 2008 at 02:18 PM.
another successful installation
When I bought my 2005 Mustang almost two years ago I was hoping that some how I would be able to install the My Color instrument cluster in my car. Well after reading this thread I had some hope! I found a used cluster and control switch off Ebay and purchsed them for around $200. I knew that the mileage would need to be adjusted cause the mileage on the cluster read somewhere around 12,000 miles and the mileage on my Mustang was right at 23,000. After some misunderstanding about the programing at the dealer I finally got them on the right track about who to talk to about getting the mileage corrected. Ford wanted $475 for the cluster including the core charge! I felt that was a little steep and had the dealer put my old cluster back in andwent in search of another way to get the mileage changed. I contacted Kevin and he got me on the name of a guy who could change the mileage for me. He too was a little too expensive for my liking so I started looking for other companies that did instrument cluster repair. I found a company out in VA that would correct the mileage for me for only $160 including the shipping back to me, I just had to get it to them. The name of the company if anyone is wondering is Advanced Auto Electronics INC www.aaellc.com. They got the cluster in 3 days and had the work done the evening they recieved it and shipped it out the next morning! Once I got it I had it installed in 10 minutes! I think its the best upgrade I have made to my Mustang yet! Thanks Kevin!
Would it be anymore difficult to install the V8 My Color cluster onto a V6 with no message center? I hate the fact that the V6 tops out at 120 MPH vs the 140 MPH on the V8. The NewFordParts.com catalog shows the 4.6L cluster assembly for $281, would that be just as good as ordering from the factory or is there anything else that comes into play that I would need the Dealer to order for me?
Thread Starter
Administrator clevparts@aol.com





Joined: November 27, 2004
Posts: 12,593
Likes: 4,346
From: Visalia Ca.
Would it be anymore difficult to install the V8 My Color cluster onto a V6 with no message center? I hate the fact that the V6 tops out at 120 MPH vs the 140 MPH on the V8. The NewFordParts.com catalog shows the 4.6L cluster assembly for $281, would that be just as good as ordering from the factory or is there anything else that comes into play that I would need the Dealer to order for me?
Kc
This post is to thank Kevin for his help in getting my retrofit done. I found a super dealer in San Diego to do the job (Mossy Ford), asked Kevin, in advance, if he would "be there" for any questions the dealer had. He, of course, said yes. The dealer got right to it but did have to call Kevin at least once that I know of. Everything works great. But for this thread, Kevin, I would have given up long ago trying to have this done. Thanks again.
Jim
Jim
Awesome thread, I've spent the last 3 weeks (since I got my Mustang) trying to figure out if this is possible, even posted here (http://forums.bradbarnett.net/showthread.php?t=473316) trying to figure this out (thanks for the link to this thread Deric).
I have read every post in this thread but I own a 2009 Mustang and I don't think anyone else on here has posted results for one of them yet, so I still have a few questions:
What is the part number for the 6 gauge cluster for an '09? (One dealer told me the IC is the same for '07s and newer, but I don't know that number either)
What is the part number for the Info center buttons for the console?
Can I install the Info center buttons in advance of having the new cluster installed? Or should I have the dealer do all of that?
If I can do it myself, do I need to disconnect the battery first, or anything else?
Thanks guys. I'll post the name of a dealership willing to do the work in the northern Illinois area if I find one.
I have read every post in this thread but I own a 2009 Mustang and I don't think anyone else on here has posted results for one of them yet, so I still have a few questions:
What is the part number for the 6 gauge cluster for an '09? (One dealer told me the IC is the same for '07s and newer, but I don't know that number either)
What is the part number for the Info center buttons for the console?
Can I install the Info center buttons in advance of having the new cluster installed? Or should I have the dealer do all of that?
If I can do it myself, do I need to disconnect the battery first, or anything else?
Thanks guys. I'll post the name of a dealership willing to do the work in the northern Illinois area if I find one.



Thanks for the help KC!! This site rocks