Installing 18 analog cluster & cigarette lighter

[Pucklord]

How y’all doin’?

I wanted to share my experience installing the 18-20 analog gauge cluster.

I spent quite some time thinking about the digital cluster and debating whether I should go for it but decided to stay with the retro style looks. Sure the S550 has quite some fancy technology comparing to the S197 but still, I don’t want my stang looks like one of them fancy euro trash car!! Lol.

Sorry for that long introduction but anyway I have a ‘16 mustang GT C/S and y’all no doubt knows that 15-17 came without the halo rings under mycolor, and of course the digital speedometer. I really dig the halo rings and it changes the whole looks of the cluster and sure the digital speedometer is a nice feature as well.

So I searched for a used 18-20 analog cluster on eBay and found me one for $70, and just a little note for anyone who is planning to do the same, make sure to buy one that has halo casue I found out that some 18-20 clusters comes in two different versions one with halo and one without it.

For instance this one has halo

And this one ain’t

The installing is fairly easy and straight forward. I’ll explain it step by step:

1. Remove the passenger trim and then the center dashboard vent panel

2. Remove this black speaker trim and it’s bezel screw

3. Remove the driver side trim and unscrew these three bolts

4. Now just pull the headlamps switch and the the trunk/ sun glasses trim. Super easy only clips holding them. Be careful with that trunk release harness. And then Unscrew these three bolts

5. Now we’re almost done just pull the cluster panel start with the (bottom) there is four clips attached to the steering wheel. I broke one because I start pulling from up and didn’t know about these clips.

6. Now you can just pull the cluster out there is one clip holding the cluster harness and it was a challenge to take that sucker out.

Before

After

Boy oh boy look at that halo it looks pretty ain’t it? Speedometer also working. Not only this but I did found out that I now have the drag strip mood!

Now I have it in place and checked that everything is working, I just need to upload my as built IPC data which I saved from my stock cluster.

Don’t be an idiot like me and load the same car profile you have saved before but instead load a new profile! I spend almost an hour loading my original IPC profile and every time it gets stuck until it hit me and tried to load a new profile duh.. and it worked.

Playing around with forscan I have added every possible features our stang could have like global open/ close windows, on/off DRL light, lock/unlock options, wipers options and tire mobility kit.

I have attached below the ipc file if anyone want to load it and check it out. Make sure to save your as built data before loading the attached file.


** Unrelated topic **

I have managed to install a cigarette lighter on my arm rest console. You’ll need to buy a specific part in order get the lighter knob working. It was fairly easy just plug and play. It comes as a set and the part number is XC3Z-15055-AA.

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[Brazos609]

Boy oh boy look at that halo it looks pretty ain’t it? Speedometer also working. Not only this but I did found out that I now have the drag strip mood! And it’s working.

Other than seeing it display the Drag icon, what makes you think it's working? I also have a 18" analog cluster I plan on installing in my 15 but I don't see any way that any additional setttings would actually function in Drag mode since nothing would have been programmed into the rest of our car.

 

[K4fxd]

Why didn't you get the cluster with the raised redline?

You can change mileage with forscan but only up, so get a cluster that has less miles than yours and you can set it properly. Don't be a douche and leave it lower.

 

[Cobra Jet]

How y’all doin’?

I wanted to share my experience installing the 18-20 analog gauge cluster.

I spent quite some time thinking about the digital cluster and debating whether I should go for it but decided to stay with the retro style looks. Sure the S550 has quite some fancy technology comparing to the S197 but still, I don’t want my stang looks like one of them fancy euro trash car!! Lol.

Sorry for that long introduction but anyway I have a ‘16 mustang GT C/S and y’all no doubt knows that 15-17 came without the halo rings under mycolor, and of course the digital speedometer. I really dig the halo rings and it changes the whole looks of the cluster and sure the digital speedometer is a nice feature as well.

So I searched for a used 18-20 analog cluster on eBay and found me one for $70, and just a little note for anyone who is planning to do the same, make sure to buy one that has halo casue I found out that some 18-20 clusters comes in two different versions one with halo and one without it.

For instance this one has halo

And this one ain’t

The installing is fairly easy and straight forward. I’ll explain it step by step:

1. Remove the passenger trim and then the center dashboard vent panel

2. Remove this black speaker trim and it’s bezel screw

3. Remove the driver side trim and unscrew these three bolts

4. Now just pull the headlamps switch and the the trunk/ sun glasses trim. Super easy only clips holding them. Be careful with that trunk release harness. And then Unscrew these three bolts

5. Now we’re almost done just pull the cluster panel start with the (bottom) there is four clips attached to the steering wheel. I broke one because I start pulling from up and didn’t know about these clips.

6. Now you can just pull the cluster out there is one clip holding the cluster harness and it was a challenge to take that sucker out.

Before

After

Boy oh boy look at that halo it looks pretty ain’t it? Speedometer also working. Not only this but I did found out that I now have the drag strip mood!

Now I have it in place and checked that everything is working, I just need to upload my as built IPC data which I saved from my stock cluster.

Don’t be an idiot like me and load the same car profile you have saved before but instead load a new profile! I spend almost an hour loading my original IPC profile and every time it gets stuck until it hit me and tried to load a new profile duh.. and it worked.

Playing around with forscan I have added every possible features our stang could have like global open/ close windows, on/off DRL light, lock/unlock options, wipers options and tire mobility kit.

I have attached below the ipc file if anyone want to load it and check it out. Make sure to save your as built data before loading the attached file.


** Unrelated topic **

I have managed to install a cigarette lighter on my arm rest console. You’ll need to buy a specific part in order get the lighter knob working. It was fairly easy just plug and play. It comes as a set and the part number is XC3Z-15055-AA.

Great contribution to the site!! Thanks for taking the time to post a detailed thread with images and best of luck with the mods!

 

[Brazos609]

Why didn't you get the cluster with the raised redline?

I think it has been discussed before that at least the first 18+ export/KPH GT analog clusters still had 6500RPM tach faces even though the computers were programmed for 7400RPM.

 

[Pucklord]

Great contribution to the site!! Thanks for taking the time to post a detailed thread with images and best of luck with the mods!

Thank you @Cobrajet for your positive response and for being always supportive.

 

[Semp1]

I always think it’s weird to see cigarette lighters now in cars. hood job with the dash.

 

[Pucklord]

I think it has been discussed before that at least the first 18+ export/KPH GT analog clusters still had 6500RPM tach faces even though the computers were programmed for 7400RPM.

Thank you @Brazos609 for clearing this out. On my stock cluster my left gauge would turn red when I reach 6500RPM. With the new installed cluster it turns red at 7400RPM which is on my opinion sucks! It only turn red for 1-2 seconds couldn’t even take a picture. Used forscan and went to the block where you could chose either 6500RPM or 7400RPM and found out that I already have the 6500RPM I believe its something already programmed on the clusters.

Regarding the drag mode, sure it shows the icon and it did not show me any error or disable message when I choose the mode. How do I know it’s working? I have no idea how it should works to be honest.

 

[Vlad Soare]

I always think it’s weird to see cigarette lighters now in cars.

That's precisely why I absolutely love that my GT came with one as standard.
I don't smoke, never have, never will, but I hate political correctness with a passion. A car that has a cigarette lighter and an ashtray in this day and age of affectation and eco smugness looks like it was made for men, not for virtue-signalling sissies. I like that.

 

[Pucklord]

A car that has a cigarette lighter and an ashtray in this day and age of affectation and eco smugness looks like it was made for men

Cheers I'll smoke to that hoss!

 

[Brazos609]

On my stock cluster my left gauge(tachometer) would turn red when I reach 6500RPM. With the new installed cluster it turns red at 7400RPM which is on my opinion sucks! It only turn red for 1-2 seconds couldn’t even take a picture. Used forscan and went to the block where you could chose either 6500RPM or 7400RPM and found out that I already have the 6500RPM I believe its something already programmed on the clusters.

You must have an aftermarket tune on your car if you could even make it to 7400RPM before you hit the stock rev limiter which should be set at 6900RPM. I think you're finding that using Forscan and a OBDII dongle doesn't always make the changes you're expecting. Whenever you send off the 18+ cluster to have the odometer corrected I think you can have the redline shift light changed to 6500RPM like you want.

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