Gulf GT
GT Owner
Multiple gauge failures of different types would make me wonder if it may not be the gauges themselves but something causing the gauges to fail.
3 gauges failing at once?
- Thread starter ChipBeck
- Start date
H
HHGT
Guest
2112
Blue/white 06'
Bingo.
Well, here's how it turned out. After starting my GT twice a couple days ago and having 3 gauges dead, I shut it down after about 5 seconds each time just in case it actually did not have oil pressure. Per the suggestion of one of our members, I put my GT on a trickle charger for two days and when I fired it up today, everything worked. It seems odd that the battery (still the original) had plenty of power to fire up the engine twice but apparently did not have enough juice to power the gauges up. Then I took #34 for a 25 mile run and I feel much better now. :biggrin I have a brand new Ford GT Optima battery sitting in my garage. Perhaps it's time to put it in. Cheers.
Chip
Well, here's how it turned out. After starting my GT twice a couple days ago and having 3 gauges dead, I shut it down after about 5 seconds each time just in case it actually did not have oil pressure. Per the suggestion of one of our members, I put my GT on a trickle charger for two days and when I fired it up today, everything worked. It seems odd that the battery (still the original) had plenty of power to fire up the engine twice but apparently did not have enough juice to power the gauges up. Then I took #34 for a 25 mile run and I feel much better now. :biggrin I have a brand new Ford GT Optima battery sitting in my garage. Perhaps it's time to put it in. Cheers.
Chip
Jason's Auto Spa
Well-known member
Nafod
GT Owner
Gauges appear to be very voltage sensitive, requiring a topped off battery. A slightly undercharged battery would have enough amperage to turn the engine at a lower voltage. Engine starts, but gauges don't work. Maybe electrical spikes from the charging system are causing damage to the gauges. I haven't looked at the wiring diagram, but if they are supplied by a common power source, maybe a capacitor built into the line would prevent this. A comparison of the gauge manufacturers electrical specs to the vehicle's electrical/charging system spec may show a difference in tolerances.
My original battery and trickle charger where replaced under warranty after purchase. Since then, the battery is always topped off with the charger after driving. No starting or gauge problems since... 4+ years (looking for wood)
Glad to hear #34 is well and probably the terror of the "Old Beeline":biggrin
My original battery and trickle charger where replaced under warranty after purchase. Since then, the battery is always topped off with the charger after driving. No starting or gauge problems since... 4+ years (looking for wood)
Glad to hear #34 is well and probably the terror of the "Old Beeline":biggrin
PL510*Jeff
Well-known member
Chip your guages did not like those old electrons. After you put fresh new ones in the battery, they responed correctly.
Beeline Highway.
:lol That's exactly where I took it. The Beeline is only 3 miles east of my home so it's the usual stomping ground. I tottered along at 70 mph for a bunch of miles and when I could see a long way I downshifted to 2nd and ran through 3rd & part of 4th. I glance at my speedo and I'm doing 145! :eek Good grief, Jason's twin turbos make everything happen so fast. I quickly braked back to 70 and I see a Highway Patrol car facing me on the other side of the road. :ack I must have been slowed down enough when I came into his view as I was not stopped but that was a close call. Can't wait for VIR where we can all let it rip. :thumbsup
Chip
:lol That's exactly where I took it. The Beeline is only 3 miles east of my home so it's the usual stomping ground. I tottered along at 70 mph for a bunch of miles and when I could see a long way I downshifted to 2nd and ran through 3rd & part of 4th. I glance at my speedo and I'm doing 145! :eek Good grief, Jason's twin turbos make everything happen so fast. I quickly braked back to 70 and I see a Highway Patrol car facing me on the other side of the road. :ack I must have been slowed down enough when I came into his view as I was not stopped but that was a close call. Can't wait for VIR where we can all let it rip. :thumbsup
Chip
twobjshelbys
GT Owner
It's unusual that these are dependent on batter voltage. During the startup of the engine they should switch to regulated output from the alternator. But the initial power on condition must be set and then not reset. You want gauges without the engine running but the whole system should not shut down if the battery voltage isn't quite high enough. That's a software bug. 
If that theory is true, then you should have been able to drive it for 1/2 hour with the goofy gauges and see them come back.
Glad it healed itself though!
If that theory is true, then you should have been able to drive it for 1/2 hour with the goofy gauges and see them come back.
Glad it healed itself though!
My understanding is that the gauge control module performs an initialization at each key-on event. If the voltage is low, one or more gauges may not be initialized for the duration of that key-on. So, even if voltage may be corrected when the car fires, the initialization has already been completed and will not be revisited.
GT35065
GT Owner
Gierkink
GT Owner
Chip,
I had the same issue with my tach shortly after my car was delivered in the UK five years ago... I could start the car but on a couple of occasions my tach didn't work until after running it for a while and then re-starting the car. When I raised the issue with Dave Jones at Roush he sent me the following explanation via e-mail:
"The issue with the tacho not reading is due to low battery voltage on start up. You can have enough voltage to start the car but the instrument cluster needs a higher voltage to activate. When you run the car for a while switch it off and then on again the voltage will have built up sufficiently that the gauge works straight away. I have seen this frequently on cars we have here as we are often storing cars for some time without significant battery charging. It’s not something to worry about and if the car is used more frequently you shouldn’t see this at all."
My car has been on a trickle charger ever since and no problems.
Cheers,
Rob
I still have the original battery in my 05. I have replaced boost, fuel & voltmeter some time ago under warranty. Then right after my car went out of warranty the oil pressure guage went. I took it to Mac Haik and they said the oil pressure gueage was bad for $600.00 and would not warranty. Then they called me back after putting the guage in and told me the control module was bad also .....for 5 grand. I told them that was BS and maybe that the control module was bad all along and Ford should warranty. They came back and settled with me for half on the module. I have had no problems since but makes me wonder if charge could have been bad all along on battery ???
Apollo
GT Owner
Good thing, sounds like you have already contributed plenty to the budget for AZ. :biggrin Glad all worked out Chip.
steved57
GT Owner
This past Saturday I started the car up and the fuel gauge read 1/4 tank which is where it was one week ago which was last time I drove the car. I drove approx 15 miles and when pulled in to restaraunt parking lot my daughter noticed the gauge showed 3/4 tank. I shut the car off, went in and ate and came out about an hour later, started the car and gauge still read 3/4 tank, drove the 15 miles back home and by the time we arrived at the house the gauge read 1/4 tank again. About 30 minutes later I drove the car one mile to fill the tank which I did. I filled the car all the way up but gauge reads 3/4 tank, looks like I am going to need a fuel gauge !! The GT Guys have replaced my oil pressure gauge when they had the car this past winter so there's two guages gone bad for me so far.
Chip I am glad yours turned out as it did and that the Highway Patrol didn't get you
Steve
Chip I am glad yours turned out as it did and that the Highway Patrol didn't get you
Steve
For what it's worth, my Temp gauge has been frozen for awhile, but when I hooked up my scanner I was able to read the engine temperature. This I would suppose indicates gauge failure rather than computer or sender problems. Hopefully this is another point that leads towards a solution.
hollywoodstunts
GT Owner
Tonight the check gauge light came on while in the middle of some "spirited" driving. Unable to check all the gauges, I nervously asked Kelly to check them. "They're all working," she responded. I was relieved. Then we stopped for gas and realized the fuel gauge was stuck at 3/4's full.
"How much is that going to be?" Kelly asked, having been through my tach failure and replacement. "I don't know, about $500 bucks I guess??"
Silence for a few moments.
Then Kelly said,"That stuff never happened with your M5."
Exactly.
IMHO, everyone that thinks Ford has created such a masterpiece that any responsibility for gauge failure should be forgiven, is mistaken.
There is a problem here. It needs to be addressed. I have NEVER had a gauge fail on any other vehicle. Two failures in 2,000 miles? This is absurd.
"How much is that going to be?" Kelly asked, having been through my tach failure and replacement. "I don't know, about $500 bucks I guess??"
Silence for a few moments.
Then Kelly said,"That stuff never happened with your M5."
Exactly.
IMHO, everyone that thinks Ford has created such a masterpiece that any responsibility for gauge failure should be forgiven, is mistaken.
There is a problem here. It needs to be addressed. I have NEVER had a gauge fail on any other vehicle. Two failures in 2,000 miles? This is absurd.
GT35065
GT Owner
I'm with you Stunts, I've had many, many cars, currently have nine plus two motorcycles. Years range from 1965 to 2011. No guage failures except for the Ford GT. Really don't recall ever having a guage failure in any car I have owned until the GT. Sure would be nice to have some assistance, even if only a fix that would prevent the blow out of newly installed guages. I know there are some smart people working on this. Come on Ford, a little help here.
hollywoodstunts
GT Owner
Thank you.
From what I read consistently on this forum, and I'm paraphrasing here:
Ford did an amazing job getting the car done in time (a huge rush) and the gauge problem is nothing compared to what F Car owners have to deal with.
Well, from my perspective I could be driving a car that gives a 24 hour orgasm, but if it keeps breaking, even that would get old.
Well, maybe not, but you get my point.