So.... anybody ready to start talking about alternative gauges for the FGT?

[mardyn]

Dave, I really appreciate your efforts on behalf of those of us with this problem.

My guess is that many owners are like me... I've got three dead gauges in my car as I type this entry.

I don't want to take them out and replace them until we have a definitive answer on the cause of the problem.

I don't want to spend 3 grand replacing original gauges with new gauges that are just as apt to fail.

What the heck happened to all the gauges replaced under warranty? Did they not get returned to Ford?**

This shouldn't be this big of an issue... all they need to do is authorize Autometer to repair/replace gauges at
the expense of the owner. Ford doesn't need to spend a penny...

This issue has taken an otherwise great ownership experience with my GT and turned it into a real debacle.


mardyn


** I know we don't really know where these gauges are or even if they were ever returned... and don't expect an answer from
anyone here at the FGT Forums...

I'm just going off on a bit of a rant as my frustration level rises.

 

[2112]

I mentioned it in multiple prior threads.

My Bad :frown

 

[dbk]

Mardyn, you have definitely gotten the crap end of the stick and have every right to be frustrated and annoyed.

 

[hollywoodstunts]

At this stage, I'm beginning to think that either a) the problem isn't nearly as widespread as some people hypothesize or b) some people are more inclined to live with it for an opportunity to complain on the internet. I would be extremely bummed if I had a gauge go bad (like I was when my halfshaft bolts broke at a busy intersection at 4 p.m), but on a 5 year old out of warranty car, unless people attempt to be more proactive getting it fixed, it never will. Or at least if not fixed, diagnosed. I've heard a couple guys rumbling "oh well I know this guy at Ford and he said..." Forget that. This forum has a good relationship directly with the guys at SVT that built the car. They frequent our events. They answer any question about the car they can when they can. We're trying to get traction with the source of the car, but at this point, we don't seem all that credible when I harass them and say "tons of gauges are bad" and they say "give us some" but after months of prodding I can only produce 3![/QUOTE]

Dave:
I haven't sent in my $1500 speedometer because I've heard rumors of a possible fix in the future. Wouldn't be surprised if other owners felt the same.
Haven't sent in my fuel gauge, because I keep track of fuel needs based on mileage. And just like several other owners, don't want to have another very expensive gauge fail because the root problem has not been determined.
Based on the numbers we've seen here, shouldn't Ford already have several gauges to look at from the stockpiles of warranty replacements?
Ford should have a pretty accurate number of failures based on the number of replacement gauges. It is my understanding that Ford has already gone through the initial order of gauges. And with the second order, the cost of manufacturing more gauges from Autometer increased, thus the prices of parts (for example the speedo that went from $500 to $3000, then back down to $1500) have increased.
So I understand, Ford is trying to help us diagnose the problem, but are they still waiting for gauges?
What happened to the gauges replaced under warranty?
The last thing I want to do is "live with it for an opportunity to complain."
HELP!

 

[HHGT]

I know a Ford dealer (very close friend) who is not always asked to send warranty replacement equipment back. I have a stock pile of stuff that he called me to go pickup that I put into storage. None of the stuff I've ever picked up has been a gauge.

 

[BlackICE]

I've been told that warranty parts are kept by the dealer in case of an audit from Ford. After a period of time they are just taking space and gathering dust. I am sure dealers on the forum can enlighten us all on the topic.

 

[GT35065]

Dave, thanks for your efforts. Like others here, I have bought new guages but have not installed them. Was hoping for a cause and effect before intalling my expensive new guages. Not like it is a piece of cake to r&r the guages either. Classic catch 22, love to send you my guages, but don't want to replace them twice if possible.

nota4re, I have installed the Sears Platinum made by Odyssey, if I'm not mistaken. My understanding is this is not a conventional lead acid battery, correct me if I am wrong.

 

[KJRGT]

The battery was 5+ years old and I had noticed it was cycling on and off more often and staying on longer over the winter. Not very scientific I know, but I just didn't see any reason to try and push it another season.

Thanks....think I'll take Kendall's advice and pre-empt my original battery old age weakening with the Sears unit.

 

[Thugboat]

I do not know if this will help any, but, when I purchased mine it was still on the dealer showroom floor in Jan. 2009. The dealer told me he had let the battery drain down many times by either leaving the lights on, doors open, never starting and he never used any type of battery charger. He would just boost it each time. It was a joke watching the salesman who sold it to me try to find the battery, figure out how to get to it and then boost it off. But the point is that the oil guage and fuel guage were both DOA when it started. I took it home and slow charged, and then installed a new optima battery and no luck, still dead. Took the car back and had them replace guages under warranty and have not had another problem. I drive the car at least once a week and have never had any issues with weak battery and guages are still fine. My feeling is that Shelby and the rest are correct about weak batteries killing them. Hope this helps!

Larry Boatner

 

[GT35065]

Thanks, Larry that makes me feel a little better about replacing my guages as I have already put the new battery in. I intend to keep it fully charged by either driving or trickle charge. Seems to be a common thread, as my battery was fully drained one time, and it was after this time that my temp and tach guage failed. Clearly, that shouldn't kill guages, but with this car it seems a possibility.

My car was never jumped while I owned it, but the drained battery seems a common denominator.

 

[BlackICE]

IMO if your battery ever gets below 11V from sitting around follow this saying

"When in doubt, throw it OUT!"

Batteries are a lot cheaper than a one gauge!

 

[nota4re]

nota4re, I have installed the Sears Platinum made by Odyssey, if I'm not mistaken. My understanding is this is not a conventional lead acid battery, correct me if I am wrong.

Sorry for my contributions to the confusion on battery terminology. I will try to clarify my statements. For me, there are 3 types of "conventional" lead acid batteries.

1) Flooded or Wet Cell
2) Gel Cell
3) Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM)

I would place the Optima in a different category although it is perhaps most closely related to the AGM. I think I read in their literature one time that they were some kind of propritary "spiral wound absorbed glass mat" technology. The Optima's are admittedly kinda cool and they are often lighter and have the claimed advantage of being able to mounted in virtually any orienatation. They are a favorite of the the off-road guys where creative, (often multiple) battery mounting is cherished.

For our GT's, I would never advocate the Type 1 Flooded or Wet cell battery. The newer AGM-type batteries can do everything that the Gel cells can do, so the AGM's are a top choice as an alternative for the Optima. Because Sears is virtually everywhere AND their Platinum (AGM) battery carries a 3-year replacement gurantee, I think it is a good one to recommend.

 

[JAYGT]

I just replaced my factory optima today after my scare with the fuel gauge last week with the platinum diehard. FYI, the optima (which by the way mine has a black top) weighed 33lbs and the diehard weighed 44lbs on my scale the platinum is slightly taller.

 

[JAYGT]

nota4re the warranty on the platinum is 4-Year Free Replacement; 100-Month Prorated Limited Warranty
cant beat that

 

[hollywoodstunts]

Just ordered a Platinum Diehard for pickup tomorrow. Didn't know about the weight difference until I read this. Looks like I'm hitting the gym tonight.
Thanks JAYGT.

 

[GT35065]

I can tell you one thing, the Platinum Diehard slides in our battery tray perfectly with no fitment issues.

 

[Bill Briley]

I can tell you one thing, the Platinum Diehard slides in our battery tray perfectly with no fitment issues.

Morning!
So what is the Sears # on the platinum Diehard?
Thanks,

 

[nota4re]

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02850080000P?prdNo=11&blockNo=11&blockType=L11

 

[Lorenzo]

Ok here is my 2cents worth. There are several other exotic and non exotic cars out there that share some of the same characteristic's as our beloved Ford GT's. By that i mean, driven infrequently or driven daily, on several differant type of battery tenders or not on battery tenders, stored in cold ambient or stored in warm ambient, this battery or that battery, rear window defroster useage or non useage, on and on ect...ect... Differance is they dont seam to be having the gauge issue's that some of us have had. I for one dont believe for one second that the battery type has anything to do with a few gauge failures. Untill Ford comes back and recomends all Ford Gt owners to swap out their battery's for Type X then it's just another guess. If you read this Forum closely enough you will soon find out that any negative words in regards to the FGT will most likely get you publicly castrated even if your as smart as a doctor, so are we now saying that Ford didn't think about or make the right choice for the Battery???
I don't think so. I don't have a single complaint about the car and untill some one comes out with some hard evidence in regards to why a few individuals have experienced gauge failures then i'm not going to scramble around jumping through hoops un plugging rear window defrosters, buying new battery tenders, installing electrical cut out switches, swaping out types of batterys ect... when in fact no one really has an answer as of yet. Hell next thing ya know someone is going to say they saw a black cat cross their path and then their gauges failed. really guys come on here. Has anyone ever considered the fact that the gauges might just be of a poor quality, out sourced at the time our cars were built and they are a POS and thats it end of story??

 

[Indy GT]

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...&blockType=L56

Kendall, I would be interested in the Sears battery model/group number as well.
Your link does not work for me....
Thanks!