Looking forward to more great tips on here!
2005 Transmission Temperature Gauge
Moderator: volvite
2005 Transmission Temperature Gauge
I just started using this site, and what a help. I was able to mount a 1 1/2" Auto Meter 2355 gauge in the passenger airbag light location. Looks completely factory! Pretty easy to do, especially if you have some patience. I'm trying to figure out how to post pics on here easily, so if anyone can provide some assistance, great! If not, message me and I'll send you some pics of the final install.
Looking forward to more great tips on here!
Looking forward to more great tips on here!
Awesome job!
The install was pretty easy, but like I said required some patience. I Googled "2005 Pathfinder dash removal" and watched a YouTube video of someone removing the radio. I watched it a few times before I finally got the courage to do it myself; it's really easy if you just take your time. I didn't have any of the trim removal tools, so I just carefully did it with my hands. Then there was only one Phillips screw to remove and the panel was off. I had to disconnect the HVAC (4 #10 Torx screws and the entire panel detaches), passenger airbag light, and hazard switch and then I had the entire upper trim piece off and could layout the gauge on my workbench and slowly drill and grind out a hole until the gauge fit. This is where it pays to slow down, and just do a little at a time. I ran the wires through a hole I drilled next to the shifter and will make the connection under the car when I get the transmission flushed and filled; I'll just ask the shop to install the sender for me. The last time I did that was on my old truck, and I think they charged like $10 to do it (they called it a drain plug kit). I figure that's better than risking doing it myself with the pan still connected and getting metal shavings floating around. I hooked up the power to the power port supply, the one that turns on only when the car is on (not the full-time power port). The green wire for the power port was the positive, the black the negative. For the light on the gauge, I connected the gauge light that came with the kit to the hazard light harness. I stuck the wires for the light in different combinations of wire connections from the harness until I found out which one was connected when the dash lights were on. In my case, it was the red and black wires on the harness so I connected the red wire of the light to the red wire of the harness, and the black wire of the light to the black wire of the harness. Doesn't get much more idiot-proof than that... It's a white light, but kind of dull and off white so it blends in pretty well with the orange dash lights (at least better than I thought a white light would look).
As for the question about the airbag light, it is still back inside my dash. I had everything put together but couldn't get the airbag light on the gauge cluster to go off (also Google "2005 pathfinder airbag light reset"). After getting frustrated, I figured it must be the airbag light because I removed it and just left the harness loose. So, I pulled the dash apart again (I was getting good at it at this point), reconnected the airbag light to the wiring harness (it's just a little orange LED and a 2-wire harness), put the dash back together, redid the airbag reset, and I'm good to go. I turned off my garage lights and I can just see a faint orange glow through some of the small dash seams so I know the light is still working, but unless you are trying to see it, you won't notice it. I didn't disable/disconnect anything, but rather I just moved some things around. I could also have done it on the passenger side, but I like being able to see the gauges as the driver and not having to look on the opposite side of the dash for the temperature. But, there's plenty of room back there on either side because the ducting for the HVAC is way out of the way. I had a GMC Sierra before and I mounted a CB in the dash and had to cut out a lot of the ducting to get it to fit, but this install in the Pathy was a dream! It really is easy, but just be patient and take your time getting the gauge to fit just right and you'll be happy with it. The gauge is Auto Meter 2355. I did an electric temp gauge because I didn't want to risk transmission fluid in the interior with a mechanical gauge. Any other questions, feel free to ask.
As for the question about the airbag light, it is still back inside my dash. I had everything put together but couldn't get the airbag light on the gauge cluster to go off (also Google "2005 pathfinder airbag light reset"). After getting frustrated, I figured it must be the airbag light because I removed it and just left the harness loose. So, I pulled the dash apart again (I was getting good at it at this point), reconnected the airbag light to the wiring harness (it's just a little orange LED and a 2-wire harness), put the dash back together, redid the airbag reset, and I'm good to go. I turned off my garage lights and I can just see a faint orange glow through some of the small dash seams so I know the light is still working, but unless you are trying to see it, you won't notice it. I didn't disable/disconnect anything, but rather I just moved some things around. I could also have done it on the passenger side, but I like being able to see the gauges as the driver and not having to look on the opposite side of the dash for the temperature. But, there's plenty of room back there on either side because the ducting for the HVAC is way out of the way. I had a GMC Sierra before and I mounted a CB in the dash and had to cut out a lot of the ducting to get it to fit, but this install in the Pathy was a dream! It really is easy, but just be patient and take your time getting the gauge to fit just right and you'll be happy with it. The gauge is Auto Meter 2355. I did an electric temp gauge because I didn't want to risk transmission fluid in the interior with a mechanical gauge. Any other questions, feel free to ask.
My understanding of a mechanical vs electronic gauge is that the mechanical still works remotely (ie you don't need to plumb trans fluid to come into the passenger compartment, I think thats what you were eluding to?) I have a mechanical gauge in my workshop, use it for diagnostics. It has a 6ft wire on it (very stiff wire), and a sensor on the end that threads into the test port. However, I think electric gauge is still best.
What about moving the airbag light across the bezel to the passenger side instead? How long is the harness? Or could the pigtail be extended?
t
What about moving the airbag light across the bezel to the passenger side instead? How long is the harness? Or could the pigtail be extended?
t
Yes I was referring to mechanical vs. electrical gauge. I guess my understanding was there would be fluid, but maybe that was only for a pressure gauge. I was sure about the electrical gauge, so that's why I went that route.
I think you'd have to splice the harness for it to be long enough, and you'd have to move the "lens" over as well. The "lens" is the symbol piece for the airbag; I don't know what else to call it. I just didn't want to see it all the time so I just got rid of it but kept everything connected. There is a lot of room on either side, though, that you could mount either the gauge or the airbag light on either side and not have an issue. Very good design by Nissan.
I think you'd have to splice the harness for it to be long enough, and you'd have to move the "lens" over as well. The "lens" is the symbol piece for the airbag; I don't know what else to call it. I just didn't want to see it all the time so I just got rid of it but kept everything connected. There is a lot of room on either side, though, that you could mount either the gauge or the airbag light on either side and not have an issue. Very good design by Nissan.
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