• Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

    You can register to join the community.

Contour Wiring Harness.... all identical?

S

Scorpion8

Hard-core CEG'er
Joined
Jul 10, 2008
Messages
1,681
Location
Juneau, AK
Does anyone know if Ford used a single wiring harness on all the Contour models? My reason for asking is based on experience with a 87 Jeep Cherokee. Jeep used a single wiring harness, and then if there were features you didn't buy (like rear wiper, rear liftgate monuted speakers, etc) they just weren't there. I later added many of the "options" that didn't come with the Jeep, since all I had to do was buy the parts and snap them in.

So my question pertains to the Contour. I have the GL model, which was the base. The dash gauge cluster is, well, let's say, skimpy. I'd like to find an upper model gauge cluster and replace mine. If the wiring harness is identical between models, this would be a snap. If not, it'd be problematic.

Any ideas?
 
Does anyone know if the various gauge clusters are swappable? I have a 98 GL model, and want to upograde the gauge cluster to "more stuff".
 
No, it doesn't. Is it electronic just feeding off a signal, or cable driven? Would it be hard to add?
 
Some cars that came without a tachometer have the wire run to the cluster already, and then others do not... Mine did not (1995), so I had to do this:

When I installed a stock gauge cluster with a tach I had to splice into a white wire with a black stripe... This is not one of the coil wires... I could not find it in-cabin (although supposedly it is there), so I tapped into the wire right before (the passender side of) the junction box located in front of the brake fluid container... I then ran the wire into the cabin through a grommet in the firewall in that same area...
Click to expand...

The tach was electrically driven on all years... When looking for a cluster, it is best to get one from the same year because Ford decided to change the layout of the connections on the back of the cluster, at least once...

You can use a tach cluster from a Duratec if you can not find one out of a Zetec, but you will need to add a resistor... Zorrex should be able to clarify how to do that, or maybe you can find it by searching...
 
Thanks! That's superb information and will be very helpful. Now, to find a parts unit gauge cluster .....
 
Find one from a 98 Mystique 4 cyl. All Mystiques come with a tach.

Find out your build date in the door jam to determine if you need a 98 cluster or a 98.5. The wiring changed for 98.5+
 
CSVT1214 said:
Find one from a 98 Mystique 4 cyl. All Mystiques come with a tach.

Find out your build date in the door jam to determine if you need a 98 cluster or a 98.5. The wiring changed for 98.5+
Click to expand...

Thanks. Even more superb advice. I'll see what I can find. Do all the regular connections otherwise just simply swap and plug?
 
Scorpion8 said:
Thanks. Even more superb advice. I'll see what I can find. Do all the regular connections otherwise just simply swap and plug?
Click to expand...

Yes, even the 98.5+ plugs (2 of them) are the same, but the but the internal wiring of the cluster changed.

As long as your car has a tach wire feeding into the harness, it should be a simple 10 min swap.
 
My date of manufacture says 5/97 but the VIN breaks down to 1998. I assume that's a pre-98.5 then, correct?
 
Scorpion8 said:
My date of manufacture says 5/97 but the VIN breaks down to 1998. I assume that's a pre-98.5 then, correct?
Click to expand...

5/97 would make it a 98.

1/98 and earlier, it's a 98.
2/98 and later, it's a 98.5

I assume your temp gauge says NORMAL across it? If so, that confirms it. Just make sure the cluster you buy says NORMAL on it as well. 98.5+ do not say anything so it's a dead giveaway when you see the gauge cluster.
 
Thanks, and yes, mine says "normal" across it. I'll be sure to find a proper match. Any leads, or is this a search auto wreckers job?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top