Fiestaguides.co.uk > Guides > Interior

Thought about something different in the clocks department? How about the mk5 digital ones!
Yes digital display, accurate and look nice.
There is a lot of work involved in fitting these to your car but this guide will show
you how to do it with the minimal of effort.

So in this guide I will show you how to wire them up to a non air bagged Mk3
and a Air bagged MK3 and 3.5 using a homemade adaptor so you do not have
to cut the original wiring loom in your car.

this guide also shows you how to wire up the door ajar warning light .

I will also show you how to fit and wire up a low washer fluid sensor and the mk5 low fuel indicator in a later guide.

Tools Needed:

Soldering iron and stand,
Solder,
Helping hand or crocodile clips.
Screwdrivers
Dremal and bits
Insulation tape
Hot melt glue gun
Copper Clad board (www.Maplin.co.uk)
PCB socket and plug (www.Maplin.co.uk)

Mk5

Like It

Looking Good

Applies to:
All Mk3 and Mk3.5 Fieatas

Firstly you will need to get hold of a set of mk5 clocks out of a higher spec like zetec-s if possible,
as they will have all the wires.
You can get one from a scrap yard or Ebay, your call but these are like gold dust. From a scrap yard you will need to remove the trim around them, this is done by undoing the 2
screws in the dials aperture and one under a cover at the side of the centre vents.
Once out, simply undo the 4 screws holding the cluster to the dash and pull out.
Cut the loom as far back as you can to give you plenty of wire to play with.

While you are at the scrap yard get the sensor from the washer fluid tank,
undo the torx headed screws and remove the drivers side arch lining to reveal the tank,
you will see the sensor at the side of the pump. Unclip and unplug the wiring and prise it out of the tank.
Make sure you get the gasket. On the inner wing there will be a large connector,
cut all the wires off there and go back to the washer bottle and pull the rest of the loom down.
So you will have the sensor, gasket and a length of wire with the 2 pinned connector pug on.

The mk5 clocks are basically the same as the mk3 versions therefore
do not require much altering to fit. See later in the guide.

Set too and remove your original clocks. 2 screws under the cowl and 4 around the cluster.
Pull out and disconnect the Speedo cable and the wiring multiplug.

Making the PCB, Get some copper clad board, and simply push it into the socket connector in the car
while the ignition is off and it will scratch the surface of the copper,
take the board out of the connector and mark in between the scratches.
Mark 1cm from the edge of the board and mark it.

Cut the board down to the 1cm line and use a hack saw blade to notch through
just the copper between the scratches, on the lines.

Use some cleaner and remove the excess pen.

Now use a 1.5mm drill bit and drill on each section of copper in line with the scratches.
This hole is for the wire from the mk5 loom.

Use the table below and connect the wires to the copper board. Strip the ends of the wires and push the exposed wires through the board
from non copper side and solder in place.

Notice the amont of wires compared to the mk3, you will need to seperate the mk5 plug to gain access to them, this is done by cutting the tie wrap on the end,
using a small screwdriver to prise the inneer plug from the outer casing.

There are four earths on the new wiring, simply connect together and connect to pin five on the old wiring.

Don't worry about the wires that don't match up with any other wires just yet

Mk3 clocks NON AIRBAG

Mk5 Plug

Mk5 Pins Mk5 Wire Colour Function Mk3 Pin Mk3 Wire Colour

1 Orange +12V Permanent supply Use a 7.5Amp fuse from supply (Spur from Fuse 2)

2 Violet + 12V ignition supply 6 Black/Yellow

3 Empty Not Used N/A N/A

4 White/Red Not Used N/A N/A

5 Empty Not Used N/A N/A

6 Empty Not Used N/A N/A

7 Blue/Black Indicator LH 14 Black/Green

8 Orange/Blue Dash Illumination 13 Grey/Yellow

9 Grey/Violet Data Link N/A N/A

10 Blue/Black Alternator charge light 2 Blue

11 Black/Green Oil pressure switch 1 Brown/Green

12 Black/Blue Parking Brake Warning Light 8 Brown/Yellow

13 Black/Red ABS Warning Lamp 7 Brown/Black

14 Black/Blue Check Engine Warning Light N/A N/A

15 Black/Red Traction control warning lamp (Linked to 13) N/A N/A

16 Black/Green Airbag Warning Lamp Connect to Black on mk5 wiring
To earth out the light

17 Black Earth 5 Brown

18 White/Blue Vehicle Speed Sensor Connect to Brown/White
on sensor at gearbox

19 White To ECU N/A N/A

20 White/Black Heater Control Module N/A N/A

21 White/Black Rev Counter 10 Green

22 Blue/White +12V Accessory supply Use a 7.5Amp fuse from supply (spur from Yellow at Radio)

23 Black Earth 5 Brown

24 White/Red Fuel Gauge 4 Brown/Black

25 White/Red Temperature gauge 3 Brown/White

26 Black/Orange Low Washer Fluid Warning Lamp N/A N/A

27 Black Earth 5 Brown

28 Black Earth 5 Brown

29 Blue/Yellow Indicator RH 15 Black/White

30 Violet/white High Beam Light 12 Blue/White

31 Black/Blue Door Ajar Warning Lamp Connect to Brown/Red in drivers A pillar for interior light

32 White/Green Choke Warning Light 9 Brown/green

Glow Warning Light 9 Brown/yellow

Mk3 clocks AIRBAG

Mk5 Plug

Mk5 Pins Mk5 Wire Colour Function Mk3 Pin Mk3 Wire Colour

1 Orange +12V Permanent supply Use a 7.5Amp fuse from supply (Spur from Fuse 2)

2 Violet + 12V ignition supply 6 Black/Yellow

3 Empty Not Used N/A N/A

4 White/Red Not Used N/A N/A

5 Empty Not Used N/A N/A

6 Empty Not Used N/A N/A

7 Blue/Black Indicator LH 14 Black/Green

8 Orange/Blue Dash Illumination 13 Grey/Yellow

9 Grey/Violet Data Link N/A N/A

10 Blue/Black Alternator charge light 2 Blue

11 Black/Green Oil pressure switch 1 Brown/Green

12 Black/Blue Parking Brake Warning Light 8 Brown/Yellow

13 Black/Red ABS Warning Lamp 7 Brown/Black

14 Black/Blue Check Engine Warning Light N/A N/A

15 Black/Red Traction control warning lamp (Linked to 13) N/A N/A

16 Black/Green Airbag Warning Lamp 9 Brown/White

17 Black Earth 5 Brown

18 White/Blue Vehicle Speed Sensor Connect to Brown/White
on sensor at gearbox

19 White To ECU N/A N/A

20 White/Black Heater Control Module N/A N/A

21 White/Black Rev Counter 10 Green

22 Blue/White +12V Accessory supply Use a 7.5Amp fuse from supply (spur from Yellow at Radio)

23 Black Earth 5 Brown

24 White/Red Fuel Gauge 4 Brown/Black

25 White/Red Temperature gauge 3 Brown/White

26 Black/Orange Low Washer Fluid Warning Lamp N/A N/A

27 Black Earth 5 Brown

28 Black Earth 5 Brown

29 Blue/Yellow Indicator RH 15 Black/White

30 Violet/white High Beam Light 12 Blue/White

31 Black/Blue Door Ajar Warning Lamp Connect to Brown/Red in drivers A pillar for interior light

32 White/Green Choke Warning Light Additional connector Brown/green

Glow Warning Light Additional connector Brown/yellow

Please note that on airbag models pin 9 on the mk3 wiring is for the airbag control light,
meaning that if the mk3 is a diesel then the glow plug warning light is wired up
separate to the main plug and would require tapping into the wires and the original bulb removing.

At the end of the copper board drill 3 holes for the low washer fluid wire,
the door ajar wire and the other for the Vehicle Speed Sensor wire.
Directly in front of these drill more holes to allow a connector block to fit.

Through the drivers side air vent you will be able to see a wire going up the A pillar towards the roof,
within this there will be a Brown/Red wire. Take a spur from this and run it to the pin crated for
the door ajar warning light. Insulate the connection and secure the wires.

In the middle of the board there will be dead space so drill a hole large enough
to push a tie wrap through, this will secure the board to the original wiring.
Within this dead space you will have to put an additional connector block same
as above but to connect the 12V permanent supply and 12V Accessory supply to.

The 12volt permanent supply must be fused by using an inline fuse holder with a 7.5amp fuse
taken from fuse 2 in the fuse box or directly from the positive bus-bar.
Try and use a ford fuse holder that can connect to the fuse box.

The 12volt accessory supply must also be fused with a 7.5Amp fuse this supply
can be spurred from Yellow wire at Radio or ignition switch.

Terminate these connections into plugs to match the pins on the copper board.

If you dont have an airbag you will
need to trick the dials into thinking there is an air bag there.

this is done by adding a 5 amp fuse to the end of the wire from the clocks and the other side of the fuse connecting to a ignition power supply.

If you want the low washer fluid light to go off you need to earth the wire or install the sensor in the washer tank.

To install the sensor you need to jack the car up on the passanger side remove the wheel and arch liner.
then disconnect the washer motor , unscrew the tank and drill a 20mm hole 8 cm from the bottom on the back of the tank big enough for the sensor to fit in near to the bottom of the tank,
Fit the sensor in the tank with the arm flopping down. Make sure the sealing washer is used or silicone sealant, may be advised to use both.

Also notice how close the sensor sits to the inner wing so please drill the hole at 8cm from bottom otherwise it wont fit.

fe fit the tank in reverse from above. earth out one of the wires from the sensor and connect the other wire to the clocks.

Refit the tank, fill it and then the arch liner

You will need a Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) to provide the clocks with a signal
to calculate the actual speed the car is travelling

The sensor is only present on cars that are fuel injected so cars such
as 1.1,1.3 HCS 1.4, 1.6 CVH Carbed will not have it. So go and get
one from a scrappers or Ebay or the like, I assume they will be
expensive from ford as with every thing.

It looks like a black tube about 3" high, it's made out of plastic and it's screwed
to the gearbox and the Speedo cable is screwed to it.
There will be three wires from it with a multiplug on the end.
The wire colours and functions are as follows

VSS Plug

Pin Wire Colour Function

1 Black +12V Ignition supply

2 Brown Earth

3 Brown/White Speed Signal

Fit the sensor if not there, this is done by removing the Speedo cable retaining
nut and pulling the cable free from the gearbox sender.
Centralise the VSS over the threaded part of the sender and screw it down tight but not too tight.
The wires should end up facing the back of the car.

Screw the Speedo cable into the VSS finger tight the get a spanner and hold the
VSS stable while you tighten up the Speedo cable retaining nut.
This is to avoid stress on the plastic threads.

The VSS should only have power when the car is running so connect it up as follows.

If the VSS is being added to a car that did not have it you will need to create
a loom with three wires, make it long enough to reach into the car.
Terminate the black wire in the fuse box where it needs to be connected
to the black wire from the ignition relay (Pin86) or ignition switch (pin15).
Take the brown/white wire to where the dial connection will be made.
The brown from the VSS can be earthed anywhere you wish, inside the car or in the engine compartment.

In theory the Speedo cable can be completely removed and the top of the VSS capped with a sealing cap.
Alternatively you can leave the Speedo cable where it is and tuck it away behind
the column support just in case you need to put the old clocks back in.

The petrol guage will read backwards, in the picture i have only a quarter of a tank left not 3 quarters left.

As of yet i havn't found a way of reversing it, but will put an update on the site when i do

Remove your existing clocks if not done so, plug the new connector into the existing loom,
then to the back of the mk5 clocks.

Connect up the new little plugs to the copper board.
Then cake it all in hot glue to insulate it and stop it from moving.

Test them to make sure all the functions work this includes switching the key to
ignition where the battery and oil lights will come on and the airbag if present.
Turn the key to start the car and it should move the rev counter dial a little.
If it doesn't, don't worry about it at the minute.

Flick the indicator stalk to indicate in the directions, left and right and it
should blink the lights on the dash.

Pull the indicator stalk towards you and you will flash your main beam and the blue light will illuminate.
Turn the sidelights on then the headlights and the dash should illuminate

If you have a manual choke, pull it out and the swirly line will illuminate,
this is meant for the glow plug warning light but doubles up as a choke.

If for any reason any of the above does not light up then the bulbs may be faulty, replace and try again.

Disconnect the multiplugs and the adaptor and set to one side while you modify the
dash slightly to enable the clocks to fit the hole.

You will need to cut the bottom of the dash opening a little to allow the clocks to fit,
Cut the bottom mountings off the clocks to allow them to fit into the hole.
At the side of where the mountings used to be there will be a slanted piece of plastic,
cut this off flat as in the picture. It will stop the clocks falling back through the dash.

Again the top and bottom of the clocks will need modifying to make them fit the mk3 dash.

Cut off the bottom mounts and cut down the top ones
See the pictures below.

To fix the clocks in you can create a bracket out of metal to connect
the mounting lugs at the top to the dash, the bottom of the clocks are just wedged in and kept in by the cowl.
Re-connect the wiring adapter and tie-wrap it secure and wrap it all in insulation tape.
Screw the clocks in then replace the cowl and secure it with the screws.

below at day and night

You may notice that the rev counter may read half the value of the old dials, on some cars(Non zetec)
this is a known problem and i am trying to figure out how to fix this.

And that's it for this guide, sorry if some areas are vague but mk3 to mk5 wiring can be confusing.