Instrument Panels Ain't What They Used to Be (Another Rant from a Curmudgeon)

[DanW]

Use these....

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[LouisvEarlleJT]

Use these....

Unfortunately if you have the 7.5” radio you can’t put those on the screen, that’s on the 8.4” only. Folks with the 7.5 can pull each of those up individually in the center of the gauge cluster.

 

[Reddog]

My first driver's license was more than 60 years ago.
This JTR is my first vehicle with a digital instrument panel.
We have outsmarted ourselves.

Back in the bad old days
one brief glance at the dashboard
revealed the status of all critical systems.

If all the needles were pointed up
all systems were good.
Eyes back on the road in a fraction of a second.

Of course this picture of my 1998 Wrangler Sahara
was taken with the engine off
but you can see what I mean.

Fuel level, volt meter, oil pressure and engine temperature
the status of which is plain to see at a glance.

With the new and improved modern digital instrument panel
one must push thumb buttons on the steering wheel ad nauseam
to try and bring up the systems of interest
and then decipher the significance of the digital iconography revealed.
While running off the edge of the road in the process.

Sometimes, less really is more.

Well that makes two of us. I have always been a gauge watcher. Learned that early in life when learning to fly. With the poor over all quality of today's Jeeps (my opinion), I want to see the gauges at a glance without opening a darn ap on a screen in the center of the car. Wish that gauge screen in Offroad Aps could be set to default on at least instead of having to reboot it every time I shut off the engine. Today's Jeep has a gas engine that runs very hot due to the manufacturer trying to meet emission standards and I want to see the actual coolant temp, oil pressure, trans temp, and electrical system state when I start up and while driving. $60,00 plus for a vehicle, how much do you have to pay to get it with gauges? Okay, done whining. Have a nice Christmas

 

[Flyboy2109]

I kick mine as far across the parking lot as I can
(J/k. I don't like the duck thing. If I get one, I just put it on the closest jeep)

Use these....

Guessing you didn't note I drive a Sport S. These aren't analog anyway but a repeater of the ECU info.

 

[DanW]

Guessing you didn't note I drive a Sport S. These aren't analog anyway but a repeater of the ECU info.

Yes, not analog, but the YJ was the last Jeep to truly have analog. And besides, these indicators are straight up when at the optimum indication for each measurement.

Indycar drivers used to rotate their instruments so that needles were straight up when they were at optimum readings they could see them in a nanosecond glance. Pretty cool.

 

[Mad Mac]

Thank you, DanW.
The Offroad Page is just the ticket.
Digital gauges
that look like a cluster of analog instruments
that can be taken in at a glance.

Unfortunately, my JTR has the circumsized 7.5 inch screen
as explained by Louisv.

As Reddog pointed out,
it is infuriating to pay that much
and then be denied access to features
that are already there.

 

[40x40]

My first driver's license was more than 60 years ago.
This JTR is my first vehicle with a digital instrument panel.
We have outsmarted ourselves.

Back in the bad old days
one brief glance at the dashboard
revealed the status of all critical systems.

If all the needles were pointed up
all systems were good.
Eyes back on the road in a fraction of a second.

Of course this picture of my 1998 Wrangler Sahara
was taken with the engine off
but you can see what I mean.

Fuel level, volt meter, oil pressure and engine temperature
the status of which is plain to see at a glance.

With the new and improved modern digital instrument panel
one must push thumb buttons on the steering wheel ad nauseam
to try and bring up the systems of interest
and then decipher the significance of the digital iconography revealed.
While running off the edge of the road in the process.

Sometimes, less really is more.

if you want to be a REAL curmudgeon, Texas DMV has the plate CRMDGN available!

 

[DanW]

Thank you, DanW.
The Offroad Page is just the ticket.
Digital gauges
that look like a cluster of analog instruments
that can be taken in at a glance.

Unfortunately, my JTR has the circumsized 7.5 inch screen
as explained by Louisv.

As Reddog pointed out,
it is infuriating to pay that much
and then be denied access to features
that are already there.

Yep. I wonder if Z Automotive can get the Tazer to unlock the gauges on the 7.5?

 

[Reddog]

Yep. I wonder if Z Automotive can get the Tazer to unlock the gauges on the 7.5?

Now that's a good idea. I have one so going to see if it can do so.

 

[DanW]

Now that's a good idea. I have one so going to see if it can do so.

I think there is a thread on the JL side of the forum to give ZAuto suggestions. I'll try and find it.

 

[ChrisNLA]

Call me new school, but it doesn't bother me any in this particular truck.

Important stuff (for my use) is up on screen by default. Fuel level and coolant temp.

I don't make it a point to anxiously wonder what my voltage is doing, oil pressure, etc. If the truck is acting fine it's no concern of mine.

If I do want to see something, flick down to the next menu, scroll left or right real quick. Haven't had to run off the road to do it yet. After two years its muscle memory.

 

[Screen Protech]

All these fancy screens is why we need Screen Protectors now. At the very least, gotta stop the fingerprints.

 

[Freems]

My fear is one intergraded panel to replace when it shits the bed. My 2014 f150s did and it was total darkness…$3K later I got my fuel gauge back. This electrical integration will get worse Not better.

 

[ScottBeach]

Great point my wife has a 2023 Mercedes-Benz. The dash shit the bed. No speedo. No tach. Nothing. Because the entire display is digital. Took 6 weeks to get a replacement ( early in 2023 model year might not be as long today) never had a car with every physical gage fail at once.​

 

[wchevron]

Just bought a 1977 Toyota Landcruiser. Has a speedometer, amp, oil pressure, fuel, and temp gauges. Sometimes I like the simplicity. Other times its nice getting in the Jeep and not having the speedometer bounce up and down until you reach 45 mph and the amp gauge wildly fluctuate every time you turn the blinker on.

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