I totally agree with these two items.

#1 below is stupid and beyond me... every hybrid car should come with a hybrid display as standard equipment. GPS Nav should be optional.

#2 I have done the exact some thing! Only complaint is the one I have keeps frying the AAA battery in about 30 days.

I agree with #1 as well. I wouldnt have bought the Nav system (had I a choice...but that's another matter) except that I wanted the hybrid feedback.

For #2, I saw somewhere once on the internet where you can buy a small flashlight that is also a solar charger (~$20?)for the batteries that are in it (AA I think). You just leave it in your car where it could get some sun, and it stays charged. I remember that it can charge 2 AAs in about 16 hrs of sun, so for a month that's more than enough for a full charge for the temp guage. Get two sets of rechargeables and swap them.

OR, you can modify it to have that power your temp gauge directly.

...now that I think about it, there gotta be a solar temp guage for your auto somewhere on the net...

Today I bought one of those $10 temperature gauges from Target. The instructions said to install the sensor in the door jam on the outside of the gasket. So I did this, and the temp isn't even close!

Where would be another good place to locate the sensor so I get a more accurate reading?

Mark

I agree 100%. I installed an Eclipse 5435 double DIN in-dash NAV unit in my 05 FEH. I do not have the Hybrid display, but I would like to have it & think it should be standard equipment in the Hybrids.

I would never in a million years give up the awesome Eclipse unit for that obsolete POS that Ford installs as a NAV setup however. While the Hybrid display is kinda cool(I've played with the one in my Mother's Prius), it doesn't really do anything & the Eclipse unit is something I get TONS of use out of & enjoy every time I am in the vehicle.

The Eclipse has a bright beautiful 6.5" LCD screen, plays DVD movies, plays MP3 disc's, has a backup camera (I got a color CCD camera off ebay for $60 that works super), has a high powered internal AMP etc etc etc. This incredible unit cost me less than 1/2 what the factory setup costs(I bought it new off ebay for under $1000) & looks like a factory installed option. The maps are all on one DVD & when newer ones are available I can just slip in a newer DVD & be good to go.

The funny thing is, Eclipse is owned by Toyota/Lexus. I work at a car dealer & we have an 04 Lexus on our lot right now that has the $4000 GPS/NAV option. The unit in that Lexus is absolutely identical to the one I installed in my Escape..........

I own a couple other GPS/NAV units also, I have a Garmin 2610 on my Harley touring bike & my wife has a Garmin 2620 in her Jaguar. We paid less than $500 each for the two Garmin units & they are also substantially better than the Ford factory NAV unit,,,,,,,,,,

~John

That's the same spot I put mine and it seems to be fairly accurate except when the vehicle has been parked for a while. Once the car is moving the outside temp reads within a couple degrees. I also checked mine before I installed it and the temp seemed to good.

I put my sensor up about halfway up the door so that it gets some airflow when I am moving.

I installed a Gentek auto-dimming/outside temp/compass/reading light etc mirror in my 05 as one of the very first changes I have made(I've changed a TON of stuff)

I clipped the temp sensor to the shrouding under the front bumper, way down at the bottom. This keeps it away from the radiator/engine heat etc & it is very accurate. If I park in the baking sun for a few hours, it will read too high at first(this will happen with almost any location) but as soon as I start moving it drops to the correct temp.

~John

Here is a pic showing that NAV unit & the Gentek mirror:

http://www.pbase.com/jmorton10/image/66287538

~John

Your check engine light is on - better get that checked....

Is that wood grain around the shifter? Did it come like that or is that one of your changes. Mirror looks nice too.

The check engine light goes out when I actually start it instead of just turn the key on................

The wood grain around the shifter is part of the Woodview kit I got from Gator.

~John

Cool! I really like the mirror, just don't like the price! Since my results with a $10 temperature sensor were marginal... was not too motivated to get a $200-$300 one.

Your car has a cool custom look. I've never been a fan of woodgrain ( personal taste ) but I like your mods.

I've got "Ford Blue" lug nuts and valve stems on my wheels, but that's about it!
-john