Roush Boost gauge color changing issue

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Dane

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I had my Roush Supercharger installed a while back, but only recently was able to have the boost gauge installed. Since the Roush LED gauge isn't dimmable, I had the shop wire it up to be white during the day (no headlights) and blue (headlights) at night. It works pretty well since the blue is a lot more mellow than the white. Here's where it gets weird. The switching between colors ONLY works if I auto-start the truck first. During auto-start, the gauge is on (no key in) and blue. After I put the key in it behaves properly, switching with the headlights. If I just start the truck normally, I get a white gauge regardless of the headlights.

I'll be taking it back into the shop to have them fix it (hopefully) soon, but wanted to arm myself with knowledge here first. Anyone familiar with this and why it might be happening? I've looked at the wiring diagram for the gauge and it's pretty simple. Since my Roush shop installed it, I won't be tearing it apart myself to inspect the wiring. I'll let them do that.
 

The Car Stereo Company

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probably a wrong wire somewhere. there has to be a relay connected somewhere to change colors, but the trigger for the relay needs to be the right one. otherwise it will stay one color. usually the problem is they tested the wire but didnt test for other functions. lots of vehicles have a wire that looks like a constant or ignition, but when you run the ac or wipers, hazards, or whatever, it could turn off meaning that its not a true constant or ignition. my first place to check would be the relay input.
 
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Dane

Dane

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probably a wrong wire somewhere. there has to be a relay connected somewhere to change colors, but the trigger for the relay needs to be the right one. otherwise it will stay one color. usually the problem is they tested the wire but didnt test for other functions. lots of vehicles have a wire that looks like a constant or ignition, but when you run the ac or wipers, hazards, or whatever, it could turn off meaning that its not a true constant or ignition. my first place to check would be the relay input.

Well, the wiring in the gauge is simple. Four wires (not worrying about the boost line) - Hot and ground are easy. Then there's a white (for white light) and a blue (for blue light). You wire the white to acc (for white in the day time) and blue to parking lights (to turn blue in the dark). Like I said, it all works great if I auto-start. I can turn the headlights on/off and the gauge changes colors just like it should - as many times as you like, auto headlights, whatever, it's great. However if I start the truck with the key, no dice, only white, no matter what I do with the headlights/parking lights.

Really, it's behaving like if the gauge turns on blue initially, everything works fine. If it first turns on white, no dice. I wonder if the gauge is jacked?
 

MTF

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Well if you notice, remote start turns the parking lights on until you get in and step on the brake.
Try it with the light switch turned off. If you use AUTO you may not notice that.

You may want to change the blue wire to the head lights but if you use (AUTO) daytime running lights that wont work for you I believe.

I personally do not use AUTO ever, I like running the LEDs at dawn and dusk.
 
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Dane

Dane

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Well if you notice, remote start turns the parking lights on until you get in and step on the brake.
Try it with the light switch turned off. If you use AUTO you may not notice that.

You may want to change the blue wire to the head lights but if you use (AUTO) daytime running lights that wont work for you I believe.

I personally do not use AUTO ever, I like running the LEDs at dawn and dusk.

None of the above seems to affect it. It's very strange.
 

MTF

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There are plenty of guys that had a boost gauge installed.
Too bad that more members haven't chimed in.

Maybe give JDM a call I know they done a few not sure if they did your scenario but it couldn't hurt.

Like Noah said, it maybe that it's not quite the right wires.
 
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Dane

Dane

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There are plenty of guys that had a boost gauge installed.
Too bad that more members haven't chimed in.

Maybe give JDM a call I know they done a few not sure if they did your scenario but it couldn't hurt.

Like Noah said, it maybe that it's not quite the right wires.

I get that - except for the whole auto-start thing. Everything works FINE when autostarted. Manually switching headlights/park lights makes the gauge change. Letting auto do it works just fine too.

Exact same steps when starting with just the key, the gauge stays white.
 
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Dane

Dane

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Ok, time to revisit this. I've been to the shop multiple times to resolve this. They've verified the wiring, they've swapped out the gauge. This still isn't working. Does this boost gauge work (change colors with the headlights) for other people? I've read about this problem other places on the interwebz, but I haven't found a solution.

Only things I can figure at this point are
A) The shop just has this hooked up wrong, but that's hard to believe seeing as they're an actual Roush dealer. They're the ones who built Von Miller's charity Raptor. Also, the wiring for the gauge is pretty simple.
B) The second gauge is also faulty.

I'm really frustrated here.
 

HORN HIGH ACES

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Ok, time to revisit this. I've been to the shop multiple times to resolve this. They've verified the wiring, they've swapped out the gauge. This still isn't working. Does this boost gauge work (change colors with the headlights) for other people? I've read about this problem other places on the interwebz, but I haven't found a solution.

Only things I can figure at this point are
A) The shop just has this hooked up wrong, but that's hard to believe seeing as they're an actual Roush dealer. They're the ones who built Von Miller's charity Raptor. Also, the wiring for the gauge is pretty simple.
B) The second gauge is also faulty.

I'm really frustrated here.

Sell me your SC kit for pennies on the dollar and make it my problem. :crazy:

Seriously though, I can see where something that should be simple can be so frustrating.
 
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