Size of dash LCD screens

[hybridbear]

Today I went to the grocery store and pulled into the parking lot behind a Ginger Ale Fusion Hybrid. As they were also parking far away from all the traffic I decided to park nearby. It was an older couple driving the car and we stopped to chat a few minutes. They just got their FFH a week ago and have only 400 miles. They were asking me about how to adjust some of the settings on the dash LCD screens. When I sat in the car to help adjust some of the settings for them I was noticing that their dash LCD screens are slightly larger than the ones in our car. For example, on the Empower screen the instant fuel economy display was larger and had larger numbers than in my car. The fuel gauge also was larger on the display. I'm almost 100% sure that in their car the speedometer was smaller and the screen were slightly wider, though not any taller. I wonder if this is a Job 1 vs Job 2 thing...although the last 6 of their VIN was 227xxx, so it wasn't built that long after our FFH with VIN 192xxx. Their car has the luxury package and the Hybrid Technology Package with the center touchscreen. Our car does not have the center touchscreen, but the dash screens should be the same on ALL Fusion Hybrids.

 

Below is a picture of our dash screen next to a ruler. I'd appreciate if other owners could do the same thing. I'm curious to see both the size on the SE hybrids with the center console touchscreen and those without, like ours, as well as pics from HyTi owners. This seems odd and I don't think it was just my brain playing tricks on me. I really think that his dash screens are larger.

 

Thanks everyone!

 

 

 

[fusionTX]

I think you might be right. It's hard to measure because it's dark, but I measured approximately 4" screens and 5" speedometer.

[corncobs]

I think you might be right. It's hard to measure because it's dark, but I measured approximately 4" screens and 5" speedometer.

I would agree with fusionTX; I also believe to remember reading about different dash screen sizes between regular sound system and the MFT.

 

[fusionTX]

Not the best picture, but it is 4 inches.

 

[hybridbear]

Thanks! Now I'm really annoyed that we didn't spend the $895 for the touch screen and MFT. We debated on it and decided against it to save $900 and because of the common complaints about the touch screen functionality. Being so used to iPhones we didn't want to dislike the car because of an inferior touch screen so we decided against it...now I regret that... :(

 

Their VIN is 3FA6P0LU1DR227200 and I pulled it up in ETIS. Their car was built 2/6/13. The only real difference is that they didn't get the moonroof but instead got the Tech Pkg with the MFT screen. Darn!! Now I'm annoyed...

 

So now what I want to know is HOW...how do they fit larger screens in some of the cars? Is your speedometer smaller? It doesn't seem like we have a lot of extra space that could accomodate another half inch plus width of the screen

[fusionTX]

I think I measured 4-5-4. How wide is your speedometer?

[hybridbear]

Here are the most zoomed out pics I have of the dash. Can someone post similar angles and we'll see if we can spot the difference. I'm thinking the speedometer is the same, but on the cars with MFT the screens get closer to the speedo

 

 

 

 

[corncobs]

Maybe we have 3 different screen size here;

 

hybridbear's (standard) is definitely smaller than mine (MFT) but fusionTX's screen (Titanium) locks larger than mine. On the other hand I measured a bit lower than fusionTX so that could be the difference between.

 

In the Fusion brochure they are talking about a 4.2" screen for the MFT.

Edited May 26, 2013 by corncobs

[fusionTX]

 

 

[fusionTX]

If there is a difference, I have to wonder why. It seems to me Ford shoots itself in the foot by having so many different configurations. It's nice on the consumer that you can customize many of the options, but that probably leads to some of the quality control issues we see. And these are the options we have a choice over. It seems there are other silent differences that add to the complexity in the build process. Some auto makers limit configuration to two or three, greatly simplifying the process.

[corncobs]

I'm not 100% sure but I think I found the difference. If you look at the plastic ring around the speedometer it appears the there are 3 different thicknesses.

 

 

If you look at all 3 full dash size picture side by side I think you can see the difference.

[GrySql]

Mine has the MFT/Nav option.

[hybridbear]

Hmmm this is very interesting...

 

If there is a difference, I have to wonder why. It seems to me Ford shoots itself in the foot by having so many different configurations. It's nice on the consumer that you can customize many of the options, but that probably leads to some of the quality control issues we see. And these are the options we have a choice over. It seems there are other silent differences that add to the complexity in the build process. Some auto makers limit configuration to two or three, greatly simplifying the process.

I completely agree that it is odd to have so many configurations. I remember reading the 4.2 inch screens advertised. I wonder if ours are less than 4.2 inches...

[corncobs]

Judging by a search on fordparts.com it looks like there 5 or 6 different instrument cluster based on price for all Fusions available; it also looks like there are subcategories for US and Canada.

Based on the descriptions I would also say that there are 3 different versions for the hybrid; regular; MFT and a special version for the Energi.

 

I tried to apply different VIN # for different models but it always showed the full selection; only when I used my VIN it select the "right" one a Series 50.

[acdii]

Looks like Ford may be using the same dash in other models. The one in my Flex is identical to the Fusion Gas version. Same size and all. Since the display can be changed with programming, it makes perfect sense to use one dash for all models, and different trim pieces to offset for model variations.

[gkinla]

What's with the drivers climate right hand screen. With an arrow click will you get a passenger screen? I see it's a HiTi is this some enhancement the SE doesn't have? I do have the MFT.

[acdii]

It only has basic controls, temp and fan.

[fusionTX]

What's with the drivers climate right hand screen. With an arrow click will you get a passenger screen? I see It's a HiTi is this some enhancement the SE doesn't have? I do have the MFT.

It's for setting the Driver's climate. although when I use it, I think it sets both driver and passenger. I haven't quite figured out when passenger gets changed and when not. Seems like most times I cange the driver's temp, the passenger's gets changed too.

 

I think controlling the climate from this screen is available in All Fusions with 3.51 MFT version.

Edited May 28, 2013 by fusionTX

[corncobs]

It's for setting the Driver's climate. although when I use it, I think it sets both driver and passenger. I haven't quite figured out when passenger gets changed and when not. Seems like most times I cange the driver's temp, the passenger's gets changed too.

 

I think controlling the climate from this screen is available in All Fusions with 3.51 MFT version.

 

Nope that is the Titanium version only I'm pretty sure since I don't have with the regular MFT! That's actually why I believe there might be 3 different size dash versions.

[acdii]

Ill bet the center bezel is the only difference, the LCD portions are all the same, its the programming that makes them different. Would not surprise me if they could reprogram the dash on the 10 to look like the new 13 dash.

[corncobs]

Ill bet the center bezel is the only difference, the LCD portions are all the same, its the programming that makes them different. Would not surprise me if they could reprogram the dash on the 10 to look like the new 13 dash.

Agreed that's what it looks like on all the pics. Question is why? Because it makes no sense.

[acdii]

I'm not 100% sure but I think I found the difference. If you look at the plastic ring around the speedometer it appears the there are 3 different thicknesses.

 

 

If you look at all 3 full dash size picture side by side I think you can see the difference.

 

Very similar. Only difference is the programming and the speedo cluster.

Edited May 28, 2013 by acdii

[storksb]

 

I think controlling the climate from this screen is available in All Fusions with 3.51 MFT version.

I have an SE with MFT 3.5.1 and do not have the climate function on the right hand LCD. Would be nice to have but it is plenty convienent on the MFT.