[JohnsKia20139204]

Hi, I'm a newcomer to this forum.

I have a 2013 Kia Forte EX with the 2.0L engine that my mom got from an auction to replace my previous car. (She did it against my will and pushed for it due to increasingly frequent repairs to the old one, but I decided to go along with it. I still miss that car.)
The car got fixed up and it has served me nicely these past 3 years. Now, I am getting a slight hunch to modify it a little bit.

I don't plan on doing something intense like adding a turbo. What I'm currently considering the most is adding some aftermarket gauges, since this car doesn't have some essential ones (oil pressure, oil temp, water temp etc.) in its cluster which I find a little dumb. Would you guys think that would be a good idea, and if so what brand gauges would be best? (Looking at GlowShift so far.)

I have added an external TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System)... one little addition so far. Here's a picture of it:

 

[noturbonoproblem]

Water temp can be found with a cheap OBD2 dongle off Amazon and the Torque app on Android. Adding an actual gauge for it is dumb and a total nightmare.

Adding the other two is also kind of a waste of time and money since it’s an economy car but if you really want to you can get a sandwich plate for the oil filter and tap them both into there and run wires/lines. Not as hard, but probably still more work than it’s worth.

You’d also probably have to make your own mounting solution since nobody does this kind of stuff to these, so good luck with that.

Better question is why do you want to know this info? It’s not really necessary on that car unless you take it to the track or something.

If I sound like a pessimist that doesn’t understand why you’d want additional gauges, I added a bunch of auxiliary gauges to one of my other cars since it’s old and is known to have issues with that stuff that causes bigger issues. I’d do it if I tracked it, or boosted it or something that greatly increases the stress on your car. However, you have a non turbo economy sedan. This is mostly just non-necessary info that you won’t need if it’s your daily. If you track it or tow in hot climates or some sort of severe usage, then it’s a different story, but if it’s just your daily, I wouldn’t bother.

Not trying to discourage you, just leaving this here so you can consider your ideas before committing the time and money to do it. If you still want to, go for it! It would be sweet. Take pictures through the whole process.

 

[mobileterminaluser]

Glow shift for the win. Ebay/Amazon for the a pillar or dash pods. There's a member that makes pod gauges on here. I screen captured it. I'll post it when I find it.

 

[mobileterminaluser]

In today's computer filled vehicles the other indicator gauges are called dummy lights.

By the time they go off/illuminate the problem has already happened instead of giving the driver real time in use readouts & info to catch the possible trouble or problems.

You can install an aftermarket market stereo that specifically uses Maestro idatalink modules MMR or MMR2 like I did on my 2010 Koup SX 2.4L.

If you do go that route, you can buy from Crutchfield.com or go to your local bestbuy or reputable car audio & video specialist.

Will make it very easy if you remove the stereo faceplate & center AC vents if you go with professional install.

If you do go pro, take pics of the entire wire hook ups before reinstalling the stereo faceplate & HVAC vents.

I did the maestro idatalink MMR module myself. I only get a few on screen accessible choices. I can't access the rest of the gauges cause I don't have the 100% info/wire hook ups/schematics or can't get it from online searches. Hence why a professional will be required for full 100% use of available gauges.

Crux steering wheel control interface.
Metra double din stereo faceplate both from Crutchfield.com

Kenwood DDX773BH double din stereo from local pawnshop.

Maestro idatalink MMR module from Ebay.

I have a thread/post on this.

Take all the pics. It helps out the community & hope this help.

 

[noturbonoproblem]

^ Glowshift recommendation is on point. Good stuff, if a little expensive.

For water temp, your best bet is to plumb inline on the output coolant hose from the engine. You'll have to find a diagram or figure out how flow is routed through the cooling system and insert a fitting in line with the hose that allows you to screw an NPT temp probe into it.

Here's how I did it on my Land Rover (not my post, but this is what I used to guide me):
Installing a Temp Gauge on a 2003 Disco II | Land Rover and Range Rover Forum (landroversonly.com)
Adapters for water temp: GlowShift | Water Temperature Gauge Sensor Adapters (glowshiftdirect.com)
You'll have to figure out the coolant hose size and which hose flows out from the engine to cut and put that piece in, but otherwise it's pretty similar.

Sandwich adapters for the oil filter for oil pressure/temp: GlowShift | Oil Filter Sandwich Adapters (glowshiftdirect.com)
You'll have to figure out which size to get for your specific thread size and pitch.

 

[mobileterminaluser]

Post saved & following.

 

[mobileterminaluser]

 

[mobileterminaluser]

 

[mobileterminaluser]

 

[mobileterminaluser]

 

[mobileterminaluser]

 

[mobileterminaluser]

Upload & post the connections if you go glowshift or maestro idatalink install.

The idatalink MMR module let's one choose to display onscreen transmission, RPMs, basically digital versions of physical guages. I'll take pics of the onboard choices.

Hope my pics help.

 

[noturbonoproblem]

Yes, but the computer only has access to limited data that it has sensors for. There is no sensor for oil pressure or oil temp. The light on the dash is a simple old school pressure switch. If you want those functions you’ll still need that adaptor to run the glow shift gauges. But for what the computer can’t show, that’sa nice factory-look solution

 

[JohnsKia20139204]

Water temp can be found with a cheap OBD2 dongle off Amazon and the Torque app on Android. Adding an actual gauge for it is dumb and a total nightmare.

Adding the other two is also kind of a waste of time and money since it’s an economy car but if you really want to you can get a sandwich plate for the oil filter and tap them both into there and run wires/lines. Not as hard, but probably still more work than it’s worth.

You’d also probably have to make your own mounting solution since nobody does this kind of stuff to these, so good luck with that.

Better question is why do you want to know this info? It’s not really necessary on that car unless you take it to the track or something.

If I sound like a pessimist that doesn’t understand why you’d want additional gauges, I added a bunch of auxiliary gauges to one of my other cars since it’s old and is known to have issues with that stuff that causes bigger issues. I’d do it if I tracked it, or boosted it or something that greatly increases the stress on your car. However, you have a non turbo economy sedan. This is mostly just non-necessary info that you won’t need if it’s your daily. If you track it or tow in hot climates or some sort of severe usage, then it’s a different story, but if it’s just your daily, I wouldn’t bother.

Not trying to discourage you, just leaving this here so you can consider your ideas before committing the time and money to do it. If you still want to, go for it! It would be sweet. Take pictures through the whole process.

I do actually happen to have a Bluetooth OBD2 adapter. I wound up getting a BlueDriver a long time ago - I wasn't sure of the cheap stuff. I have monitored these parameters on there before with no issues (mostly - phone was being finicky sometimes). (I don't use the adapter very often nowadays.)

Yeah, I'm not sure I want to do it or not really. It would look cool, yes, but that's not my main motivation. I thought'd it be a decent idea to have those monitored as well. I guess I could just use my BlueDriver for it...

Also I was curious. I don't think I'll ever take this car to the track. I'll probably get smoked a lot LOL.
I still do have a slight hunch to modify this car in some way though... but I also might not do anything.

View attachment 87064

That's a nice install! I don't plan on going that intense with it haha.

 

[noturbonoproblem]

I do actually happen to have a Bluetooth OBD2 adapter. I wound up getting a BlueDriver a long time ago - I wasn't sure of the cheap stuff. I have monitored these parameters on there before with no issues (mostly - phone was being finicky sometimes). (I don't use the adapter very often nowadays.)

Yeah, I'm not sure I want to do it or not really. It would look cool, yes, but that's not my main motivation. I thought'd it be a decent idea to have those monitored as well. I guess I could just use my BlueDriver for it...

Also I was curious. I don't think I'll ever take this car to the track. I'll probably get smoked a lot LOL.
I still do have a slight hunch to modify this car in some way though... but I also might not do anything.


That's a nice install! I don't plan on going that intense with it haha.

I mean you could always try autocross - it’s cheap, easy to start out with and not competitive. I plan on doing it at some point with mine. If it’s your only car and you want to have some fun (especially if it’s a manual), I say go for it.

 

[JohnsKia20139204]

I mean you could always try autocross - it’s cheap, easy to start out with and not competitive. I plan on doing it at some point with mine. If it’s your only car and you want to have some fun (especially if it’s a manual), I say go for it.

Autocross huh?
Sounds fun! Yeah, it's my only car (for now), and it's a 6 speed auto with the option of manual shifting. Maybe!

 

[noturbonoproblem]

Autocross huh?
Sounds fun! Yeah, it's my only car (for now), and it's a 6 speed auto with the option of manual shifting. Maybe!

I mean hey, everyone starts somewhere!

 

[Zeuss]

I did the maestro idatalink MMR module myself. I only get a few on screen accessible choices. I can't access the rest of the gauges cause I don't have the 100% info/wire hook ups/schematics or can't get it from online searches. Hence why a professional will be required for full 100% use of available gauges.

I recently found a fairly big breakthru on this info. The harness that has 3 rows of pins handles all the communication of the factory USB, AUX, Steering Wheel Controls, Handsfree Mic, and possibly CANBUS info.

For a long time I was unable to find the male side of this harness so that I could connect to all those functions with my Pioneer AVH-x7800BT. Then thanks to RichardNixon I was able to find this adapter. I'm going to be wiring up everything is weekend with a beauty harness. I'm going to take pics and make it's own post as well.

AUDI 20 pin harness

 

[mobileterminaluser]

I recently found a fairly big breakthru on this info. The harness that has 3 rows of pins handles all the communication of the factory USB, AUX, Steering Wheel Controls, Handsfree Mic, and possibly CANBUS info.

View attachment 87378

For a long time I was unable to find the male side of this harness so that I could connect to all those functions with my Pioneer AVH-x7800BT. Then thanks to RichardNixon I was able to find this adapter. I'm going to be wiring up everything is weekend with a beauty harness. I'm going to take pics and make it's own post as well.

AUDI 20 pin harness

View attachment 87379

Post pics before middle & after, all the info, connections for sure.

Maybe I can use your info to use the unavailable idatalink MMR module options.