How to: Mountaineer Cluster installed - Pics, problems, fixes, walk-thru WARNING! 35 pics!

[Tekreck]

Tip - Gear Shift Indicator - do not remove cable - unsnap assembly from cluster before removing cluster. Also - to emphasize something that was mentioned originally - small ribbon cable attached to circuit board - no need to remove it, plus risky as retainers are brittle and will break easity.

 

[College Student]

Alright big ? could anyone tell me where i could buy one of these from

 

[therover1991]

Alright big ? could anyone tell me where i could buy one of these from

junkyard, ebay

 

[College Student]

junkyard, ebay

check up there for me they aren't in them here and i have never used ebay still weary

 

[therover1991]

check up there for me they aren't in them here and i have never used ebay still weary

next time i go to the jy ill take a look. looking to get a cluster myself to do an led bulb swap. also ebay is fine just gotta be a tad bit careful

 

[College Student]

lol oh cuz i trust u...jk
and why not just do it to yours

 

[therover1991]

lol oh cuz i trust u...jk
and why not just do it to yours

hahaha. well because id rather have the cluster already led swapped and then when i get the one i have in out just swap.

 

[College Student]

makes sense so your looking for either?

 

[therover1991]

makes sense so your looking for either?

nah i really wanna use the same one i have. ill have to see what the junkyards around here have when i go

 

[FordExplorer2002]

now would i have to take the cluster out completely to change the bulbs? or can i leave all the connectors and the slider thingy on there and just pull if forward a but to put the new bulbs in?

 

[BigRondo]

now would i have to take the cluster out completely to change the bulbs? or can i leave all the connectors and the slider thingy on there and just pull if forward a but to put the new bulbs in?

I'm gonna say that you need to take it out to change the bulbs.

 

[FordExplorer2002]

idk if this was ansered already or not but. is it possible to install a message center into a ex that dosnt have one? and have it all work? lol thanks

 

[BigRondo]

idk if this was ansered already or not but. is it possible to install a message center into a ex that dosnt have one? and have it all work? lol thanks

Anything is possible. I just depends on how much time, money, & effort you want yo put into it.

I know that my '02 does not have the correct wiring, buttons, or cluster for the switch.

My opinion is that if this could be done, it would be way more trouble than it's worth.

 

[FordExplorer2002]

yea i dont think mine has any of that ether lol ty rondo i dont think im gonna bother with it as cool as it would be to have

 

[BigRondo]

It would be cool!

 

[trey42590]

Did this swap yesterday I like the look of these gauges way better!

 

[Duranged84]

Figured it out

 

[redneckphillips]

I have read this thread and several others and cannot seem to find an answer. I have an 02 X Eddie Bauer 4.6 4x4 w/ message center. Build date of 01/02. I bought a mountaineer cluster from an 02 w/ message center that says its good for the ones up to 03/02 so I should be good there and it should be a direct swap correct? Well I put it in this morning and everything was a straight forward swap, all the connectors were the same but I have nothing. It is completely dead. Fired up the X and nothing lights up or moves at all. So do I just have a dead cluster or is there a certain year one that I need? I dont want to do the hybrid way as I want to keep it all working as it should.

 

[Tylers02]

Did you swap out your message center board? You will have incorrect mileage if you dont. It's been a while since I did the swap when I had the 02 so maybe someone figured out how to reprogram it. I hooked up the mountaineer cluster to verify it really has 4x4 lights and instantly added 30,000 miles until I swapped out the boards

 

[redneckphillips]

So new information. I found out that when you turn the left blinker on the high beam light flashes on the cluster. When you flash and hold the high beams on the left blinker light comes on in the cluster. Nothing happens when you turn on right blinker. However my front right corner light is illuminated all by itself with nothing on. Unplugged cluster and light went out.

As to the question about the message board, no I have not. I'll go do that tonight and see if that changes anything. But you just said you plugged yours in just to check the 4x4 light situation and everything worked?? Except for the fact that the mileage on the mounty had 30,000 more miles than yours. So mine should be working too, without having to swap the message center board. So either there is a step I'm missing or its defective. Or its from the wrong year and has a different pin layout. That's what it seems like. even though the plugs go right in. It's like the wires in the plug or cluster are hooked up wrong???