2002 xlt odometer/mileage counter is very dim

sidoe · July 11, 2007

All of a sudden the odometer/mileage counter became very dim. I bang on top of the dash and it will light up again. What could be causing this?

E.B. Cornburner · July 11, 2007

There's a problem in either one of the solder joints or in the display itself. Ford's fix is to replace the whole instrument cluster with a remanufactured unit.

It's a common problem on the '02s.

sidoe · July 11, 2007

How about that another common problem in the 02's. Man this is the worst vehicle I have ever purchased. How do I go about buying a new remanufactured unit? And around how much is this item? Thanks for all your info.

E.B. Cornburner said:
There's a problem in either one of the solder joints or in the display itself. Ford's fix is to replace the whole instrument cluster with a remanufactured unit.

It's a common problem on the '02s.

34Ford · July 12, 2007

This has been discussed many times.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138301

I tore mine out two times. And its not a short. I wished it was.

benitej · October 16, 2007

dim odometer

I had same problem and took dash and instument cluster out.....after doing some checking............I found 4 bad solder joints.............redid a total of eight...........and working just great.......end of dim odometer and compass......I just found some photos I took.......em me referrence dim odd and I'll Em to you (s)..............Dajoser

Exrange · October 17, 2007

Will a bad connection cause the whole display to blink once every couple of minutes?

benitej · October 17, 2007

if the car does it in the drive way,,,then a connection getting hot and then cooling off could do it....a bad solder joint...possible...I don't know if there is a relay involve .........is that the only thing that cycles,,,,,,how about the radio or interior lights........do the gauges shut off and come back on...when did it start...hit anything with the car...disconnected the battery for any reason...what's the last thing that was worked on in that area...is the engine running when this happens..if not to all the above, then I would the cluster and check for a solder joint that doesn't look nice like most of the others.......if you don't see one...get back to me.......joser

hes37763 · January 6, 2008

sidoe said:
All of a sudden the odometer/mileage counter became very dim. I bang on top of the dash and it will light up again. What could be causing this?

The dim odometer is very common in 1999 - 2003 Explorers (and in several other models manufactured during the same years. The problem is caused by cracked solder joints on the ribbon cable connector that powers the odometer display. You will first notice occasional dimming of the display. Later it will extinguish altogether. Thumping on the dash will sometimes restore it for a while. The only permanent fix is to repair the cracked solder joints.

The important point is that you do not need a new (or a used) instrument panel. You can easily fix your own panel yourself. See the full discussion of this problem, including the cause, symptoms, consequences, and how to fix it at http://www.odometer-repair.com .

NEWFS02X · January 6, 2008

Dim odometer

My odometer has not quit but certainly is very dim in the daylight. At night it is fine so I don't think that mine is a soder repair issue.

I read previously that the dim odometer is problematic with the 02's....John

hes37763 · January 6, 2008

NEWFS02X said:
My odometer has not quit but certainly is very dim in the daylight. At night it is fine so I don't think that mine is a soder repair issue.

I read previously that the dim odometer is problematic with the 02's....John

John, keep a close watch and see if the odometer is dim all the time, or only intermittently. If it seems to dim or brighten intermittently, especially during the warmer months, cracked solder joints are a strong possibility. The defective solder joints are in the circuit that supply power to the odometer display, so the initial symptoms include a reduction in the power reaching the display. (Resulting of course in a dimming of the display.) After a period of time, the cracks expand and during warm weather the power to the odometer display is blocked completely, resulting in a blank odometer display. The dealer will tell you that the only fix is to replace the instrument cluster, which will cost as much as $600. You can fix it yourself simply by reheating the defective solder joints with a soldering iron. Lots of information about this problem is available on the Internet. Just do a Google search for "Ford intermittent odometer repair".

NEWFS02X · January 6, 2008

odometer

Hello hes37763...it appears to be consistently dim during the daytime only. It was the same during the hot summer months and now it's winter up here and it is the same. Bright at night though and no flickering or varying degrees of brightness.

I'll certainly keep an eye on it and see if it changes....thanks....John

Spedrcr05 · May 26, 2012

Does any one know if the cracked solder joints contribute to my fuel gauge dropping down to empty as well as dim or no light on odometer?

BigRondo · May 26, 2012

Spedrcr05 said:
Does any one know if the cracked solder joints contribute to my fuel gauge dropping down to empty as well as dim or no light on odometer?

Welcome aboard!! :salute:

As far as I know, the fuel gauge is a separate issue. There are many threads about it. I'll see if I can find some for you.

In the meantime here are some threads to help you with the dim readout:

I used this thread for removing the cluster: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=218636

I used this thread for the repair: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=217490

Hope this helps out. :biggthump

Spedrcr05 · May 27, 2012

Hey Big Rondo,
Thanks for the welcome and the info. Will be trying this out soon. Just wanted to see if there was anything I could do for fuel gauge as long as I have dash apart.

BigRondo · May 29, 2012

Spedrcr05 said:
Hey Big Rondo,
Thanks for the welcome and the info. Will be trying this out soon. Just wanted to see if there was anything I could do for fuel gauge as long as I have dash apart.

You're welcome. I'm glad to help out! Try searching for the fuel gauge issue. There are a lot of threads about it. I'll see if I can find some for you when I get home tonight.

2002 xlt odometer/mileage counter is very dim

sidoe

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E.B. Cornburner

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sidoe

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34Ford

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benitej

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Exrange

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benitej

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hes37763

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NEWFS02X

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hes37763

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NEWFS02X

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Spedrcr05

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BigRondo

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Spedrcr05

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