Solved '98 V6 Explorer cluster guages problems and PATS issue

[CaseyMac]

I have no idea what the issues are with all your dash warning lights, but I do know that different year Explorer clusters (while looking identical to your original one and generally working okay) had their warning lights located in different locations on the cluster's face. Is it possible that your replacement cluster's light locations are not in the same location as your original one? If so, the warning you're seeing may not be saying the right thing. Other's here have encountered this problem.

Based off of the conversation I have had with 410Fortune I think the cluster the X had when I got it was also not its original. I will have to see if I can find one from a 98 from one of my local pick and pull salvages and go from there. Unless there is a wire/pin configuration I can do for the cluster I have to work properly.

 

[CaseyMac]

I have no idea what the issues are with all your dash warning lights, but I do know that different year Explorer clusters (while looking identical to your original one and generally working okay) had their warning lights located in different locations on the cluster's face. Is it possible that your replacement cluster's light locations are not in the same location as your original one? If so, the warning you're seeing may not be saying the right thing. Other's here have encountered this problem.

Looks like my local Pick and Pull salvage has everything BUT a 98. I will check the one in my home town when I go on leave next week. Their website says they have 7 so I will see what all I can grab and go from there.

 

[410Fortune]

THEY ARE NOT COMPATIBLE
97 is analog
99 is digital

To put a 99 cluster into a 97 you have to *******ize it, move wires around, use gauges from the 97, this is advanced stuff for people who know what they are doing with these trucks
There is nothing plug and play about putting a different year cluster into your truck
The door ajar light wire moved as did the location of the bulb, that was my first clue

Now it is possible, but you need to be familiar with your clusters and their differences
this means you need the wiring pin outs for the two models in question

Is your 98 an early 98 or late, this will make a BIG difference with the clusters as somewhere in the middle of 98 they went digital
Does your truck have one fuel line or two?
two fuel lines = 97-98 cluster for you
one fuel line = 99-01 cluster for you
95-96 clusters are different too
Fun fun!!

I can tell you I use 98+ digital clusters in the older trucks when I do drivetrain conversions all the time, BUT it requires alot of upgrades and wiring changes.

 

[CaseyMac]

THEY ARE NOT COMPATIBLE
97 is analog
99 is digital

To put a 99 cluster into a 97 you have to *******ize it, move wires around, use gauges from the 97, this is advanced stuff for people who know what they are doing with these trucks
There is nothing plug and play about putting a different year cluster into your truck
The door ajar light wire moved as did the location of the bulb, that was my first clue

Well that just makes things fun huh? What about pulling the cluster from a ranger or escape of the same year as my Explorer? Would that be compatible or do I need to pull from another Explorer of the exact same year and model as mine?

 

[Turdle]

Excuse me but I have never encountered a returnless fuel system on a 98

early 98 had internal EGR, and is like a 97
late 98 gets the p heads and external EGR --then to confuse us all,,,,

99 was the switch to returnless fuel system.

annnd, all of what i just said pertains to V8 and this is a v6 thread. Going back to bed now---

 

[CaseyMac]

Excuse me but I have never encountered a returnless fuel system on a 98

early 98 had internal EGR, and is like a 97
late 98 gets the p heads and external EGR --then to confuse us all,,,,

99 was the switch to returnless fuel system.

So then I do need a cluster from an actual 98 Explorer?

 

[Turdle]

I believe so yes.

Go to car-part.com and enter your information, search for instrument cluster for 98 and you will find some

 

[CaseyMac]

**UPDATE**

Got a cluster from an actual 98 Explorer and installed it. Still same issues so I am kind of at a stand still with what to do next. I mean obviously it's now the door ajar light that comes on instead of a fuel reset light when I open the door but everything else is still the same. I have checked all fuses and relays, tested the relays as well as the fuse ports, tested the wiring, the switches, the Sensors, the modules. The only good part is since putting in the correct cluster the only OBD codes that come up now are the 2 codes for the 4WD function but I believe once the new TC shift motor arrives that will take care of that. But I still can't figure out why me speedometer, odometer and thermostat gauge is not working. I have to be missing something.

 

[CaseyMac]

**UPDATE**

BOOM!!!!!! Figured it out. So yes, it was that I needed the correct year cluster but I also had to reset the PCM so I disconnected the battery cable and left it off for 10 min. Reconnected it and DING, works now. All gauges and lights now work as they should. I just need to replace a couple of the cluster back lights and it will be good as new. On to the next issue haha.

 

[Turdle]

Thanks for the update. I took the liberty of editing the thread title, and added a little to the end of your first post. I hope this is agreeable.

 

[410Fortune]

your fuel reset light will still come on when you open the door
There is no way resetting the PCM will move a wire from one light to the other
Your cluster STILL came from a different year/build date cutoff if the fuel reset light is in the door ajar light location (wiring wise)
That is the one indicator that tells me you have the incorrect cluster still, if you put a digital cluster (98+) into a analog truck (97.5 and previous) then you will have the fuel reset light as your door ajar light
There are mid year changes to the clusters, I run into these same issues when I do conversions. hacking into the instrument clusters to make a hybrid is something I do. I know for a FACT that if the fuel reset light comes on when you open the door that is NOT the same cluster model number and year that came in your explorer


If everything else works as it should (I doubt it) then you can remove the cluster and re locate the door ajar wire to the correct bulb location

 

[CaseyMac]

your fuel reset light will still come on when you open the door
There is no way resetting the PCM will move a wire from one light to the other
Your cluster STILL came from a different year/build date cutoff if the fuel reset light is in the door ajar light location (wiring wise)
That is the one indicator that tells me you have the incorrect cluster still, if you put a digital cluster (98+) into a analog truck (97.5 and previous) then you will have the fuel reset light as your door ajar light
There are mid year changes to the clusters, I run into these same issues when I do conversions. hacking into the instrument clusters to make a hybrid is something I do. I know for a FACT that if the fuel reset light comes on when you open the door that is NOT the same cluster model number and year that came in your explorer


If everything else works as it should (I doubt it) then you can remove the cluster and re locate the door ajar wire to the correct bulb location

I was able to find a cluster from an actual 98 with the same specs as mine. Everything works fine now. When I put the cluster in from the other 98 model that I got it from there was no fuel reset light and all the gauges worked except for the speedo and odometer. Then after I pulled off the battery cable to do a "reset" those started working again too. It's been about 2 weeks and still working good.

 

[CaseyMac]

Thanks for the update. I took the liberty of editing the thread title, and added a little to the end of your first post. I hope this is agreeable.

Looks good to me, thank you.