05 explorer XLT instrument cluster shorting out

[firefly1246]

i don't really know how else to explain it. Every day when I leave for work, I open the door and the gauges on my cluster start shaking. The interior light flickers once.If I leave the door open for prolonged periods of time, it will occasionally do it again. Timing is completely random. The Message Center also resets, all error messages, trip, and even MPG all reset.
Every time it starts with a click that I can feel through the interior fuse box. (I'm thinking its a circuit breaker)

This also happens when I'm driving, at any speed, or idle. Happens even driving straight, no brakes, no acceleration, just keeping a constant speed. There really doesn't seem to be a mechanical trigger for it to happen.

Every instance of it happening that I have noticed, my radio goes out for a second at the same time that my gauges die, then a second or two later, all my gauges go back to normal AFTER the radio has already come on. The interior light seems to come and go in sync with the radio. The gauges always come back on afterward.

Always only lasts a few seconds. Lately the occurrences are happening more and more often. Power windows have always worked while the symptom was occurring.


My attempted repairs:
I changed the 15 amp fuse in slot 17 of the interior fuse box powering the delayed accessory relay and battery saver.
I changed the 5 amp fuse in slot 21 of the interior fuse box powering the instrument cluster.
Changed the delayed accessory relay on top of the interior fuse box.
Changed the battery saver relay on top of the interior fuse box.
Changed the 60 amp fuse in slot 6 of the engine compartment fuse box powering the delayed accessory relay.
Changed the 15 amp fuse in slot 15 of the engine compartment fuse box powering the The cluster memory.



Any help would be greatly appreciated, as registering to this site, making that first post just to be able to make this post, and typing all of this out from a cell phone has been very time consuming.

P.S. In the time it took my to write this, my cluster/radio has died twice.

What condition is your battery and alternator? I have had this similar symptoms when I left the lights on and my battery voltage was very low. However, since charging it back up I haven’t had it since.

Either that or sounds like there might be a loose wire. I know the wires in the driver side door from opening and closing eventually break in half. My driver side power door unlock button wire current is broke and I need to fix it.

 

[Everett Bartz]

I have been chasing a ghost. I have been disconnecting and reattaching connectors and what not. I did a bit more research and found those online Ford mechanics who advise people. I avoid them but found a string of comments that talks about how to diagnose a parasitic draw. I learned that one has to wait up to 40 minutes for the system to turn it all off and then checks for parasitic draws can be made. I did not wait. But after doing more testing, my battery saver relay kicks in after 30 minutes and the amperage dropped from ~400mAs to 15 mAs. That's what the battery saver relay is supposed to do. I was thinking that the amperage was to drop to the less than 25 mAs before and that's not true. So now I know why my Explorer has that battery saver relay in the first place.

But I mentioned that my multifunction switch was bad and it was. While ohming it out, the lever came out of the socket and it fell apart. This was not the first time it had judging from the scars of previous owners who put it back together. So I am waiting for FedEx to delivery mine. Motorcraft wants over 300 bucks and I got mine from Rock auto. Good luck.

 

[eevox]

Good morning, I got frustrated and tried to get a mobile mechanic to fix the Explorer. But found no one. So I did some u tub research and learned how to conduct a test for parasitic draw. I found that fuse #15 in the bettery fuse box was my source and started to disconnect things. Then I found the following. I unplugged connector C202a and the amp draw went down to 10-20 mAmps and ohmed out a switch several times and I think I found my parasite.

It was my turn signal/high low beam/windshield wiper switch that shorted between the low beams and the flash-to-pass. Ordered a new switch.

And I found this on u tub:

I wanted to know about the Can bus system and its easy.

I should have replied to this thread. My problem was the instrument cluster. I replaced it, and the problem is no more.

After I literally eliminated EVERYTHING else it could be, I bought an old junked instrument cluster and installed it. The parasitic draw went away along with the malfunction.

Not a typical instrument cluster problem. -2004 Sport Trac XLT RWD.

My problem with the instrument cluster doesn't occur while the ignition is on. It happens only with the ignition off. While the truck's ignition is on, the cluster performs normally. But after the ignition is off, that changes. First, there is a noticeable shudder from the instrument cluster...

www.explorerforum.com

 

[RitaR1958]

If it were a fuse problem, it would not be intermittent. The lights would either come on or stay off. I also recommend checking your alternator as cranky suggested. Its easy and you can do it yourself if you have a multi-meter. Just measure the battery voltage with the car completely off. If you get 12v, that's a good sign. Then start the engine, and with it running check the battery voltage. If it reads 14v your alternator is charging properly. Anything under 14v and your alternator is probably crapping out.

If you check your alternator and it is proper, my next suggestion before changing out your cluster gauge is to get a new headlight switch. They can be had at O'Reilly or AutoZone for under 20 bucks. There is a YouTube video on how to take apart your dash, pretty easy, then change out the headlight switch. I'm betting that your headlight switch is the culprit.

Anyone had luck with the headlight switch fixing this problem?

 

[Thiboutot]

I had the same problem someone had put fuse in every slot inside the car had to take the Manuel and take of the ones out that said empty slot they

i don't really know how else to explain it. Every day when I leave for work, I open the door and the gauges on my cluster start shaking. The interior light flickers once.If I leave the door open for prolonged periods of time, it will occasionally do it again. Timing is completely random. The Message Center also resets, all error messages, trip, and even MPG all reset.
Every time it starts with a click that I can feel through the interior fuse box. (I'm thinking its a circuit breaker)

This also happens when I'm driving, at any speed, or idle. Happens even driving straight, no brakes, no acceleration, just keeping a constant speed. There really doesn't seem to be a mechanical trigger for it to happen.

Every instance of it happening that I have noticed, my radio goes out for a second at the same time that my gauges die, then a second or two later, all my gauges go back to normal AFTER the radio has already come on. The interior light seems to come and go in sync with the radio. The gauges always come back on afterward.

Always only lasts a few seconds. Lately the occurrences are happening more and more often. Power windows have always worked while the symptom was occurring.


My attempted repairs:
I changed the 15 amp fuse in slot 17 of the interior fuse box powering the delayed accessory relay and battery saver.
I changed the 5 amp fuse in slot 21 of the interior fuse box powering the instrument cluster.
Changed the delayed accessory relay on top of the interior fuse box.
Changed the battery saver relay on top of the interior fuse box.
Changed the 60 amp fuse in slot 6 of the engine compartment fuse box powering the delayed accessory relay.
Changed the 15 amp fuse in slot 15 of the engine compartment fuse box powering the The cluster memory.



Any help would be greatly appreciated, as registering to this site, making that first post just to be able to make this post, and typing all of this out from a cell phone has been very time consuming.

P.S. In the time it took my to write this, my cluster/radio has died twice.lem

 

[Thiboutot]

Anyone had luck with the headlight switch fixing this problem?

Those years it might be that you put fuse in all the slots some are empty slot and still have power they can create that problem take the Manuel and check that all the empty slot are empty

What condition is your battery and alternator? I have had this similar symptoms when I left the lights on and my battery voltage was very low. However, since charging it back up I haven’t had it since.

Either that or sounds like there might be a loose wire. I know the wires in the driver side door from opening and closing eventually break in half. My driver side power door unlock button wire current is broke and I need to fix it.

Those years it might be that you put fuse in all the slots some are empty slot and still have power they can create that problem take the Manuel and check that all the empty slot are empty the if it doesn't work had go to the accesorie delay relay