Another faulty instrument cluster thread...

[Jakers_AK]

So I finally caught the infamous intermittent instrument cluster bug. I've done quite a bit of reading up and looked at other threads but couldn't quite find the info i needed. I have all the familiar symptoms. Temporary loss of power to gauges, gauges freezing in place, odometer not reading, erratic fuel levels. Thankfully I don't have the problems that affects the lights and radio like some of the other threads I was reading. I did pull the cluster out and gave it a look over and didn't see anything obvious. I'm thinking about spending the $ and finding one of these rebuild services online and just sending it in to get rebuilt. From what I read that seems to have the best success rate/results for your time and energy spent. So First off if anyone can recommend a good place to have it fixed I would really appreciate it. I'd like to not spend a fortune and It needs to be a relatively quick fix if possible. I live in Fairbanks Alaska so anything being shipped through the mail is going to add an extra 3-4 days of down time without a vehicle. Question 2: I'm spending the $ to send it in to be rebuilt, so when I take the thing out to send it in, why not fix it myself if possible? No one seems to have any info on what exactly goes wrong with these things, if it's a bad solder or a resistor chip or something like that I have the tools and skills to fix it myself. WOrst case scenario is I look at it and don't see any obvious signs of damage and just send it in. Any thoughts on this is appreciated.

 

[njbronco]

someone bought one of mine on ebay the other day and canceled it because they had an 04 and mines from an 01. lol wonder if it was you. If I were in your shoes, id just get another cluster from a pick and pull with close to the same mileage and be done with it.

 

[Jakers_AK]

I a

someone bought one of mine on ebay the other day and canceled it because they had an 04 and mines from an 01. lol wonder if it was you. If I were in your shoes, id just get another cluster from a pick and pull with close to the same mileage and be done with it.

I actually have an 01 that I picked up at an auction for $50 that I've been parting out and using what I needed off of it. I sold the instrument cluster to someone with an 05 and they said it didn't work and brought it back, I refunded his money only because we he said he had tried 4 other clusters that didn't work and he said he didn't want to get burned if this one didn't work either. I tried that one in my truck as well and it didn't work. From what I've been reading it's hit or miss whether or not a used one from another truck will work or not and even then you're just buying another old ass part that could start doing the same thing any time. It seems like whatever makes these things malfunction is a state secret and only authorized personnel are allowed to know how to fix them. So in the mean time I will just keep bashing my dash like a gorilla while I'm driving down the road until it either gives up completely or I can afford to have it fixed.

 

[ExploringOptions2004]

So this post is a bit old but im curious if any one has made a successful repair. I too am experiencing some eractic things and temp, tach and Speedo inoperable. I picked one up from the scrap yard for 50$ plugged in and same exact issue to a "T" as the original. I checked the 15amp fuse under the dash and it checked out good. I tested the connecters coming into the dash and with key off had 3 hot wires on both plugs. I checked the other wires with key on and some had 10.5v and others didn't. One wire no voltage and no continuity but when I reconnected the plugs to cluster i then had some continuity. Its been a headache. I tested ECT and it tested fine. I checked and recieved 5vref on the ECT plug and also a good ground. I also ran a ground from the plug to a ground to attempt getting the gauge to move. Not a flicker. So I'm assuming it's something in the cluster itself. I started to poke around with my dmm and have found a few bad diodes and capacitors. Does anyone have wiring diagrams for the cluster plug connectors? Or any additional help

 

[QuandAns42]

only authorized personnel are allowed to know how to fix them.

So this post is a bit old but im curious if any one has made a successful repair.

Clusters aren't really a DIY part because people tamper with them and try to roll back mileage and such. I'll do pretty much all my own work except for the cluster, gotta have that handled by certified people and have the paperwork to back it up for insurance and resale. Dealerships get so much of this type of work because most shops aren't set up to do it but there are some independent places like Ford Instrument Clusters - Replacement Cluster Panels, Dash Panels, Gauge Clusters, Speedometers for Ford who specialize in cluster repair. I can say good things about those guys, they cloned my old bad cluster for me and I don't have to worry about being on the shadier side of things.

 

[lincolnshibuya]

I have an 04 that started showing this instrument cluster failure symptoms, dashes on the odometer/trip display, no speedo and tach, no coolant temp. There are times it works but majority of times it doesn't. I'm thinking of looking in the junkyard to swap it but I think I can't simply do that because of PATS in the instrument cluster? not sure if this is true.

 

[94Eddie]

There are threads here that tell, and show, how to fix this problem. It is due to cracked solder joints from what I remember.

 

[410Fortune]

I fix clusters all the time, using parts from other cluster, but you have to know what you are doing, there are changes inside the clusters year to year
Usually the printed circuit boards get corrosion on them from water intrusion, should be pretty obvious with the cluster in your hand