Hello ! I hope someone has a answer for me , cause it driving me nuts !
One day I was sitting at a light and i smelled a small wiff of the dasterdly electrical smoke ! I thought it was from the car in front of me , but low a behold about 10 minuites later I lost all of my insterment cluster , including my odometer , and all guages. My insterment lites still work , but nothing else , so after 3 years of auto mechanics in school , I said "I can fix this" (WRONG !! LOL)
I bought a very good manual online (Factory Ford) and started tracing . The fuse that keeps blowing is a small 5 amp fuse , but the problem it is very intermitint . Sometimes it will blow 30 seconds and sometimes after 5 hours of driving . (this makes it real hard to trace.
The 5 amp fuse runs the Autolamp modual ,Insterment cluster,Transmission control switch, and brake warning resistor diode assembly.
My bigest problem is I'm having a hard time locating all four circuts and location of the sensors.
I took out the cluster and inspected the circut board in it and it looks clean, (No Burns). I have unplugged the trans sensor from the tranny as to see if it was tthe problem,(No luck). I was told it could be the GEM but I'm just getting frustrated with all the sensors , connections, computers , and everything else.
At the presant I have a hand held GPS unit on my dash that let's me know my speed and I know that I can get around 250 mile on a tank of fuel . It works for now , but if anyone has had this problem or has a Idea of where to look next , I would apreciate the help. Thanks Mike..

 

i had the same problem. it started with the fuel guage not working then the odometer and then nothing. i replaced the cluster and all was fixed. i got the new cluster at cost for $150 and had it programmed for free

 

Lee,

Where do you get an instrument cluster for $150.00? Also, what's involved in "programming"? I've been looking for a new cluster with tach but dealer wants $350.00 just for part, the rest who knows.

Personally I'd rather do it myself b/c it gives me satisfaction to do projects myself. $350.00 isn't that big of a deal but I don't know what's involved in the programming part. I've read some posts where members claim they installed new cluster without any problems. Others claim they installed new cluster then couldn't start..

Thanks.

 

It might be the small thin wire that runs to the gear selector. You have to disassemble the dash and steering column covers to get to it. See if it blows a fuse when you shift from park to reverse. It went on my 98. A first it would last a month or so, by the end it would blow the fuse almost every time. Pull it apart, found the covering on the wire had rubbed through, replaced the insulation with black electrical tape, and it's been working fine ever since. Search online for a TSB for the F250HD. Good Luck.

 

my cousin works at a dealer and got it for me i put it in and it didnt start so i put the old one in and still didnt start. asked the svc manager and he came out and programmed it in about 3 mins. the only place other than a junk yard to get a cluster is a dealer because when they order it they have to get the milage programmed in. they took my word what mine was because it did not work. try to fix it before replacing

 

I have the same problem. One day I was sitting at the storage with my trucking idling and went to get in it to go and the OD light was off and I had no gauges, speedometer, fuel, etc. Have checked all fuses and everything is good. Can the wire discussed above cause this problem if it were broke? Please Help!!!


Thanks in advance!

Bill..

 

Well , Since my first reply , I have taken my dash apart 3 times ! .
I checked the small wire for the drive selector and that was not it .
I took out the GEM unit and inspected it for burned traces and no luck there (and have no way to test it) .
I have noticed that when I have it in park I can put in a fuse and it will not blow , But when I change to drive gear , it will pop. This makes me think that it has some to do with the trans shift sensor that is on the same circut .
When I locate it I will check back . Thanks for everyones help !
Mike..