Located the GEM, no signs of water intrusion, leakage. Have discovered when it goes dark - no start, no odometer - if the ground cable on at the battery is removed for a short time and reconnected - the gauges swing and it will start. With the engine off, cycling the key will cause either of the abnormal conditions and sometimes back to the normal condition - no gauge swings, odometer powered and sucessful start.

 

It seems to me, I'm having the same exact problem that you've been having. I'm gonna blow a fuse myself. I've been having battery problems myself, so I took the battery off, and took it in to get tested. Battery was bad. Gauge swing is gone. Truck will crank, but will not turn over, and the theft light is blinking. It's like the PAT system will not shutoff. I've read the whole thread, but still not clear on what I need to do. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Update on this swinging gauges and dead odometer - the truck gave up on me the other night - no start for over an hour. I've gone as far as checking the circuit board connections on the cluster, touched-up weak solder joints, replaced relays, checked connections, battery - it all boils down to the cluster. Gave in and took it FORD, the no-start was getting worse and with a family, it has to reliable. If this should happen to anyone out there - be forewarned - it ain't cheap. FORD finally got the truck to show symptoms and they say it is the cluster. With troubleshooting, replacement cluster, installation and reprograming - comes to the better part of 6 bills. Called several dealers and the price is about the same. Interesting note - ask the service writer what they did with the old cluster? "We send them off to be fixed" - I then asked if I was paying for a new cluster or a rebuilt - he was quiet for a moment, said he would find out and get call me back.
Anyway that's the story and I do appreciate all the help trying to get this resolved in my own garage - don't have / can't afford the factory electronic system scan tools to diagnois and reprogram.

 

Ok after researching a little more, and even looking on ebay for a new cluster, I found a ton of them. There are even a few guys on ebay that actually reprogram the clusters, and have very specific instructions on how to program your keys to the new cluster you would buy. They go for around $180 plus $15 s&h.

I emailed one of the ebay sellers, who actually told me over the phone how I would go about re-programming the cluster. He says these clusters go out all the time, and that they don't make new ones anymore. He says most all of them will be re-furbished clusters. My truck had been sitting in my drive way for a week now, because I didn't know that if you just cycle the key three times it would reset the cluster and your truck would start.

The one new piece of information that I haven't seen on this thread that ebay seller told me about, is that once you get your truck started with the 1st key, you need to turn your truck off for about a minute or so, and then start the truck with the spare key so that both keys are programmed, and the cluster will stay programmed. He said it's absolutely necessary for you to use both keys, or it won't work. Hope this helps anyone in the future, and if anyone has got any questions, shoot me an email. Would be happy to send the link for this guys ebay auction. He sells the clusters all the time, and he has the computer to program the mileage for you vehicle.

 

I checked on the clusters on ebay, although I didn't speak to anyone. The information from the original cluster has to be downloaded ( while installed in the vehicle) to a WDS (Worldwide Diagnostic System) or a NGS (New generation Star Tester) and then uploaded to the new cluster (while installed in the vehicle). This contains the information for the PATS, the odometer reading and unique information about the specific vehicle, for communication to the PMC, GEM, etc. The new used cluster won't be in till Monday, I wanted the truck over the weekend and FORD was very reluctant - they had already sucked the information out of the old cluster and didn't want the mileage changed. So I got a loaner. Of course, a WDS or NGS can be bought for around $6000-$10000, if you happen to have it laying around. Be cautious - there is a note about reconfiguring the PATS in the cluster, it refers to a help screen on the WDS and doesn't give details in the FORD manual.