OK, here's the deal. I've been suffering with a weak battery for a while now. The gagues would do the full sweep thing on startup. Well I recenly put a new battery in the truck and that problem has gone away completely.

However, another little problem I thought was most likely related has continued intermittently. Occasionally I will be driving the truck and I'll look down at the speedometer and the odometer will be out. The digital odometer goes out completely. Give it a few seconds and it come back on without any rhyme or reason. Doesn't seem to be consistent at all. It still seems to register the distance traveled while it's off and it has always come back on after just 10 or 15 seconds. I'm not too worried about it, but I am starting to wonder if this is a sign that my ECM is going.

Also, I'm wondering a little bit if this truck might have an aftermarket tune in it. I've had the truck for three years. but no telling what has been done to it before that. Might be a good excuse for an aftermarket tuner! Thanks in advance.--DIY

 

Pretty well known problem for the odometer to go out. You will need to just replace it; good news is that the BCM should register the proper mileage so you won't have to program the new one to match your miles.

 

Yeah, you can replace it.....

....or you can repair it with a penny's worth of solder and an hour of your time. Do a search on "intermittent odometer" or "odometer repair"

ok, I was bored, so here ya go: https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...ttent+odometer

 

Sounds a lot better than replacing my ECM! Thanks alot. When I have some time I'll most likely try the...ahem..DIY approach.--DIY

 

You're not replacing the ECM, you're replacing the board.

You can solder the board, if you can find the crack.

If I had the luxury of knowing I had lots of free time, I'd have no problem with pulling the board and trying to find the crack, soldering it, putting it back together, and hoping it doesn't crack again and that I found all the cracks. I suppose my soldering is comparable to a computerized board shooter...what the heck.

Since I don't have the time, I'd prefer to pull it once, replace it, and be done.

Y'all do what you want to do.

 

Really, it is just a matter of re-flowing the joints where the header is soldered to the board. The header is 8 or 9 pins that the ribbon for the odometer plugs into. The pictures at the top of the thread I linked are pretty clear; it is not difficult to locate the problem.

If you take the time to R&R the cluster out of the equation (since you would have to do that to put in a new one) the added time to remove six screws and the rear plastic cover, reflow the 9 solder joints, and screw the cover back on is about 15 minutes.

Really, not trying to be a smartass, but this repair has worked for dozens of people on this board, including myself. It is worth a try, and if it doesn't work, well you have not lost much - replace the cluster and cure it for sure. If it does work, you save a lot of cash.

edit- Time comment -I fixed mine on my lunch hour.

 

Actually OnBelay, the article gives very specific photos of where to find it, sure enough when I did mine, there she was, the last one in that grouping. I did the one besides it too, same crack. It was easy as hell, remembering to be careful not to loose the cluster screws or you'll be screwed!!! I did mine on a very hot for us, 100 degree and humid day, no problem. A while later it came back, so I did it again. It was an awesome DIY article plus it works great.