My 2000 F150 has had a gauge sweep issue. My gauges peg full-negative (Not full-scale like most) and the odometer doesn't display. This occurs for about 30 seconds after start and then everything comes to life. I have replaced my alternator and battery. Things seemed fine for about a month...until I drove up to Chicago and the cold weather. On the first start of the day, or a start after sitting for two hours the gauges are doing the same thing. The truck turns over "crisply" and shows no sign of not starting. The fact that it has not occured until reaching the cold weather makes me belive it's still some sort of low-voltage condition that occurs at cold start. Seeing that my battery is new and my alternator is new (Not rebfurbed) could my starter be going although it has been perfect? Could it be drawing to many amps at start, pulling the voltage down and causing the cluster to reset. Could use some ideas. Thanks.

 

Tim, I don't have any real ideas, but I don't want you to feel ignored.

Because you say your engine turns over "crisply" during start, I'd say your battery, alternator and starter motor are all fine. However, a starter DOES draw a lot of current, which pulls the voltage way down, even in a healthy electrical system. This problem is aggravated in cold weather. So, during start, you're going to have less system voltage available to power the gauge cluster. A battery with a higher Cold Cranking Amperage (CCA) will help in this situation. Is your battery at least the equivalent of OEM?

If it is, then I'd say there has to be excessive resistance somewhere in your gauge circuitry. I say this because an OEM Ford normally doesn't have this problem in the conditions you describe. In fact, when you say the engine turns over "crisply", this tells me you have a very good battery.

So, I'm left with some fault in your gauge supply circuitry that is reducing the already lowered system voltage to below the threshold that causes gauge sweep. Faulty/corroded connectors? I don't know - and It's probably not going to be easy to find. It would help to have a schematic of the cluster and its electrical supply, not the data input.

Good luck, and wish I was more help! Perhaps SSCULLY will be on here soon to give you some ideas.

- Jack

 

Thank you for your help. Corroded connectors are a good place to start.

 

I have a 01' F-150 SCREW that had a like issue, I actually got very lucky.. I thought it was a charging issue, replaced two batteries and an alternator. I would charge it for a night and still had a rough time starting. Until one earily morning I walked out to the driveway to find a large amount of smoke comming from the engine compartment. There was a recall on the cruise control switch, it is connected to the break master cylinder. In my case the switch leaked and fluid was reaching the contacts in the switch creating a " high resistance short". The harness had melted and cought fire just at the right time otherwise I would have lost the whole vehicle.
I cut the wires and drove to the local dealer, they checked into the issue and that is when I told of the recall.. It was the first care the dealership had seen, but the harness and switch were replaced and all damages were covered by Ford.. Thank God..

 

It's probably just corroded ends. Clean them and the posts until they are shiny.