Cluster dead
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 51
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From: Northern NJ
Cluster dead
Ok it happened for the third time - my instrument cluster has died no gauges/no odometer/ just the turn signal lights work & dash lights w/head lamps
The first time this happened to my 98SC was a few months back when I used the electronic overdrive button to shut off OD. After troubleshooting it I found a cooked fuse. Replaced it and all was fine, I tried the OD again and same result. OK simple solution leave the OD on all the time - that worked well for many months. Yesterday when I went to start my truck - the gauges were dead again - checked the fuse this am and it is fine
Anyone have a similar experience or have any ideas ??
Thanks
The first time this happened to my 98SC was a few months back when I used the electronic overdrive button to shut off OD. After troubleshooting it I found a cooked fuse. Replaced it and all was fine, I tried the OD again and same result. OK simple solution leave the OD on all the time - that worked well for many months. Yesterday when I went to start my truck - the gauges were dead again - checked the fuse this am and it is fine
Anyone have a similar experience or have any ideas ??
Thanks
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 1,704
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From: Mpls, MN
It's likely the O/D switch again. If the O/D switch breaks its ground, then it can also blow the fuses for the instrument cluster. This happend to me. The wires themselves have also broken on our '99 Explorer and '00 Ranger.
What has probably happened is the wires running up through the shift lever to the O/D switch have broke or the insulation has been stripped.
It's amusing to me; what Ford did was use as little wire as possible. It does make economical sense when you would as many trucks and SUV's with this O/D set up as they do but they tend to fail frequently. If you move the lever all the way over to 1st, I think that's enough to break the wire.
You should 1st disconnect the battery. Then remove the cap at the end of the shift lever and disconnect the 3 wires from the O/D switch. Then move the lever all the way over to 1st gear. At the base of the lever, there's a pin that holds the lever to the steering column. The pin may be cover by a leather of plastic boot that needs to be cut or pulled back to expose the pin. After you remove the pin, the lever comes off and you can pull the 3 wires out and see if any are broken. I'm sure at least one is. You can either replace them with a heavier guage wire or solder in a new wire so that there is enough length to avoid this in the future.
What has probably happened is the wires running up through the shift lever to the O/D switch have broke or the insulation has been stripped.
It's amusing to me; what Ford did was use as little wire as possible. It does make economical sense when you would as many trucks and SUV's with this O/D set up as they do but they tend to fail frequently. If you move the lever all the way over to 1st, I think that's enough to break the wire.
You should 1st disconnect the battery. Then remove the cap at the end of the shift lever and disconnect the 3 wires from the O/D switch. Then move the lever all the way over to 1st gear. At the base of the lever, there's a pin that holds the lever to the steering column. The pin may be cover by a leather of plastic boot that needs to be cut or pulled back to expose the pin. After you remove the pin, the lever comes off and you can pull the 3 wires out and see if any are broken. I'm sure at least one is. You can either replace them with a heavier guage wire or solder in a new wire so that there is enough length to avoid this in the future.
