<!-- / icon and title --> <!-- message -->I just picked myself up a 04 f150 lariat. It seems to be okay except for a few things....

1. the external temp in the message center panel always says the outside temp is between 42C - and 46C. Anyone having this problem or know where I should start to fix it?

2.I've also noticed that when i set my auto temp to its highest (32C) it will pump hot air like the trucks about to take off... but if i drop it 2 degrees (28C) it will snail itself along and blow cold air. There seems to be no happy medium.. its either full blast hot or slow goin cold. Any advice? I've tried fooling around with it when the truck has been both warmed up and cold started. I've looked for some TSB's about these things but haven't seen anything or missed it somewhere.

3. The fuel gauge is erratic sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't . I'll fill up and it won't move and then two days later it will show that i have some more fuel and then the next day it will say i have more. Then sometimes it decided to completely cooperate. I think its trying to get me stuck on the side of a highway.

4. The passenger seat won't move forward more than an a few inches. Is this normal?

5. The parking assist doesn't work. The off light will be on when i start the Truck. Then i hit it to turn the reverse sensors on and then when i put it into reverse it will turn itself off, but sometimes it will let off a little squeak just before it decides to shut itself off. I've tried cleaning them as instructed.

Are any of the temp things related? If you have any insight on how I can get her to Cooperate with me... so I don't end up on the side of the highway, without fuel, freezing or sweating my *** off, wilst arguing with her that its not 43C outside; please feel free to let me know.

Layman's terms advice prefered as I'm still new to technical jargon...
thanks in advance.

 

1. You need a new external temp gauge thermometer. About 80 U.S. Mine went out when I first bought my 04 last year but it went out a week later so the dealer wouldnt fix it cause I signed the paper that everything was ok. Mine did this it said -40 when it was 30

2. Im not sure about this problem

3. It seems that all the newer f150 have a problem similar to this. But its where it wont work for anywhere from 5 minutes to 100 miles later. Then it reads accurate. My 04 does it everyonce in a while but it seems to only do it when its on E and fill it all the way up.

4. The passanger seat should move more than a few inches. Look underneath and see if something is jammed under the seat to not let it move all the way forward or back.

5. I never have had this problem. When I turn my truck on they are already on unless I push the button.

If you bought it from a dealer recently. I would take it back and see what they can do. Might not be much but could be worth a try.

 

Thks for the advice...
1. Good to hear i'm not the only person trying to be brain washed by my temp gauge.
4. there wasn't anything jammed from what i can see.

I bought this as a private sale unfortunately... so i guess i'll have to live with the minor problems or keep seeking solutions.

 

1. Could be a bad sensor as mentioned, or corroded wires/connection at the sensor has also been known to happen. The sensor can be found midway up the center post infront of the radiator.

2. This one could be directly tied to #1, the EATC monitors the outside temp to know what kind of air it’s taking in, I’d fix #1 before I really worried about this.

3. I’ve never experienced this, but are you leaving your truck on during filling? That’d cause problems.

4. Not sure if nothings jammed it.

5. It’s more then likely a bad sensor, you can find someone with a sophisticated scanner to tell you which one, or as I did just buy a new sensor and swap it out till you find the bad one, of course if you have more then one bad this doesn’t work out so well. My dealer wanted $100 just to tell me what was wrong, then another $100 just for the part, so I just bought the part and left.

 

At times just leaving my key in the ignition (Key-in Engine off) does it...for me.

 

Did you ever figure what caused your parking assist to act up. Mine has been acting up since last week. I think I jynxed myself. Just trying to figure out what caused yours and maybe start off at that route.

 

nope still haven't figured it out... was thinking of jsut replacing the sensors but have no idea how much it would cost.

 

Ya mine works everyonce in a while. Just enough to make you mad. I bought some OEM tow mirrors from tascafordparts.com and everyone said they are the cheapest. I was messing around today looking for a wiring harness on that website and stumbled across the reverse back up componets. The sensors are 77 a piece and the module is 100. I was thinking about stopping to a junk yard and see if they have one. Thats if they are reasonable. Its just weird one minute it works and the next time I start the truck it dont

 

I have 15,000 miles on my 2008 and the gas gauge is doing the same thing.

 

Gas Guage Probem: There was a post on this a couple of months ago. If I remember right it has something to do with high sulpher content in the fuel, screwing up the sensor (lets just go back to a simple float).

Parking Assist: I don't have this when the wife's not in the rig. I just use my mirrors, they work all the time.

 

I have a 2004 FX4 with the same temp issue. Some days it's 2 degrees off, according to the local bank sign, other days it's 5+ degrees off. I do thin it's the sensor on the front of the truck. Maybe I'll change it soon but not that soon.

 

Your sensor isnt as bad as mine was though. Mine said -42 when it was 30 out and when it was 20 out it said about 50. It didnt know what to think

 

[quote=Oldguy4;7396187]Gas Guage Probem: There was a post on this a couple of months ago. If I remember right it has something to do with high sulpher content in the fuel, screwing up the sensor (lets just go back to a simple float).
quote]

Really? High sulpher content in the fuel will cause the fuel level gauge to quit working? I believe you but what the he**? I don't understand why a fuel level unit would work incorrectly because of sulpher content? What type of level indicating system is used in these trucks?

I agree about going back to a float? My '04 Supercrew fuel guage quit three days ago which was about 120 ago or so. The needle has never moved since and it's showing completely empty.

 

Took it to Ford and I am without my truck for about 3 days. They are having to replace the instrument cluster because it has a short in it somewhere. So now I am pimping a Chevy Impala!!!!!!

 

It is just a simple float. The difference is the microprocessor in the instrument cluster rather than just a simple ground resistance meter.

1. F150 has a slosh module system that prevents eratic movement of the guage needle making turns and going up and down hills and braking. This is included as part of the instrument cluster micro processor.

2. The system relies on instantaneous resistance readings within a narrow tolerance. If it doesnt recieve the signal instantly from the fuel level sensor (That simple float) then it will go into slosh delay mode or slosh strategy for between 15 minutes and up to 45 minutes.

3. This delay requires key on time or run time, so the cumulative run time may take several days if you only make short local trips. Contamination of fuel can cause delayed signal processing.

4. Contamination of the fuel level sensor can occur if high levels of sulfur are present in the fuel. A new improved sending unit with an integrated circuit board has been intruduced in recent years which reduces the effect of contamination. Try using Techron fuel additive to clean up the sender first. However continued use of contaminated fuel will not help.

5. Slosh module strategy has been reduced to about 20 minutes max in the latest model instrument clusters.