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Old Jul 1, 2014 | 01:02 AM
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instrument cluster

as you see in the video, which just happened tonight, the only thing i found in which i think possible is the solder joint is weak on the cluster. are there any other issues?

 
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Old Jul 1, 2014 | 05:39 AM
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I would say the only other issue is driving 40mph at night and shooting video of your cluster...might be worse than texting... Hope you get it sorted...
 
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Old Jul 1, 2014 | 08:49 AM
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I appreciate you exercising your first amendment rights, but like most you leaped before you looked. I'd appreciate you keeping your comments to yourself if your not going to be a solution to the problem. BTW, get yourself a passenger seat in whatever you drive with a passenger in it, and you to can make a video while driving up to 40 mph.
 
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Old Jul 1, 2014 | 01:24 PM
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Sorry

Sorry Biggg72, no offense intended, really.
Must have caught you at a bad time, thought you might actually chuckle.
Although a light user, I am helpful post-er here as my history shows.
So, seriously, hope you get it sorted...
 
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Old Jul 1, 2014 | 01:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Biggg72
as you see in the video, which just happened tonight, the only thing i found in which i think possible is the solder joint is weak on the cluster. are there any other issues?
Is the fuel really that low or is the gauge giving a false reading too?
 
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Old Apr 9, 2015 | 05:05 AM
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Helo Folks.
I've just registered so I can reply to this post, but I'm reading the forum since I bought my Navi - that would be over a year now.
My Navi is 98 4x4 model, with the same patern of gauges in the cluster as the one shown on the movie above.
Since I bought it, I have almost identical issue with my cluster. Nobody can help me... Only difference is my fuel and oil lamps are constant lighting - no flashing.
Gauges readings are ok, full tank shows full on the gauge, but these 2 lamps are still on.
Sometimes (once or twice) they went off after a good few hours constant driving in hot, dry weather. But next morning - back on again.
I checked the cluster (traces and contacts at the back), I checked GEM (dry, no windshield leak), checked the 3 big plugs under the bonnet, close to the windshield (drivers side)... Still no joy... Can possibly anyone knows the answer ? Thank you and ahve a good day
 
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Old Apr 9, 2015 | 09:53 AM
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Originally Posted by Stanislaw
Since I bought it, I have almost identical issue with my cluster. Nobody can help me...
I could just be a bad cluster. Have you looked for a replacement on Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market or eBay?
 
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Old Apr 9, 2015 | 10:49 AM
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Originally Posted by alloro
I could just be a bad cluster. Have you looked for a replacement on Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market or eBay?
Yes. I actually bought second one (second hand but good) and no improvement whatsoever. That was in fact first thing i have done. Makes me curious why ,when hot for a long time the things go better and lights dissapear..
 
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Old Apr 9, 2015 | 01:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Stanislaw
That was in fact first thing i have done. Makes me curious why ,when hot for a long time the things go better and lights dissapear.
In that case the next thing to investigate is if you have a solid ground connection between the battery negative, the engine block, and the truck body/frame. A weak ground allows current to flow through the sending unit wires and can throw the gages and idiot lights off. That could also explain why things get better with heat. The metals surrounding ground could be expanding and causing the connection to tighten just enough to make the problem go away.
 
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Old Apr 10, 2015 | 12:09 AM
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Wow... that's a clue... I wouldn't think about that...
Can you point me where to look for these connectors? I know these should be 'multi wire' copper cables, probably no insulation (i do not know a proper english word for that kind of cable) but Navi has a lot of wires cables connections and so on...Have no idea where to look..
Also, i've been told that this can be caused by bad oil sensor/sender... This one responsible for the idiot lamp (apparently there are two - one for gauge and one for lamp)... But.... I can't find that f***g sensor on the engine block... It supposed to be close to the oil filter (somewhere on the remote unit) but not a trace... And 99% of the mechanics and shops, when they see navi says 'whow... what's that... nice... so is that lincoln or ford?? no manuals, not a clue- I can't....'
 
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Old Apr 10, 2015 | 12:45 AM
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If the oil pressure "sensor" is the same as on the Expedition, it's just a switch, not an actual sensor... The idiot gauge behaves exactly the same as a light, as long as the switch is "on", the gauge stays at the middle and when it looses pressure and goes off, the gauge drops to 0 and the message center warns you about oil pressure. There's no actual oil pressure reading, really fraudulent by Ford to put a gauge in there and then just hook it up to a standard old switch. I've been contemplating to install an actual pressure gauge in there for some time, I'd love to get the gauge in the cluster to actually give an oil pressure reading, but I'm afraid it would be too complicated and you'd have to mount the aftermarket gauge somewhere else...
 
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Old Apr 10, 2015 | 12:53 AM
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Hmm.. That's interesting... But if so.. then why the oil 'gauge' shows more 'reading' when cold (well above middle) and drops to middle when well warmed? It definetly behaves like real measurement unit Unless.... this is also related to the power/voltage problem...
 
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Old Apr 10, 2015 | 01:14 AM
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In my factory shop manual for 2005 Expy/Gator it shows just a switch for both, nothing fancy that actually reads the pressure anywhere. where low pressure is an open circuit and normal pressure closes the circuit to ground. I'm pretty sure the first generation has the same set up, and since it closes the circuit to ground it might give weird readouts on the gauge if there's something going on with your ground.
 
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Old Apr 10, 2015 | 02:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Stanislaw
Can you point me where to look for these connectors?
Follow all wires that come from the negative battery cable.
 
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Old May 28, 2015 | 12:54 AM
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Well... after a few urgent repairs, I'm back to trace this problem once for good.
I checked the battery connections, as well as the ground to the engine and body. All looks fine. No corrosion, no damaged wires/cables, good conduity.
I'mm still lost, what can cause to give false reading on two independent lamps, hooked to two independent sensors (oil preasure and fuel level), while gauges for these sensors works fine...
I took the relay/fuse box of the car along with GEM box... No water, no damage, no even small sign of problem there... Altough the metal support parts, close to the additional breaking pedal (very close to the left) are a bit rusted. But not the electrical parts. I dissconected the fusebox and GEM and the 3 big plugs in the engine bay as well, and I checked all wires/connections looking for the shorted ones...And nothing...
But there has to be something... Any ideas what too look for next ?
 
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