[quote=lcummings;10664976]Thanks DV, this post is STILL keeping people from losing their minds by going to the dealer to fix something that should have been taken care of at the factory! I have an 01 F150 SC that has been plagued with this issue for years. I actually had 5 of the pins with cold solder-joints that I could see without magnification! There were noticble gaps around the far ledt and far right pins, the two just inside of those and the third in from the right!
I touched them all up with a 35watt pencil iron, adding solder to only 3 of them, re-installed and after a slight scare with the truck not starting up the first time (I hit the starter before I let the cluster and PCM do their thing).........VOILA! Nice green odometer again, that stays on! No more pounding my dash I have only put 10 miles on it since corrected, but this used to be plenty of time to at least flicker once.
-evidently robots still cannot "see" and make a desiscion on their own......whew!! Too bad FMC didn't correct the issue, all it takes is a few more seconds on those particular solder connections as this is the largest solder point on the board.

While I was in there, I also corrected my gear selector indicator reading off by almost a whole position. The plastic bracket broke, and the tywrap trick is working.

Had a couple of heater control cluster lights to replace at the same time so I had my entire dash tore out nearly, but still only spent 2 hours total time, (including running to the parts store for the lamps), which was well worht the several hundred a new cluster would cost to have replaced by the dealer.

Also, there are ALOT of screws to remove, be patient. (I had the lower panel removed also, to access the gear selector indicator adjustment wheel easier) Here is url to photos to add to DV's 01 F150 SC pictures by lcummings99 - Photobucket

 

Many thanks to Dakota.

I just did this fix on my daughter's 99 mustang and it appears to have worked like a charm. Hopefully it lasts.

Didn't have any problems but I didn't have a magnifying glass or a pencil solder gun. I figured since I have it apart I will add some solder to the #9 pin. My solder gun does have a nice sharp point and I only hit it long enough to add a drop of hot solder.

Put it back together and the odometer lit right up. Thanks for showing my an easy fix to an annoying (and expensive) problem. I was on the verge of just changing her oil twice per year. Now at least I know how many miles she has gone...and can track her gas mileage again.

 

I followed your directions and was able to repair my intermittent odometer. It was the same pin you had problems with. I purchased a soldering iron and solder from Radio Shack for less than $18. I used a magnifying glass but it was not very strong. I was marginally able to see well enough to perform this task. For those of you attempting this, get the recommended magnifying glass. The pin is very small and it would be very easy to cause damage to the board. One other note, my truck is a 2000 F150. You have to remove the headlight switch to access one of the dash panel screws. The headlight switch is held in place with spring clips that are not easily accessible. Use a cloth or something soft to protect your dash from whatever tool you are using to pry out this switch.

 

FYI, if you first remove the panel under the steering column, you can reach up behind the headlight switch with your fingers and push it out instead of prying. The problem with prying is that it's possible to break the front panel off the switch.

 

Thank you so much for this post, the instructions were very clear and I was able to work through it. Almost turned back when it came to the removing the instrument cluster but I gathered my nerve and proceeded. Glad I did. It was cold solder joint, the same that you described.

 

Glad to hear you had success! Welcome to the forums. You will find a wealth of information here!

Tim

 

In case you've never checked, you should know this thread at over 98,500+ views is the most viewed thread in this forum. The next most viewed thread has less than half that number of views. Congratulations!

 

Just think if you had collected only $1.00 each for this great Info!!

 

im going to try this out tomorrow if possible and see if it works ive looked everywere on the internet trying to find a good diagram and step by step like this one and nothing compaires to dakota's... he sounds like a true miracle worker in my book thank so much for posting this. And good luck to everyone who has the same problem

 

I just picked up a 2000 Eddie Bauer Expedition and the odometer will come on for a sec, but stay off mostly. Well great post here and I will pull my instrument cluster out tomorrow and fix it. Thanks for this great thread.

 

good luck to you to man im trying mine tomorrow also..... THANK YOU DAKOTA_VIKING

 

Hi Fella's
I spend most of my time on the '48-'60 forum. I am building a '49 truck.
Anyway, My daily driver is also a 2000 Eddie Bauer Expedition. I caught this post while logging in and came here to check this out. Mine does the same dang thing! It only happens occasionally though.
edit: washer pump issue removed...respectfully. thanks alloro!

 

If this happens mostly after a rainstorm or car wash then your windshield is leaking into the GEM. If it happens anytime, even when it hasn't rained or been through a car wash, then I'd try replacing the front washer pump relay in the under hood power box.

If you care to pursue this issue any further, please start a new thread on it so we don't mess up this great thread.

 

well everyone i got a chance to work on my odometer and it took about 15 minutes to get the dash apart and the instrument panel out it was very simple and then i took the panel apart as dakota described and found the very pin that he shows in the pictures and it was indeed cracked around the pin at the base so i took the soder pencil and a magnifing glass and got it all sodered back up and installed in the dash hooked up the battery and it worked flawlessly i even drove around to make sure if i hit a bump it wouldnt go off and it didnt so thanks to dakota_viking i save $300-$400 and all i had to do was go to walmart and buy a magnifiying glass, a soder pencil and wire for less then ten bucks... Thank you so much

tyler

 

Well I did mine today. It was a pain in the butt with all those 7mm screws, but I got the job done. Re-soldered the pins, put back together and we took her out and ran around all day. I must say now I must get use to having the odometer glowing in my face. When I bought the SUV the odometer would come on when you started the SUV, then go out in like 10 minutes.... pretty cool, I didnt know it was broke... LOL!