Your problem is more likely a failing fuel level sending unit in the tank.

 

All I can say is thank you, I removed the cluster and sure enough I found the far right pin had a cold soldier. You saved me a bunch.

 

I'm sure this thread has helped more people than the OP (Dakota Viking) ever imagined.

 

It's even about to help a friend of mine with the same issue on a '99 Expy. She was really worried that she would have to buy an expensive new cluster, but now she'll be happy as it will only cost her a couple of pizza's and some beer..

 

Let me start by saying this forum and those in it really are helpful and I'm glad I found it!

I've tried the odometer black out fix for my 2000 F150 Lariat with no success. I've actually tried it several times and even re-soldered other connections that looked iffy. Has anybody else ran into this? I've read every post looking for someone else that may be in the same situation as myself. I only found one and he just said his problem was other bad solder connections.

A secondary question is about using a new instrument panel cluster. When I bought the truck (the odometer was blacked out and has never lit back up) the previous owner had purchased a new cluster, which I got from him. I know it needs to have the programming from the old cluster transferred to work and nobody except Ford seems to do it where I live. I plugged the new cluster in and turned the key on, just to see if the odometer would light up and it did not. Of course all the other lights like theft and service engine, etc. lit up, which I knew would happen because it is t programmed. Shouldn't the odometer display at least lit up? If so, is it possible myself problem is elsewhere?

I just had a remanufactured engine put in and would like to have my odometer working so I can stop using my GPS to track my mileage for maintenance and such. Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

Is you dash lights dimmer turned down by any chance?

 

Thanks for responding Alloro. No, it's all the way up. I just read in a F150 forum that there might be some bad solder joints on the small board that holds the LED or possibly a break in one of the wires to the LED. I'm going to check them both tomorrow. I gave a quick check of the wires when I had it apart today, but I'll look closer if re-soldering the joints on the small board doesn't work. I'll post back with the results.

 

Ok. I checked the odometer display board & all solder joints looked good. I pulled it off (2 T10 screws) flipped it over and saw a black burned looking spot in the lower right corner of the display. As I mentioned above, I already had a new instrument cluster that I wasn't going to pay Ford big $$ to program & swap. I pulled it apart, swapped the main boards out and put the new instrument cluster, which had a new odometer LED, into my truck. Truck started right up and I now have my odometer back with actual miles. As a plus my speed gauge now also is right on with my GPS. It seemed to gain 1-3 mph after hitting 50 mph. The needle in the old cluster was just a whisker off of zero causing it to be off the further past center (50 mph) it went.

So if the solder fix doesn't work, check the actual odometer LED. I'm sure a junkyard replacement can be found. Also if you have a new instrument cluster, swapping the main board works without having to pay for programming!




Bad LED display. Area to the lower right circled is a black burned spot under the plastic. The whole display should be clear.

 

Actually, that black spot is something that is made during the manufacturing process, and does not indicate a defective display.

Vacuum fluorescent display - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Maybe so, but you can't argue with success since the display now works.

 

Thank you for posting the link with a picture showing the same black spot on a display. I read the article and it did not say anything about that. It looked like the top picture in the article had the black spot in the top left corner. I'm sure you know a thing or two about the process though and I admittedly do not know anything about the process. So I get your point that the black spot should not be taken as the display being bad and thank you for that. I wouldn't want others to read my post and automatically assume their display is bad bc of the black spot as I did. I am glad I made that assumption though, but to be honest I was going to swap the instrument cluster and the main board anyways as a last resort since I already had everything here.

My problem must have had something to do with the ribbon or something on the display board that was not visible to me. I know I have been pulling my hair out trying to fix this and I'm sure there are a few others that have tried the original fix with no success. I've also read comments (may have been another forum. I've read so many comments looking for answers I'm not sure where at this point) with questions about swapping instrument clusters and getting them programmed that I just wanted to share my experience and what finally worked for me so that those few that may have given up after trying the original fix and it not working for them can try this and hopefully join those of us that now enjoy having an odometer display again

Thanks for the input and suggestions! This forum is AWESOME!

 

It's great you fixed it, and we don't know for sure if your display was bad or not. Only way to know is to benchtest it. The important thing is that it works now.

 

A little OT, but if you want some basics about vacuum fluorescent displays, you can watch this.

 

I agree Skauber and I'll check out the video. Knowledge is always a good thing

 

I must be the biggest idiot known to man I can't get the friggin headlamp bezel off!! I don't want to break it but I feel like I'm to that point I'll just replace it if I have too... I have the headlamp **** off but all I'm doing now is marking up my dash... Any help is much appreciated