2003 Excursion 4x4 Limited v-10 gasoline engine powered

gauges stopped working
gauges dead
gauges not working
gauges

Coming home tonight, I lost all the instrument cluster gauges. Speedometer, tachometer, fuel, oil, temperature and transmission temperature.

So the logical thing to do was check both instrument cluster fuses, fuse 35 and fuse 41. They were both OK.

Kept looking and found fuse #45 blown, it's the "Ignition switch Run/ Start feed" fuse. It was blown.

Popped in a new one and gauges came back to life.

Maybe this will be of some help to somebody in the future and they can find this subject by searching. I don't know why fuse #45 controls power to the instrument cluster gauges. Strange.

 

Glad you found your problem and were able to get it fixed relatively easily (it sucks searching though all the fuses doesn't it)

I had a similar problem a while back. My radio, windows, EATC quit working. Checked all the fuses that had anything to do with them and they were all fine. My cousin looked up the wiring for my truck and found out it was the fuse labeled for the instrument panel (all my instrument panel stuff worked fine).

I have said this before and I'll say it again. If you are having an electrical problem start by checking the fuses that are labeled for that item, and if it isn't any of those, start checking all of them. Ford does a very poor job of labeling the fuses for everything that get power from them.

 

VaSheriff,Beerstalker

Thanks for the tip, and saving a future headache

 

Kudos on adding search parameters or whatever they are called. Rep points to you sir!

 

Yeah! Will make the thread easy to find in search.

 

Update: for those who may search this subject out in the future.

The problem got much worse. It was blowing the #45 fuse faster than I could put them in. The ABS light had now come on too. And the battery was not holding enough juice to power the engine. Actually had to have it towed home one evening after dark.

I figured I was having an electrical short in the steering column. Sparks would fly from the steering column every time the fuse blew. I figured my alternator was going bad now too. And I figured there was a problem with my ABS system.

I charged the battery and drove it into the Ford shop. The mechanic found the problem pretty fast. He had to replace the "Overdrive Cancel switch". Replacing this one little electrical module cleaned up all the problems.

 

Yeah, that is a farily common problem. It's usually not the switch itself but the wires. The end up getting chaffed where they come out of the shift lever and start shorting out, or not making a good connection. I've never heard of it causing that much havoc though. Glad you got it all fixed up.

 

My fault probably. I just kept popping in new fuses instead of taking it in for repairs 3 weeks ago.

By the time I did decide to take it in, it broke down on Friday night, and the shop was closed Monday for Memorial Day.

 

Steve, just trade it for the one at Free Bridge Auto...those guys are honest

 

HEY BOSS! HEY BOSS! HOW ABOUT THIS DEAL?

EVERYBODY RIDES!!

 

I had the same problem start about 2 weeks ago. I seen your post tonight as you did I checked the alt. and even replaced due to miles. Tonight I was heading to Cabelas and noticed my gauges out again. I started messing with looking for a short and I found a bare spot on the cable for the overdrive switch just before it enters the shift arm. I put in a new fuse and grounded the bare spot and fuse 45 popped. Hope this helps.

 

Thanks for easy search items. My '02 just did this on the way home. Gauges and O/D switch not working.
I pulled the steering lower column shroud, ignition key cylinder, tilt stem, upper column shroud, removed clip holding O/D switch wire to the shifter boot.
The insulation of the O/D switch wire over the shifter pivot was worn partway through. A little electrical tape later and the reassembly of stuff now laying in the snow. Don't forget to replace fuse #45 like I did wondering why the fix ain't working. I didn't have any MINI fuses around so I used fuse #29 Customer Access, both 10 amp.
Just how my fix went. Thanks all.

 

You're welcome.

It's mind boggling how many people are having this same identical problem lately. It's definitely a very serious installation error. But blah blah blah, the dealerships claim the OD switch went bad. The switches aren't going bad, the wiring simply wasn't installed and routed properly. This is one of those things that should become a mandatroy recall with Ford footing the bill for repairs In My Humble Opinion!

 

same thing happened to me. i started the vehicle, then turned it off and turned it back on within seconds(i know, i know, dumb thing cuz its diesel). all my gauges went out...so of course thats why its fuse 45....thanks again for the tip!

 

My 03 Excursion 5.4 instrument cluster and OD button went out. It was fuse 45, as mentioned above, exactly the same confusion about the manual. Have updated my fuse list to include "Instrument cluster + OD button" on fuse 45. Thanks Ford!