** HELP!** '90 F-150 Instrument gauges lost power
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** HELP!** '90 F-150 Instrument gauges lost power
I have a '90 F-150 Inline-6/ 5-speed and when I got in it last night and drove home the gauges weren't working. The lights on the instrument cluster came on, the speedometer works, but no tach, no temp, no volts, and I think the fuel gauge and oil pressure are not working either. When you first turn the key on the engine light doesn't come on, and the parking brake light doesn't light up either.
Anyone have any ideas? I checked all the fuses in the fuse panel, and checked the back of the instrument cluster to be sure the harness was still connected. I know the instrument cluster is getting power because when I turn on the headlights, the dash lights come on. Please help!!
Anyone have any ideas? I checked all the fuses in the fuse panel, and checked the back of the instrument cluster to be sure the harness was still connected. I know the instrument cluster is getting power because when I turn on the headlights, the dash lights come on. Please help!!
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** HELP!** '90 F-150 Instrument gauges lost power
Possibly, the instrument cluster voltage regulator.
After turning the key to on.
Take a multimeter & Go to the temperature sending unit to check for a pulsing current.
Dennis
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After turning the key to on.
Take a multimeter & Go to the temperature sending unit to check for a pulsing current.
Dennis
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** HELP!** '90 F-150 Instrument gauges lost power
>Possibly, the instrument cluster voltage regulator.
>
>After turning the key to on.
>Take a multimeter & Go to the temperature sending unit to
>check for a pulsing current.
>
>Dennis
>
Hey Thanks for the reply Dennis, Should there be a pulsing current or no current at the temp sender?
Jett
>
>After turning the key to on.
>Take a multimeter & Go to the temperature sending unit to
>check for a pulsing current.
>
>Dennis
>
Hey Thanks for the reply Dennis, Should there be a pulsing current or no current at the temp sender?
Jett
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** HELP!** '90 F-150 Instrument gauges lost power
A Pulsing current will verify the ICVR is working.
You could also use a test light,the M/M tells how much current though.
Dennis
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You could also use a test light,the M/M tells how much current though.
Dennis
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Junior User
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** HELP!** '90 F-150 Instrument gauges lost power
Hey thanks Dennis.
On the '90 they didn't have a voltage regulator in the instrument cluster, Ford quit using them in '87. I checked the wiring diagtram and talked to Ford parts guys. All they could say is remove the cluster and look at the printed circuit board to see if is shorted out somewhere.
Anyone have any other ideas?
On the '90 they didn't have a voltage regulator in the instrument cluster, Ford quit using them in '87. I checked the wiring diagtram and talked to Ford parts guys. All they could say is remove the cluster and look at the printed circuit board to see if is shorted out somewhere.
Anyone have any other ideas?
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Memphis, TN
** HELP!** '90 F-150 Instrument gauges lost power
Look in the wiring diagram for the fuse that feeds the coil - it also feeds a fuse for the instruments. About a month before my coil died, that fuse blew. Find out exactly which fuse it is & recheck it. Then pull the cluster and check for power on the wire from that fuse.
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** HELP!** '90 F-150 Instrument gauges lost power
The first thing in the manual is "check fuse". In the 1995, all the stuff you mention goes through fuse #17. Check that.
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** HELP!** '90 F-150 Instrument gauges lost power
Well Here is the update.
After about a week of the gauges intermittently going on and off and still not finding anything wrong in the wiring or cluster itself I decided to start back at the fuse panel like steve83 said. I checked fuse #18 ('90 instrument cluster fuse) in my fuse panel and it "LOOKED" good. I then tested it for continuity and low and behold, NO CONTINUITY! So I quickly threw in a new fuse and VIOLA, insturments work again!
I feel like a fool but at least no one knows what I look like on the board!
I guess the lesson is always check the small things first!
THANKS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL THOSE WHO HELPED
Jett
After about a week of the gauges intermittently going on and off and still not finding anything wrong in the wiring or cluster itself I decided to start back at the fuse panel like steve83 said. I checked fuse #18 ('90 instrument cluster fuse) in my fuse panel and it "LOOKED" good. I then tested it for continuity and low and behold, NO CONTINUITY! So I quickly threw in a new fuse and VIOLA, insturments work again!
I feel like a fool but at least no one knows what I look like on the board!
I guess the lesson is always check the small things first!
THANKS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL THOSE WHO HELPED
Jett
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Memphis, TN
** HELP!** '90 F-150 Instrument gauges lost power
You should also look for the problem that caused that fuse to blow to begin with. On mine, it was a coil on the verge of going out. It left me on the side of the highway 2 weeks later. 
$30 for a new one at CarQuest.
$30 for a new one at CarQuest.
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