Irish aRSe

Car has been sitting around for the last 2 months. Jump started it and none of the instruments are working - Rev counter, speedo, boost, fuel even the MIL light did not come on when turned to IG1 position???

Turned it off and the boost gauge and fuel gauge went up half way and stay there????

Then started it up again and the instruments worked and it seems to happen whenever it wants now???

Anyone have any ideas?Thanks again.

focusv8

It's to do with the state of your battery.

Either charge it up on a charger, or buy a new one, as it should have kept it's charge over that time.

.

Irish aRSe

Do ya think so???My scan gauge is showing battery voltage as 13.7V so i thought that was fine???

Do the RS instrument clusters suffer from the same problems as the Mark 1 Focus Petrol and diesel????

I heard once the clusters give trouble its time to change them!!!Is this true???

Thanks

dixon.focus4x4

i have a instrument cluster for Ł90 free p&p if you need one mate

Irish aRSe

I would like to try and get to the bottom of this problem first before i go buying another cluster especially a second hand one that may give me the same problem in a months time, but thanks anyway bud.

Irish aRSe

Took the cluster out and sprayed it with contact cleaner on the pcb and no joy. I also cleaned the earth contacts around the engine bay - no joy!!!!

There is also a new battery installed!

Is there any way of testing the cluster to see if its flocked!!!

Is there a possibility it is a wiring issue???

Does anyone know if Ford have reduced their price for a new cluster based on the BBC watchdog show that was aired??? Thanks again lads.

NZWINRZ

You can put the cluster in self test mode, push the trip button in while turning the key to on position, hold down till the gauges sweep, let off, every push there after test or displays data, second push checks the led panel and third instrument lights

NZWINRZ

Here's more info:

The Self Diagnostics Mode gives you in-depth information about your
engine and the actual numbers in digital. To use it, follow the steps:

* Insert Key but do not turn it on
* Press and hold the Trip Meter Reset Button
* While holding the reset button, start your car and continue
holding the button
* Within 10 seconds, the display should change to "test" in LCD font
and the needles will do a full sweeping. Release the Button

Pressing the button will now cycle through some 17 different modes


* 1.Shows a Gauge Sweep
* 2. Shows all 8's on the LCD (LCD TEST)
* 3. Illuminates all the bulbs on the dash
* 4. Displays hexadecimal value for ROM level
* 5. Displays the hexadecimal value for EE level
* 6. Shows DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Code)
* 7. Digital Speedometer - mph
* 8. Digital Speedometer - kph
* 9. N/A
* 10. Digital tachometer
* 11.Fuel volume
* 12. Engine coolant temperature
* 13. Battery voltage
* 14. ABS fail
* 15. Electronic brake distribution (EBD) failure
* 16. Illumination
* 17. Crank Sense

Irish aRSe

I am aware of the self diagnostics mode but i have not found any issues. I believe it is the dry contacts on the back of the board. Apparently Frauds used lead free solder which is porous and leads to moisture pockets cracking the solder.

This would also explain why the problem i have is intermittent. This weekend i plan on getting out the soldering iron and touching the existing solder to re-solidify them, hopefully without blowing any of the IC controllers or resistors etc.

I'll let everyone know how i get on and do a "How To" if it all works out.

cheeRS

Bailes1992

Cluster aint supposed to work on I mode, only II.
The needles going half way mean it's got a low battery. If you check diagnostics you will have DTC 9318! I'm sure of it
My Focus is the same, the lights dim like hell when I put my quickclear windscreen on and sometimes dim when I got the sub on loud. They even flicker when I got the windscreen wipers on. It's had a new battery about 12 month ago. Going to fit a second earth soon and hopefully that will fix it. Only thing left is the Altenator

Irish aRSe

I put a brand new battery in and it still did the same thing. I also cleaned the earth points near the battery, engine eye and coolant tank and still no joy!! I think there is an earth near the drivers footwell so i need to find that and see if it makes a difference also.

I'm getting no DTC as i use a scan gauge 2 and nothing is coming up. Maybe the alternator is acting up but i still think its the PCB itself but i'll find out at the weekend and let ya know. Thanks

firey

I lost reversing and fog lights, reversing bleeper, headlight adjuster, heater blower, no instrument lights when side lights on and outside temp was -37, anyway I decided to disconnect the battery and left it overnight, next morning Ireconnected the battery and went for a drive of about 4 miles, everything came back on line except the dam cluster lights when I switch the side lights on. antone know how to take the cluster out??