Ford F-150: Erratic Ding Dong Dinger - PART I
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Date: 2022-07-26
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Comments and reviews: 14
gregg
I work for a large fleet in Las Vegas and we see this kind of problem occasionally on both Ford's and Chevy's. The Chevy's & GMC's the problem is usually intermittent brake and abs warning lights coming on but no faults in the systems also the prndl indicator and odometer will go blank. With Ford's a relay that likes to fail that takes out the radio, electric windows and sometimes the A/C system. Solder joints usually cause the odometer not to read and can cause the door ajar chime to sound but the door open switches are working correctly. The interior lights will go on and off randomly going down the road and while parked. If we can't find anything obvious wrong with the solder joints we will send the dashboard for repair. It doesn't happen often enough for us to get proficient at resoldering them ourselves. I really enjoy your videos and you have taught this old dog more than one new trick over the years. Keep up the good work!
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I work for a large fleet in Las Vegas and we see this kind of problem occasionally on both Ford's and Chevy's. The Chevy's & GMC's the problem is usually intermittent brake and abs warning lights coming on but no faults in the systems also the prndl indicator and odometer will go blank. With Ford's a relay that likes to fail that takes out the radio, electric windows and sometimes the A/C system. Solder joints usually cause the odometer not to read and can cause the door ajar chime to sound but the door open switches are working correctly. The interior lights will go on and off randomly going down the road and while parked. If we can't find anything obvious wrong with the solder joints we will send the dashboard for repair. It doesn't happen often enough for us to get proficient at resoldering them ourselves. I really enjoy your videos and you have taught this old dog more than one new trick over the years. Keep up the good work!
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Farrell
The connector on the cluster should not wiggle that much. and it almost certainly has caused a bad solder joint. It might be an easy fix, just using either soldering iron with a broad tip, or a reflow heat-gun. Those are the same clusters that are on the E series vans I believe. As for getting a new cluster. you probably can't get one. Chrome on the Vancity Vanlife has had a flakey cluster for a while now, and they replaced it with a remanufactured one. and it has failed. If it was my car, I would use a solder sucker and remove all the current solder and resolder it with good quality, solder with lead in it. There was a period where everyone was switching to unleaded solder, and it proved to be too brittle, and not last a long time. That could be why so many of them fail. I would also reinforce the connection, maybe with hot glue, since it shouldn't be flopping around so much!
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The connector on the cluster should not wiggle that much. and it almost certainly has caused a bad solder joint. It might be an easy fix, just using either soldering iron with a broad tip, or a reflow heat-gun. Those are the same clusters that are on the E series vans I believe. As for getting a new cluster. you probably can't get one. Chrome on the Vancity Vanlife has had a flakey cluster for a while now, and they replaced it with a remanufactured one. and it has failed. If it was my car, I would use a solder sucker and remove all the current solder and resolder it with good quality, solder with lead in it. There was a period where everyone was switching to unleaded solder, and it proved to be too brittle, and not last a long time. That could be why so many of them fail. I would also reinforce the connection, maybe with hot glue, since it shouldn't be flopping around so much!
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marscruz
I have an '06 F150 XL (base model) with the 4. 6 V8 and automatic. It didn't come with a tach. I wanted one. I found out the hard way that the only cluster that would work was the one out of a V6 XL with the manual. Tried several others out of higher trim V8 models that wouldn't work -- or wouldn't do some things properly. It was a learning experience. Oh boy, the troubles we get into by trying to improve things. Still runs great though. Gets an ABS fault once or twice a year. I'm still hoping you or Ivan or Makuloco post a test and fix for this issue. You already saved me from replacing the wonky starter that was actually caused by a faulty electrical relay in the right kick panel. Bonus!
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I have an '06 F150 XL (base model) with the 4. 6 V8 and automatic. It didn't come with a tach. I wanted one. I found out the hard way that the only cluster that would work was the one out of a V6 XL with the manual. Tried several others out of higher trim V8 models that wouldn't work -- or wouldn't do some things properly. It was a learning experience. Oh boy, the troubles we get into by trying to improve things. Still runs great though. Gets an ABS fault once or twice a year. I'm still hoping you or Ivan or Makuloco post a test and fix for this issue. You already saved me from replacing the wonky starter that was actually caused by a faulty electrical relay in the right kick panel. Bonus!
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Paul
Hi Eric, I love your videos and am an avid viewer. Please take this the way it's intended. You were moving the board when you found the bad connections. Watch the video again and you will see that the board moved when you were testing the connector. Use your normal diag technique. Secure the board and wiggle the connector. If not the same results move to the next connector, the board to board connector and it will have a dry joint. 41 years in electronics and repair. Once again, I have learnt SO much from your videos, they are a MUST WATCH for me. Respect.
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Hi Eric, I love your videos and am an avid viewer. Please take this the way it's intended. You were moving the board when you found the bad connections. Watch the video again and you will see that the board moved when you were testing the connector. Use your normal diag technique. Secure the board and wiggle the connector. If not the same results move to the next connector, the board to board connector and it will have a dry joint. 41 years in electronics and repair. Once again, I have learnt SO much from your videos, they are a MUST WATCH for me. Respect.
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Thomas
As the owner of one of these trucks, solder joints breaking on that cluster are very common as these things age. I m surprised it wasn t the brake light being stuck on, that s the one it always happens to. My truck has had the brake light problem, and now the dome light is intermittent (have yet to dive into that one, which is also a bad joint or connection somewhere in the cluster. Jiggling that same connector on the board brings it right back on. Good stuff as always!
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As the owner of one of these trucks, solder joints breaking on that cluster are very common as these things age. I m surprised it wasn t the brake light being stuck on, that s the one it always happens to. My truck has had the brake light problem, and now the dome light is intermittent (have yet to dive into that one, which is also a bad joint or connection somewhere in the cluster. Jiggling that same connector on the board brings it right back on. Good stuff as always!
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Buck's
Eric, my 2003 F150 does this same thing. At every start-up there are 5 series of 5 beeps each, and then it does it again every 30 minutes (if you're driving that long. I don't have a high-end scan tool, so I don't know what cluster light is not functioning. it's either ABS or airbag, as those lights never illuminate. I can live with it, but my wife finds it unnerving. I might have to reach out to your buddy at united radio. Thank you!
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Eric, my 2003 F150 does this same thing. At every start-up there are 5 series of 5 beeps each, and then it does it again every 30 minutes (if you're driving that long. I don't have a high-end scan tool, so I don't know what cluster light is not functioning. it's either ABS or airbag, as those lights never illuminate. I can live with it, but my wife finds it unnerving. I might have to reach out to your buddy at united radio. Thank you!
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Leon
I have worked on circuit boards for 30 years. If you cannot see where the bad connection is it can be a real B h to find. Sometimes if you take a soldering iron and resolder a suspected area or group of connections you can get the one(s) causing the problem. To start I would resolder all the connector pins to the board. Sometimes you can see a small crack in the solder at the pin and sometimes you cannot see the bad one.
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I have worked on circuit boards for 30 years. If you cannot see where the bad connection is it can be a real B h to find. Sometimes if you take a soldering iron and resolder a suspected area or group of connections you can get the one(s) causing the problem. To start I would resolder all the connector pins to the board. Sometimes you can see a small crack in the solder at the pin and sometimes you cannot see the bad one.
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Gunga
That dinger is ignorant af, and if mine would have an ice pick pushed through where the sound comes from.
Before I'd have you replace the cluster, I'd get you to replace the front end. Can't imagine that she's the smooth operator driving down the road at 70 mph.
Doesn't the PRNY require a working parking brake for State Inspection? Hell, I've had vehicles fail inspection for a burnt out high beam indicator bulb.
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That dinger is ignorant af, and if mine would have an ice pick pushed through where the sound comes from.
Before I'd have you replace the cluster, I'd get you to replace the front end. Can't imagine that she's the smooth operator driving down the road at 70 mph.
Doesn't the PRNY require a working parking brake for State Inspection? Hell, I've had vehicles fail inspection for a burnt out high beam indicator bulb.
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Tom
Thanks for another interesting diagnosis. I hope there will be a part 2. And I noticed just before 2 minutes, when you took the 1st left turn of the ride, there was a PT Cruiser sitting in someone's driveway, that didn't look rusted & ravaged, so maybe that's the last PT in Avoca. If that one needs fixing, the owner can leave it & walk home. Just what you need when you keep using an old car (like I do.
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Thanks for another interesting diagnosis. I hope there will be a part 2. And I noticed just before 2 minutes, when you took the 1st left turn of the ride, there was a PT Cruiser sitting in someone's driveway, that didn't look rusted & ravaged, so maybe that's the last PT in Avoca. If that one needs fixing, the owner can leave it & walk home. Just what you need when you keep using an old car (like I do.
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Jonathan
anyone had a similar issue but it was the fuel gauge? Got a customer with 09 explorer, fuel gauge randomly zonks to 0. He swore it was the fuel pump so we replaced it and the canister by his request, worked fine for about a week but doing the same thing again. Any ideas? could it be the cluster too? May check the connections like this next time I go out there. Thanks again for the great videos!
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anyone had a similar issue but it was the fuel gauge? Got a customer with 09 explorer, fuel gauge randomly zonks to 0. He swore it was the fuel pump so we replaced it and the canister by his request, worked fine for about a week but doing the same thing again. Any ideas? could it be the cluster too? May check the connections like this next time I go out there. Thanks again for the great videos!
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BigLoo
Just started watching. I had a very similar sound in my 2003 Escape. The airbag light was out, and by that, I mean someone removed the bulb. I bet you that missing airbag circuit was the one causing the tone. Three groups of 5 beeps, and it would do it every few minutes. I though something was wrong like a sudden oil pressure drop, but there were no lights on.
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Just started watching. I had a very similar sound in my 2003 Escape. The airbag light was out, and by that, I mean someone removed the bulb. I bet you that missing airbag circuit was the one causing the tone. Three groups of 5 beeps, and it would do it every few minutes. I though something was wrong like a sudden oil pressure drop, but there were no lights on.
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autos
Haven't seen this on Ford, but have seen it on other equipment with crappy connectors on cheap boards. Couldn't get a replacement board in time so took a small tip iron on high and did a touch n go on all beads and it seemed to fix the problems. Sometimes its just a cold joint. Good find in a short time cause they can be a pain to find,
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Haven't seen this on Ford, but have seen it on other equipment with crappy connectors on cheap boards. Couldn't get a replacement board in time so took a small tip iron on high and did a touch n go on all beads and it seemed to fix the problems. Sometimes its just a cold joint. Good find in a short time cause they can be a pain to find,
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riprock23
My '06 had the e brake light coming on ( also warning for low brake fluid) fluid and switch were fine. A couple days later the gauge needles started going crazy sent the cluster off, back in 2 days no problems since. You can drive it without the cluster if needed. Everything is stored in the computer.
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My '06 had the e brake light coming on ( also warning for low brake fluid) fluid and switch were fine. A couple days later the gauge needles started going crazy sent the cluster off, back in 2 days no problems since. You can drive it without the cluster if needed. Everything is stored in the computer.
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Exmotorsports
It's been awhile now but I had a 06 that did the same thing but made the brake light flicker or stay on continuously.
Ended up sending the cluster in for repair. However, that long chime sound reminds me of the airbag module that would do that even from the early 90's F series trucks.
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It's been awhile now but I had a 06 that did the same thing but made the brake light flicker or stay on continuously.
Ended up sending the cluster in for repair. However, that long chime sound reminds me of the airbag module that would do that even from the early 90's F series trucks.
reply
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