Help Needed Instrument cluster?

[bigdadie]

Hi, my f-350 battery keeps going dead the battery was new this year, set up a amp meter I have a .5 amp draw, so I pulled fuses till it went away, seam to be coming from the instrument cluster.(fuse #2 10 amp in this truck) I am going to pull the cluster & take a look, Can any one give me and idea where to start looking when I get out of the truck?

Truck is 2005 f-350 v-10 auto LX Model, about 15000 miles now

Thanks
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[04Powerstroke]

Almost all the cab power goes through or uses the cluster in some form. If your cluster gives problems as mine has, you will lose your door ajar light, dome light with door open, headlights on buzzer, keep alive power that goes out when the door opens will have to time out...ETC. I wouldn't necessarly start with the cluster itself. Try unplugging it first, then test for the amp draw. Then plug in one side and test. Get a schematic so that you know what is fed on which side. This willl greatly help out. Please share your results.

Shane

 

[Butch Cassidy]

Start w/ the simple - visually inspect for any burnt tracks, and for and shorts.
Inspect for any chafing, worn wires / ribbon cables on the assembly.
If you have the wiring schematics and know how to use them would be helpful for this application. Also check all the wiring harnesses leading to and from the cluster. I

I know this can be a PITA in inspecting the above, especially working under the dash (my back and neck muscles will let me know the next day).

If nothing can be visibly found, try ringing out the various runs w/ a dvm.

Hopes this helps,

Butch Cassidy

 

[Butch Cassidy]

Also, have you looked into the main ignition switch? I have a couple of past vehicles that were draining my batteries - driving me nuts trying to figure it out. It wasn't until I dug into the ignition switch (relaced them), that my drained battery problem went away.

Butch Cassidy

 

[bigdadie]

Thank, you both for some good staring places , I have not looked at main ignition switch seeing that it seams not to be in this circuit, has power all the time, ALL THE INSTRUMENT STILL WORK WITH THIS FUSE NOT IN PLACE,runs door warning light ,key chime, lights on chime , set belt waring light,ect.. I have a wiring schematics on the way from a friend brother on the west coast.

I have been told if its the cluster it self, that if I get new new one i will have to take it ford to be reprogrammed , Is this true????



Dale

 

[DaveBen]

It is not your cluster. Have you added any thing electrical? If you have, start there. If not, ???

Dave

 

[Fine69]

Like DaveBen said, I would first look into anything electrical that was added. Maybe your snowplow wiring? If this is the truck in your sig that says you got it from the junkyard, you may have something pinched, or chaffed due to the accident that put the truck in the junkyard in the first place. Good Luck in your search, let us know what you find.

 

[bigdadie]

All the plow wiring is new,& disconnected for testing, the old owner keep all the plow stuff off this truck, all it cam with is push plates. and I have added nothing to the truck excluding a dump body. witch was disconnected to see if that was the problem. still ran dead, the fuse that had the draw has been pulled for 36 hours and the truck battery still ok.


now to figure this out. fuse is the cluster fuse 10 amp or fuse #2 in the owner manual.