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mudslidemary · 12-15-2015, 06:57 PM

We just bought a 2006 Damon Daybreak. Of course during the test drive no problems, coach performed great. We took a short trip a couple of weeks later and the instrument panel stopped working, all the gauges come on and off intermittently, no apparent reason, not hitting bumps etc. When starting engine all gauges operate as they should, put in drive and accelerate to about 20 RPMs and gaugues stop working. Each time I come to a stop and the RPMS drop to 20 the gauges will come back on and then go off again when accelerating. Ford dealership has had for about 4 weeks, they keep checking all kinds of things, twice they said it was fixed, but not true, so took it back. Took a longer trip about 300 miles and the gauges worked about 80% of the time. Just wondering if anyone else has had any of the same problems. FYI It came from Canada, registers mileage in kilometers.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

BFlinn181 · 12-15-2015, 10:09 PM

Intermittent electrical problems can be very difficult to track down and correct. Start with your ground connections, from the battery on to the dash. A jumper wire with alligator clips can be used to hook the to the instrument cluster to a ground (steering column, metal brace, etc.) when the instruments are out, that will show if it's a bad ground. A can of contact cleaner should also be used to clean out each connector in the wiring harness from the engine ECU to the instrument cluster. Unplug each connector, spray out with the cleaner, then connect again.

If you think it's a bad dash cluster, you could replace with another used cluster. Check your local salvage yards or one of these:

RV Salvage/Surplus Yards (List) Updated 12/1/15 - RV Forums - myRVparks.com

mudslidemary · 12-16-2015, 06:00 AM

I cannot imagine the Ford company has not checked all the things you mentioned in your reply, especially since they have had it for about 3 weeks. Thank you for your salvage information. I am looking at a company in SC who refurbishes clusters. I have sent them an email explaining the problems and hoping they will be able to help me out. As with all things that have to do with MH the price is usually 3x that of a regular car etc. Guess that is the price we pay for having a non necessity vehicle. But I am not going to give it up. I plan to spend some serious time traveling in it starting in March 2016.

TeJay · 12-16-2015, 07:20 AM

I sure can imagine a dealer of any manufacturer not finding the problem. I won't bore you with those details. They may have had it for 3 weeks but how much actual time did they devote to it is the real question.

As BFlinn181 mentioned any intermittent electrical issue can be a problem and most dealerships can't charge you enough diagnostic time to cover their labor costs these days. Actually diagnostic time has almost never been an easy item to charge customers. Doctors can charge you all the diagnostic time/tests they want and get away with it but not repair technicians. For some unknown reason our diagnostic knowledge/expertise does not command a high price. Many still believe that we can just plug our scan gauge in and it will tell us what to change. It has never worked that way.

Can you isolate exactly how and when it happens??? Is it movement or engine RPM's?? You said it's not hitting bumps so can you narrow it down any more??

If that answer is no then think of this. You said ALL gauges and lights go out. Is that correct?? If yes then it has to be the main power source for ALL lights and gauges. That might point to one connection or plug/wiring harness that feeds power (12 volts) to ALL the gauges and lights. If you can find and get to that connection that would be helpful.

I can get to the back of my dash electrical panel very easily. I had a F-53 chassis 1999 and I could also remove a bunch of screws and get the dash out and in my hands. That's not always the case with these beasts. If you can get to the back of the dash and have the dash lights on wiggling connections to get them to go out would isolate the issue. As I said it has to be a main or one connection that feeds ALL the power since they all go out when it does happen.

It would be nice to actually see a schematic for the dash. That should/will tell you which connection feeds power to all the gauges and lights.

If you find or have a source for a new electrical part of your dash maybe they can look at the replacement part and give you an idea which connection might be that magic one.

Maybe with lights on pushing on the panel making it flex or move will get the lights to go out. It could be a small break in the newer style printed circuit boards. They all used to actually be on 1/16" boards now they are printed on thin plastic.

It is never easy to get an intermittent electrical issue to act up at your choosing. Be creative and I think you'll find the problem.

Do let the forum know when you get this solved. It's nice to have the information for the next time.

TeJay

mudslidemary · 12-16-2015, 05:48 PM

When the ignition is turned on all the gauges and dash lights come on. When I put it in gear and accelerate when it reaches 2000 RPMS they all go off, but not always. Then when I slow down and the RPMS reach 2000 they will come back on again. Then again they sometimes come on while running at 50 or 60 miles an hour on the interstate and stay on for undetermined amt of miles and then all of a sudden go off again.
I understand what you are saying about the dealership probably not putting all the three weeks time into finding the problem, but they have been working on it and they have not charged me any more labor since the first time they told me it was fixed and of course it was not.
I feel a little uneasy in removing the cluster and messing around back there. I am definitely not a mechanic. I was just hoping someone on this forum might have had the same problem and had found out what the problem was.
Not being an automotive mechanically inclined woman, is probably why I should have not bought a used MH, or maybe should have taken out the extended warranty.
Thank you all for your help. Hopefully I will get it figured out before this summer when I plan to head West to volunteer camp host.

mudslidemary · 12-16-2015, 06:09 PM

One thing I forgot to mention is that even though the gauges and odometer stops working the cruise control continues to function. I had it set on 55 miles an hour and looked down and the gauges had gone off, but the coach speed was still being controlled by the cruie control. Go figure.

BFlinn181 · 12-16-2015, 06:23 PM

The cruise control and the gauges are controlled by the ECU. I suggest having the wiring checked between the cluster and the ECU. A bad pin or connection in that harness is probably the issue. If the dash cluster has it's own ground connection under the dashboard, I'd also check that out. As I suggested before, a jumper ground wire with alligator clips could be added to the gauge cluster to eliminate that possibility.

TeJay · 12-16-2015, 07:00 PM

I do understand what you are saying. Many of us have tried or asked all posters to give us an indication of ones abilities and understanding before we try to post possible suggested answers.

Even if you are not mechanically astute one can still reach up and behind and give a few wiring harnesses some tugs, pulls and wiggles. The dealer has probably already done that as well but you never know. Even if you don't find the problem you will have learned some things. If you continue to own an RV any knowledge you gain is worth the effort for future issues because you will have them and sometimes there's nobody else around to help. Working on 12-Volt systems like under the dash is not going to hurt or electrocute you. It's not like poking around your home circuit box.

TeJay

mudslidemary · 12-17-2015, 05:34 AM

It is not that I am afraid of hurting myself. It was more I am afraid I would make things worse for the motorhome. I fix things all the time, like light fixtures, antenna's and otber stuff that needs to be done. Just haven't had a .ot of automotive experience.

TeJay · 12-17-2015, 06:50 AM

One of my absolute best diagnostic technicians that came from the automotive training program also taught me the part about probing, tugging and wiggling wires, connections and harnesses when searching for electrical problems. Since your dash only intermittently works I doubt you can do it any more harm.

My best in our search. Anytime you can locate one of these electrical demons it's a feather in your cap. Do keep us informed please.

TeJay

Sweetbriar · 12-21-2015, 06:55 AM

Intermittent electrical is a nightmare to find and correct. Could be something as simple as a bad crimp on a pin in a connector but which one of the 100's? You also have the potential of past owner undocumented alterations.

Since all the gauges are effected you'll need to find what's common. Could be a ground or 12VDC. Could even be a problem in the ignition key switch rather than the cluster or associated harness. Might be time to buy the shop maintenance manual for the chassis and maybe a salvaged dash. You could also try an OBD reader and review what the ECU is doing when going down the road but I suspect everything is OK.