haunted dashboard?

[bolhuijo]

Here's a weird one for ya...
2006 Bounder, hasn't been started in 6 weeks. We've been living in it the whole time and never had a problem but, Tonight I began to hear a relay clicking somewhere behind the instrument panel. At random intervals, the cluster beeps and displays "check gauges". Repeat until insane.
The key is not in the ignition. Been plugged into shore power the whole time, battery voltages are normal.

Ideas?

[ga traveler]

Use a multimeter and check your engine battery. Sounds like low voltage on the chassis battery.

[Jagtech]

X2 on the chassis battery- also check for corroded battery terminals on same battery.

[bolhuijo]

Oh I wish it were that easy. All batteries are ludicrously clean and look showroom new. I disconnected the chassis battery last night to stop the noise. I measured the battery voltage after 20 hours and it is still 12.9 volts. Time to call the Ghostbusters?

[KC1BUD]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bolhuijo Oh I wish it were that easy. All batteries are ludicrously clean and look showroom new. I disconnected the chassis battery last night to stop the noise. I measured the battery voltage after 20 hours and it is still 12.9 volts. Time to call the Ghostbusters?

Sounds too simple to me but, check the key make sure it isn't making intermittent contact, or failing electrically.

I once owned a Buick that every time I stepped on the brakes it would blow the fuse to the brake lights and the wipers would start. It was such a head scratcher until I thought it through and it dawned on me one day that the only place the two circuits come close to each other was at the fuse panel. Sure enough as soon as I pulled the panel and looked behind I found that the electrical lugs to each circuit were touching. A piece of cardboard and "VOILA" problem solved.

Actually thought, if I couldn't find the problem I would make a sign that would read something like; "If my wipers are going and its sunny then I am stopping".

Having done service work in the electronics industry, intermittent problems are one of the hardest to find.

[Jagtech]

Have you reconnected he battery? Sometimes disconnecting the battery briefly will "reset" the computer, and correct weird issues like this.

[bolhuijo]

Thanks for the tips. I haven't had time to look at it today, but I will this weekend. One downside to not having a driver's door -- it is a LOT harder to get my head down there by the pedals! I'll see if I can identify the clicking relay, and also wiggle the exposed wires to see if I can make the behavior come & go. Wish me luck!

[andy141]

I had an f150 pick up that did the same thing. It wound up being a bad ground for the dashboard

[magraisin]

Have you found a solution for the problem? I have been having the
same problem all summer it started in May 2011. A FORD dealer looked
at it for a couple of weeks back in June and couldn't find a problem.
I have been pulling a fuse(#4) to get it to stop going crazy, but not sure
what this may effect. 2009 Bounder 2008 chassis.

[bolhuijo]

I reconnected the battery after a few days, and the behavior didn't come back... until over 2 months later! I disconnected the battery again awhile back to make it stop. I searched everywhere I could for a loose / corroded connection, but everything I find is tight and new and clean. That must mean I just haven't pulled the right panel or poked in the right place...

[bolhuijo]

Update, spring 2012! The clicking and "check gages" warning came back from time to time. I finally got serious and started disassembling the dashboard to gain access. The clicking is definitely coming from inside the instrument cluster. There are no relays in there (at least not accessible) so I suspect the clicking is from whatever they use to make the turn signals click. I removed the cluster so I could have a real good look at it. Not much to see, not user-friendly. I plugged it back in and haven't heard the clicking since.
While I was back there I spotted the block where all the ground wires come together. Nice & tight & clean all. I'll keep adding to this thread from time to time if I discover something that might help.

[Arch Hoagland]

Ford/Chevy????

[Dunner]

I know you said you were on shore power, but by chance was the generator running at the time it clicked? I had a clicking in my 5er and finally figured out it was the hour meter clicking off the minutes. Duh!

[bolhuijo]

Arch - we are in the Ford Chassis forum...

Dunner - no, nothing as simple as the generator hour meter.. This is a reeeeally random thing that only occurs once in awhile. But since we're full timers, I'm usually here to hear it. Last time it was 3 in the morning. click, click, clicketyclicketyclickety... click. beeeeeeeeeeeep. "check gages"

Now that I've taken the lid off the instrument panel, I can easily reach the 2 connectors to the instrument cluster. Pulling the plug silences the problem of course, but that doesn't solve the problem of why it happens in the first place. I'm a guy that likes to solve the problem, not just treat the symptoms.