2000 Windstar's Instrument Panel Erratic

My 2000 Ford Windstar's instrument panel went crazy with all the dials reading erratically to the left and right. After a few minutes they corrected themselves except the dial that tells the revs of the engine. The REV dial is stuck more than 180 degrees from its normal zero position, such that the gear cannot sit properly in the PARK position. I have recharged the battery, driven the car in lower gears to give more room for the dial to return but it is still stuck. I'll appreciate suggestions on how to resolve this. Thanks.

There are a number of relays that were designed into the circuit so that, by their removal, the circuit could be divided for easier fault analysis. Or so I believe.

Occassionally these relays can develop problems of their own ... the next time you have the problem, you might try giving the relays a gently whap to see if the symptoms change ... then you can experiment with relay swapping, etc. In the end you may have to pony up for a new relay.

Good luck!

while I agree with 12ounce, another thing that can cause really odd gauges is poor power supply. Just last week the battery on my wife's windstar died and the gauges were flipping all over the place. If you can do a load test on your battery that's good place to start. Most autoparts places will test for free, and in car. I'd do that for sure before pulling a bunch of relays (and likely hair!)

Hell yeah Winnies tend to go really weird on electronics when battery is waning so check that out first. Next could be the relay or could be the instrument panel itself that's shot. New instrument panels are available from Ford but cost a small fortune but on the other hand you could get a used one for like $20 or $30 at a junk yard or on eBay. An employee at my favorite junk yard mentioned that demand for instrument panels for 99-03 Windstars, Escapes, Rangers, Explorers and F-150's has been steadily increasing over the last 2-3 years. All these models have very similar if not identical panels (I call them Glowing Needle Panels) so one can conclude that 10 to 12 years is their average lifespan.

Maybe the easiest place to begin is at the relay and fuse panel, underhood, next to the battery. All the fuses have test probe spots on their tops ...you may have never noticed them. With the engine idling, first read the full battery voltage from "ground" ... then read from ground to each of the fuse test points. All should be a the same, exact voltage. Anything less, even a tenth of a volt, is a reason for closer investigation.

Problem solved! I have a 2001 Windstar that first started with the tach needle pegging took dash apart and flipped it back. That lasted a while but reoccurred after a couple hundred miles. Did it twice more the last time it happened again within 50 miles. I then thought it must be in the cluster so went to the boneyard and got another cluster. Installed new cluster and after a short time tach acted up again then the speedo started to quit working. Did find if I pounded on the top of the dash it would return back to normal with the tach pegged. So thinking I may have gotten a bad cluster got another cluster and replaced it again. Same problems came back. One day when speedo quit I also noticed that the fuel and water temp gauges were not correct. It now lead me to believe maybe the ground was bad as all the gauges was affected. Take the dash apart once more looking for a ground wire. Needless to say couldn't find anything that looked like a ground. Started van up with the cluster loose and tried wiggling the wire harness with no luck to recreate problem. After reinstalled dash panel I saw at the side of the dash in the door jamb a bolt that secures that dash to the body. I tightened the bolts in both the driver and passenger doorjambs and for over 7,000 miles haven't had a problem since.

while I agree with 12ounce, another thing that can cause really odd gauges is poor power supply. Just last week the battery on my wife's windstar died and the gauges were flipping all over the place. If you can do a load test on your battery that's good place to start. Most autoparts places will test for free, and in car. I'd do that for sure before pulling a bunch of relays (and likely hair!)


We had it due to this. Then, I opened up and replaced all the yellow and blue fuses in the fuse box, and the flickering lights and this problem stopped forever.

I found out later, the hood had been slammed shut, fracturing some sort of plastic rail holding the hood latch cable and ground. After I fiddled with it, pulling the hood latch release worked, plus the lights stopped turning off along with the engine.

My 2000 Ford Windstar's instrument panel went crazy

That's it!!! Great title for a blues song the wife is composing. :smokin:

nanijo80

I have 03 Windstar speedometer has intermitting operation. Checked all the grounds in floor side panels. I have had the battery, charging checked, both checked O.K. What about checking for bad relay. The cluster starts working correct when I hit a bay bump, and sometime stops working. need help.tulo5502@comcast.net (help.tulo5502@comcast.net)

Check my post from 3/18/13 Since I tighten the two bolts in the door jambs holding in the dash panel it's been find since nearly 90,000 miles ago

There are a number of relays that were designed into the circuit so that, by their removal, the circuit could be divided for easier fault analysis. Or so I believe.

Occassionally these relays can develop problems of their own ... the next time you have the problem, you might try giving the relays a gently whap to see if the symptoms change ... then you can experiment with relay swapping, etc. In the end you may have to pony up for a new relay.

Good luck!

Please advise where these relays are located. under the kick panel ? were please. Joe

nanijo80
errors with panel . I first think it was a bad ground. I checked the grounds in each side of the kick panels near the floor, also tighten the bolts on each end of the dash. no good. Now I think it's a bad connection with the cluster. The unit works O.K. for a while, but it will not work at all when driving. I hit the bezel, and it will work again . Help Please. Is there a answer. Thank you Joe

Will I have to replace the cluster?

No, you shouldn't have to replace the cluster. As I said the problem went away once I tighten the bolt for the dash in the door jambs. If hitting the bezel surrounding the cluster has it working again have you tried unplug then plug the wiring harness to the cluster? Try to wiggle the plugs with the engine running to see if that affects it.

It's probably a cold (broken) solder joint on the instrument panel. It happens. I'd remove the instrument cluster and reflow the main solder joints, especially around the connector, if you're comfortable in your soldering skills. For me, I'd just send it off to a rebuilder. I like these guys (partially because I used to live 5 minutes from their shop and have visited in person before) and can vouch for their work, but there are plenty of others if you search google and ebay. Most sell the service through ebay. It's usually around $50 for the service. Search ebay for "windstar instrument cluster" and see what's there.

http://masrepair.com/
http://stores.ebay.com/AIRBAG-MODULE-STORE

I recently had AC "iffies", even the AC blower was iffy ... would run slowly and unevenly. I happened to remove the fuse that feeds this whole business, cleaned the corroded fuse-prongs a bit ... reinserted and all seems well.

So that got my attention. This fuse/relay panel under hood has a very tough existence ... hot, cold, wet, oily ... you name it. I'm about to go out and remove each relay and fuse ... one at a time ... clean the base-prongs ... lubricate with No-Nox electrical joint paste and re-insert. Just for maintenance.