Ford Focus Instrument Cluster/Dials Problem

Sorry about the bad quality - video was took on my phone! Fault (well niggly fault) number 2 with my 2002 Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec. This problem has existed since I've owned the car and infact it did this when I first test drove it but I never thought anything of it as it disappeared when I got the car home after buying it. The a month later it did this again for a day and then the instrument cluster went back to nornal again for another month and then the same thing! Then 3 weeks ago it started doing this everyday now but then a week ago it disappeared for a whole week before returning again 2 days ago! As you can see, when turning off the ignition all the dials will go back to their normal resting positions but the temp & fuel gauges will spring back to the halfway mark and stay there. Sometimes though the temp gauge will wobble about a couple of times and then it will go back to the halfway point again for a couple of seconds and then it will go back to the normal resting position but most of the time it is exactly like this.

I'm not too concerned about this as it doesn't seem to drain the battery at all and so I'm not in any rush to spend any money on trying to fix it straight away but I would like to know if anyone else watching this has had the exact same thing happen to them?

I have already been informed that it could be my instrument cluster at fault and that the connector at the back needs a clean (for any of us in the UK, their was a BBC Watchdog feature on this a few years ago, google it) or it just may need replacing. If not then apparently this could be a sign that the battery may be on it's way out - though the car always starts first time everytime and the battery doesn't look too old either (it's an RAC one).

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• ford
• focus
• instrument
• cluster
• dials
• problem
• 2002
• 1.6
• zetec

[studuckson]

I have just experienced this on my 52 plate TDCi. I know the battery on mine isnt correct (alot lower Ah and CCA than stock and its not a Silver calcium type which it specifically specifies in the manual) but is yours the correct type? This Ford Smart charging system can cause strange problems i've heard without a silver calcium battery fitted!

[LEK7686]

@studuckson Yes my battery is the correct type too, the problem in this case is definately down to the instrument cluster itself. I've heard reports that if the battery is the problem, then it would cause all of the dials on the instrument cluster to do strange things at random and also make various lights on the instrument cluster appear at random times as well.

[papilon1958]

LEK7686,thankyou so much for your reply,does the cluster come out easy as im a novice to repairing cars as to my disability,and also would this problem give the car any problems,and am i getting true fuel reading and temp reading,thankyou my friend for your kind return message.kind regards,paul.

[LEK7686]

@papilon1958 No problem Paul. If I am right you first need to pop out the black plastic boarder that is around the cluster itself using something like a screw driver and then you will be presented with around 6 screws that you need to remove. Once removed the cluster should start to come away but don't forget to disconnect the remote boot popped as well and then disconnect the cluster cable.

[MrDarkPsifer]

@papilon1958 Hello papilon, do the problem was totally fixed? Same problem here... =( cluster is doing weird things (or not doing nothing at all)...

[LEK7686]

@papilon1958 Hi there - nice of you to post on here again! :) I'm glad that you got it fixed! I've still not done anything to get the cluster repaired or replaced (not had the spare time!) but I have noticed since we have had this lovely weather here in the UK since April time, that the instrument cluster has not done the weird things with the needles at all, not once! I will wait until autumn time comes again when it may re-appear again and I will get round to repalacing it! :)

[papilon1958]

@LEK7686 hi lek,please tell me if you got your cluster fixed,as i spoke to you before as i had same problem,BUT fixed mine myself,i took the negative connection from battery forst then the possitive then i left the connections off for 45;minutes then put possitive back first then negative,and hey presto no more faults,PS i cleaned all connection forst before replacing battery terminals,hope you find that this WILL work for your car,paul.

[papilon1958]

hi lek,please tell me if you got your cluster fixed,as i spoke to you before as i had same problem,BUT fixed mine myself,i took the negative connection from battery forst then the possitive then i left the connections off for 45;minutes then put possitive back first then negative,and hey presto no more faults,PS i cleaned all connection forst before replacing battery terminals,hope you find that this WILL work for your car,paul.

[LEK7686]

@papilon1958 No, I've not got round to sorting it out yet and the instrument cluster on mine still does this all the time now. I have had confirmation off the FFOC (Ford Focus Owners Club) that this is a well known common problem and the only true fix is to replace the entire instrument cluster. You can also do a temp fix where you clean the cluster connection at the back but the problem will return.

[papilon1958]

hi,did you ever sort the problem out with the focus cluster,as i have got exact same problem and dont know what to do with it,would appreciate any help you could give me please,kindest regards,paul.helppppppp