Cluster, wont crank, but then will???
 

2002 F150 reg. cab longbed, 4.2 v-6, automatic. 150962 miles. The instrument cluster ( No Tach.) will surge, all needles will go all way to right, 2 or 3 times. Then they go all way to left as if truck is cut off and hold, then all the panel display lights like ABS, BRAKE, ENGINE,odometer, so forth will blink a time or two and then the needles either go back to working or just stay off. Sometime you can take thumb and 1st finger and thump the clear bezel if it doesnt come back on and it may start to work, but may not. It may start back working 2 miles down road. But even if it does, it will repeat later many times on a trip. Dealer says needs new cluster set, reprogramming and that should do it, thought I may get it done next week. But now the truck will run fine, but when you get where youre going and want to leave, it may not start. But if you wait a while it will. This has become very frustrating. I took off tank, changed fuel pump and screen and level sensor with all new. Changed frame mounted fuel filter, and to my much surprize, Did the wait a while to start thing 3 times today. I dont appear to hear the pump come on when I turn on ignition when it is in the no start mode. Does anyone have any suggestions or comments ? Dealer says a bad cluster shouldnt cause fuel or no start problems. It is about 600.00 for the cluster replace and reprogram and in this economy I cant afford the dealer to do that and spend a lot of time troubleshooting the other. Thanks.

From what you have described, it sounds like the ign switch is making intermittent contact, but if the truck didn't stop running that theory is questionable.
Do you have access to the owner's manual? If so,you might look thru the fuses listed and what circuits they control. It could be a questionable connection between the ign switch and the instrument panel. Let us know what if anything you find. Thanks, ,,,hanky

wont crank
 

hey i drive a 2005 f150 supercrew and for my work i drive all day and start my truck up alot during the day. it started to not crank sometimes and make a horrible noise, as time went on it got worst and worst. so i replaced the starter thinkin it was that but after i replaced it i kept having the problem took it back to the shop and it turned out to be the fly wheel. so i dont know if this will help you or not but i thought i would try.

Check the positive battery cable and connection all the way into the vehicle .
Ford placed a junction block in the positive supply wiring to the inside of the vehicle and I have seen this cause a multitude of problems.

07 lariat with very similar problem
 

I have a 2007 lariat f150 and have had a similar problem, i have had a dead battery every morning when i come out to go to work, i have been able to figure out that fuse 21 is the power fuse for "cluster keep alive power". i powers your dome lighting, your radio, and your cluster. with the fuse pulled i can crank the truck every morning no problem. i am in the same boat, now that i have found the culprit, i cant really affor a 600.00 cluster. i am trying to figure out if it is my dome lighting, radio or actually the cluster