I have a 2004 freestar with a screwy message center. usually i can't see it. every few to several months I can see the message center display for a couple of days then is DIMS away. why is this happening and how can I fix it?

 

Did you find a solution. I have the same problem 05 freestar ltd. My daughter has a 07 freestar sport, same problem. I haveb een told it is a cold saulder joint on theinstrument cluster. circut board

 

Maybe these guys can help: Automotive Scientific Inc.

FORD EXCURSION TRUCK COMPASS TEMP INFO CENTER REBUILD items in ABS ECU ECM EBCM COMPUTER REBUILD store on eBay!

 

Both my Windstar and my Freestar have a similar problem in that the message center is poorly designed and is located in a place that only a contortionist could easily see, (dangerous to try to read it while driving), plus it is almost always too dim to read in the daytime. My wife's Honda Accord is easy to read even in bright sunlight.
Hello Ford!!! are you listening?

 

I have no problem reading my message center ('03 Windstar) except when it is hit directly by sunlight.
With the headlights off the display is bright, with the headlights on it dims to half bright.
When my alternator was on the fritz it went from bright to dim without rhyme and reason. After replacing the alternator it was normal again.

 

My 2004 Freestar message center is located in a spot that makes it necessary to look through the steering wheel to see it. It is small, dim, and subject to reflections making the characters in the display hard to discern. Standing still in the shade it is fine, but driving down the road in the daytime, useless.

 

Did you ever find a solution for it? I cannot reset my tire pressure warning without the message center working. The whole panel works fine except the message center

 

Hi guys. New guy here. First post. Just bought a 2004 Freestar and working on some (minor I hope) problems. Noticed the dim pixel readout for the odo and info ceneter as a subject. The poster in #2 above is on top of it from what I saw a few minutes ago. Can't remember where I saw it but a video showed where the sub (daughter board) printed circuit board behind the readout is where the problem is located. The video showed there are four resistors on the board with poor connections on some of them. Broken solder points which can be reheated and a dab of new solder on each one showed the fix. I have this problem with my readout and will try the fix in a few weeks.

OH YEAH !!! Recall 11S25 now is official for free Torque Converter replacement at your friendly Ford dealer. Get in line (behind me ).

Looking forward to a great forum and will help and get help when I can.

Will update my control panel soon.

Eddie

 

Welcome.

Once you fix it, can you post some pics?

 

Well ..My 04 Limted is now a proud memer of the "DIM Message Center" club. Guess I'll try to tackle this in August when I have some free time (still trying to figure out what "FREE TIME" is). Also need to replace the exhaust ground strap and I see that the foam insulation is coming off of the coolant/AC lines under the van (have to re-cover those before winter arrives).