I Just got this Ford Windstar SEL yesterday. It has some minor electrical problems but it is still safe to drive and drives like a dream compared to the 97 Chry Town & country minivan that I traided in.

Anyways 1st the gauges. Sometimes the gauges (fuel, RPM, speed and temperature) bounce around, sometimes they don't work period, sometimes they slam the max peg hard and sometimes they work fine. The RPM gauge 1 time slammed the max peg so hard the indicator needle broke in half and a few times the temper gauge would be at normal range then suddenly slam the max peg. There would be no other signs of the motor boiling over.

There is a problem with the inside sliding power door controls. I have to hit the control many times before the door closes.

And lastly sometimes the car radio doesn't turn off when the key is off.

A bit of history on the minivan. I got the minivan From Big Toe used auto sales. The minivan has been sitting on Big Toe's dusty dirt lot for about 2 months. When the wind picks up out there the dust blows real bad.
Now I used to fix 2 way radios, tv's and vcr's for a living. My training and my gut feeling says there is dirty controls, dirty relays and corroded contacts from all that dust. I am assuming that that I am correct on the diagnose. Should I fix it or let Big Toe fix it.


Steve

 

What year and miles?
If you can get the selling place to correct it , have them do it or get it corrected. There is a possible problem with the dash instrument cluster itself which you might be able to find and possibly correct, but that could be a gamble. Your wallet too!

 

It is a 2000 Windstar SEL. As to the miles, who knows. If Big Toe won't fix instrument cluster then I should be able to find an instrument cluster at the junk yard and install it my self. I have been crawling under dash boards of cars, trucks, bus's and many more. Installing 2 way radios for many years. It isn't as easy this days now to twist and turn my self into place to run a power line through the firewall but I can still do it. It also mite be the ignition switch. When I pound the column just above ignition switch sometimes the gauges start working right, sometimes.

 

There is a good possibility the problem could be with a poor connection within the printed circuit in the inst. cluster, might be right up your alley !

 

Do you know were I can find a detail drawing as to how to take the instrument cluster out? And a wiring diagram of the instrument cluster.


Steve

 

Sent some info to your Reg. email..

 

I already talked to Big Toe. They are going to pull an other instrument cluster from an other Windstar on the lot and run it on there bench tester (they have a setup to simulate the instrument cluster been connected to a car) and they can make all the gauges do there thing and so on

Question. I sometimes have a problem getting the drivers side sliding door to open. I sometimes have to tug on the outside handle while pushing the remote button to get the door to open. Do I need to put something like 3 in 1 oil on the door rollers and the guide track since it sat in that dusty lot for at lease 2 months?

Steve

 

Hayapower, did you get my reply?

 

I did,, replied if about the programming..

Sorry about the delay. Was pickin up the new rig..

 

I pulled the instrument cluster and put the one in that I got from Big Toe and the van won't start. So I am going to fix the old instrument cluster.