Wondering if anyone else has had any issues with their Ford truck losing power windows, instruments and radio. I have a 2003 Ford Excursion and went out to use the car last week and found the above condition.

After much online research, I have learned that there is a power delay relay that controls these items and allows them to all stay on for about 10 minutes after the ignition is turned off unless a door is opened. Unfortunately, that relay is located on the circuit board of the instrument cluster and requires the dash and cluster to be removed.

I found Circuit Board Medics located in Greer, SC and have sent them my instrument cluster to be repaired. Hopefully, that will cure the problem and I will be operational by the end of next week.

On a side note, I was driving the car today with the cluster removed and found out that the alternator was not charging the battery and the car eventually died. Apparently, the charging circuit also runs through the instrument cluster so without the cluster, the battery eventually dies. A buddy came and jumped the car and let his alternator run juice to my battery for around 20 minutes. This was enough to get the car back to my home where it will reside until the cluster is replaced.

Apparently, this is a common malady in the F150 and F250 trucks as well as the Excursions.

I will update this thread when the cluster comes back and hopefully all is back to normal.

At the dealer, this is a $600 + repair. Circuit Board Medics is charging around $170 with free return shipping. UPS charged me $27 to box and bubble wrap the cluster and ship it to SC.

Keep your fingers crossed for me.

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James Redfield
LM #497

It seems to me that the operative word there may be "cluster".

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Oh well, what the hell.

This is the reason I'll own an "inefficient," mechanical everything over a newer integrated electronic controlled vehicle.

Good luck.

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Thread Killer.

You have or will have a choice?

I have a choice. I could buy a newer vehicle, but, I drive a well maintained late 70's Ford F150 mechanical everything. I have no reliability issues, no electronics to to worry about and, can fix just about any issue on the side of the road with basic hand tools.

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Thread Killer.

I have a 2003 f150, manual tranny, manual locks and windows and mirrors..... When my alternator went out, I drove 100 miles at night in 20°F temps back to the house....the truck died 150yds from my driveway. Lol...

The only trouble I have is sometimes the odometer turns off.....it still counts miles(190k right now) but doesn't always display. Also have this problem on my parents' 1999 expedition with power everything.....

I'm shocked it took this long for someone to mention Fix Or Repair Dailey.

Well, he did say he was Found On Road Dead by his friend.

Mechanical things break...no mfg. makes something that is perfect. I was surprised to read it was located under the dash...mine was located in the engine compartment, but that was a 2000 model diesel. Surprising to find out how many circuits are impacted by one relay isn't it? 256,000 trouble free miles on mine when I traded it off...should have kept it - great truck.

Hope this fix takes care of all the issues.


Pete

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Don't tread on me

Hey, JSR! This will solve the power windows problem.

They still make the best selling truck and it's not as if the other brands (foreign or domestic) are immune from ridicule.

Chevy...
Can Hear Every Valve Rap On Long Extended Trips
Cheap, Hardly Efficient, Virtually Runs On Luck Every Time
Cracked Heads, Every Valve Rattles, Oil Leaks Every Time
Constantly Having Every Vehicle Recalled Over Lousy Engineering Techniques

Dodge...
Drips Oil & Drops Grease Everywhere
Damn Old Dirty Gas Eater
Dead Old Dog Going East
Dead On Day Guarantee Expires
Dead On Delivery, Go Easy
Dead On Delivery, Guarantee Expired
Dead Or Dying Garbage Emitter
Dear Old Dads Garage Experiment
Daily Overhauls Do Get Expensive

GMC...
Garage Man's Companion
Gotta Mechanic Coming?
Generally Mediocre Cars
Gets Mechanics Crazy
Gods Mechanical Curse
Got More ****

Friggin' Old Rebuilt Dodge

Good trucks, drove the heck out of my '84 F150

I was just fixing to list my 25 year old Jeep for sale. This thread just may convince me to sell a few guns instead for the money I need to raise.

I agree that when you add electronics to the mix it all tends to go south pretty quickly. Especially when you bounce it all down the road through pot holes.

You get spoiled with all of the electronic gadgets until they **** out.

Why FORD decided to place this relay in the cluster instead of the fuse panel, where any DIY mechanic could unplug it and replace it, is beyond me. The only reason that I can think of is to make more work/revenue for the dealers.

Luckily, I have another buddy that rides his motorcycle to work in the nice weather and he is loaning me his pickumup truck until my cluster returns. Really nice having good friends.

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James Redfield
LM #497

Ive had three Ford Trucks and never had that problem But I did have a Aerostar that I had to keep replacing the Dash Display.

For a minute I thought you were talking about my 1954 F100.
No turn signals either. They were optional.

Hey, can't beat that year!!!!

It's my model year also!

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I'm 67. I don't do timeouts.

I was Chevy man my whole life. Then my old S-10 died and I
needed to look for a truck. I didn't have enough money to buy
a truck, so I bought a Ford F-150.

One word.....Toyota. Now if they made guns

Electronics. Central processor connected to chips and sensors throughout every system in the vehicle, each of which has been programmed to remember when the warranty runs out on every part.

Then there is the Sense of Humor chip, programmed to learn the owner's schedule and life requirements and induce various hard-to-find problems at inappropriate times.

I'm wearing a mid-sixties Omega Sea Master Deville. I still use slide rules to figure my gas mileage. I own seven or eight manual typewriters (all made in USA). I own three S&W revolvers (10-5, 17-2, 15-8). I use Lee reloading equipment.
OTOH, my wife's Matrix is about to turn 170,000 miles with nary a problem. of course, they quit making the Matrix.

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and what his trumpet saith

My work truck gets over 25,000 miles a year, personal car 18K and the personal pickup around 8K. Keeping old stuff is not an option.

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Front sight and squeeze

James,

I don't believe the alternator not charging is a side note. I have a 2003 Ford F-250 and experienced the same symptoms . . . the shutting down of electrical systems identical to your experience . . . but, in my case, we found the root cause was the alternator and not the power delay relay.

According to the Ford technicians, the engine control module is programmed to start shutting down "discretionary" systems when the battery voltage drops below a certain level . . . due to a lack of charging or battery failure. That serves to conserve limited battery to operate "essential" systems until you can reach service.

In our case, we had the alternator replaced and that solved the problem.

Hope the dash goes back together successfully but I'm afraid you're still in for more expense to replace the alternator &/or the battery(s).

Russ