Goofy gauge/eletrical question

[1BGDOG]

So I checked my batteries they are charged, cleaned off the corrosion on the posts. About once a day the gauges go from the speed to 100 to 0. The stereo goes off, then it all comes back on.

What gives?

2003 f-250 7.3 PSD
66,000

UPDATE it was the alternator!!!!!!

[Chris Halvorson]

Grounds coming loose on the frame or dash.

[99TJSahara]

Grounds going bad/loose Possible a bad or loose connection up to your dash. Check the positive side as well. I've seen the connectors come a little loose and then all kinds of wierd things happen. Not too much fun but, shouldn't bee to hard to figure out.

[dmeis]

Check the ground cable (gauge cluster ground point) that bolts to the kick panel just behind the emergency brake. Mine broke after 7 years of rubbing when the e-brake was applied.

Symptoms were: speedo read over 100 MPH, no RPMs, idiot lights on, gauges reading off, and no power windows.

[1BGDOG]

Check the ground cable (gauge cluster ground point) that bolts to the kick panel just behind the emergency brake. Mine broke after 7 years of rubbing when the e-brake was applied.

Symptoms were: speedo read over 100 MPH, no RPMs, idiot lights on, gauges reading off, and no power windows.

Ohhhhh, I like this. Pretty much the same symptoms.

[Big Dave]

I had some goofy issues similar to those earlier this year. My EGT gauge would peg at startup and then go back to normal, dash gauges didn't act up too much, O/D light would flash, SES light came on a couple times, dome lights freaking out. Also managed to drain the batt's SUPER fast. Pulled the relay for the dome lights and all has been well, except I have no dome lights now! Really need to dive in there and figure out WTF is going on. Gonna have to check the ground cable Dave mentioned.

[dmeis]

It seems to be pretty common. :rolleyes:

If it weren' t for TDS I don't know how I would have found and fixed it... :beer:

[1BGDOG]

Well I had to get it jumped twice today. Gonna volt the batteries again. Sucks because in 08 I get some new OPTIMA's. Oh well such is life. I will post up once I know more.

[dmeis]

By the way, just look for the big wire that runs behind the kick panel (to the side of the e-brake). You can grab it without removing anything.

Mine was dangling there and was easy enough to confirm. It broke clean off. Whenever it contacted the terminal end things would work fine.

[1BGDOG]

Well replaced both batteries, it started. Will drive around to see that all is normal.

[ScaldedDog]

These things get seriously freaked out when the batteries are bad (bad cells, etc.). I just went through this this week: 3/4 mile from the battery store the thing quits. No start, no flashers, no windows, no nothing. Coasted to within a quarter of a mile... Two new batteries and all is good. In the 10 minutes be for it quit, the speedometer would bounce between 0-20mph, while parked in the garage, the tranny O/D light would flash, no power.

Mark