Instrument Panel Cluster display going "crazy"

[Nilton]

I just received my Ford Edge 2008 SE, FWD on Saturday.

 

• On Sunday, the "AdvanceTrac" warning light came on, and sometimes after 20 minutes it will go off. Even if I'm parked it will light up, and this is strange. Can't be detecting any wheel spin while parked, or can it?

 

• On Monday, I saw the "ABS" and "Parking Brake" warning light come on too.

But when I showed up at the Dealer, sure enough, these light stayed off.

 

• On Wednesday the Airbag light came on. It stays sometimes for 6 minutes, then turns off for about 20 seconds, and glows again the bright yellow light in my face.

 

• Thursday Morning, with the AdvanceTrac light steadily on, and the Airbag light still on, I drove right into the Dealership and pulled the manager over, so he can see for himself that they are really on. He did a computer check and the readings show that the computer is not "receiving" contact with the "right hand side airbag installations". That includes the dash airbag, the seat airbag, and the canopy airbag. But he did not have enough mechanics to trouble shoot it, and told me to return this coming Monday. He did ot give me an explanation for the AdvanceTrac light.

 

• Now: This is what happened Thursday evening: While waiting at a red light, suddenly the entire instrument panel display converted itself in a Lightshow. Every warning light came on-and off -individually- at random. The temp gauge went from Normal to Cold just like a Discjockey Audio Mixer. The same with the Tachometer.

 

Thank God I had a digital camera with video capability, so I managed to record this unusual event, that went on for about 7 minutes. Note: While the display went haywire, I did not experience any engine malfunction.

 

DO YOU FOLKS think that maybe the airbags and AdvanceTrac are OK, and that the entire warning lights experience here has something to do with the DISPLAY going crazy, i.e. the onboard computer? Or is there a separate circuit for the Instrument Panel Display? Any theories, or knowledge of similar occurence? How can I make sure that the AdvanceTrac is still working and that the warning lights are falsely lit? Try driving the Edge in mud?

 

—Nilton.

Edited March 7, 2008 by Nilton

[CreamEDGE.]

Very odd, but electrical bugs like these scare me, I would look into lemoning it soon if they don't know what's wrong and can't fix it completely.

 

 

Then get another EDGE of course :D

[SHIZZY]

Seems like a life safety concern. I'm not sure I would drive it anymore. Drop it off at the dealer ASAP. Heck, maybe they should tow it in for you. I like to err on the side of caution.

 

I'm not sure what you have for a Lemon Law, but I would get that clock ticking right away.

 

Maybe there is a "diagnostic" light show mode for QA purposes that wasn't deactivated. Who knows, but it shouldn't be your problem. Just be nice to the dealer.

 

That's my 2 cents.

 

...and be sure to let us know how it goes.

[Nilton]

Exactly one week after I took delivery of this vehicle, I've stopped riding it. First, the flasing lights were just an eyesore, because everything else worked. But on Saturday afternoon, every light on the display remained on, and the temp gauge, the tachometer and even the speedometer stopped working. The only lights not lit were the hi-beam, oil, turn-signals, and the tire lowpressure.

 

And then it hit: The airconditioning compressor stopped working.

 

I decided to change course and head back to home. During that time, the tire lowpressure warning came on too, and I pulled over and heck, all four wheels were full!

 

It is right now parked in the garage. I did start it back, and the lights disappeared, and the compressor was working again. But a few seconds later, lights started to appear.

 

I'm thinking that maybe the controller needs a reset, and I'm contemplating disconnecting the main battery for 10 minutes and connect it back. I'm even contemplating to return the car and not buy a Ford again. My friends were pushing me a month ago for me to buy a Japanese make and model, but I went ahead and I decided to purchase the Edge. Now they're laughing at me, and pointing to my problems.

 

The car is returning Monday to the Dealer.

[druck52]

Please do not diconnect the battery, If you do all trouble codes that may have been set will be lost and make it much harder for the techs to diag. It may be a very simple problem and even if not the dealer will fix it. I don't know why people are talking about lemons with just one problem, things do have even to japenese cars. Now if they can't fix it thats a whole different story. I know your disapointed becuase it shouldn't happen to a new car, but i'm sure it will be taken care of.

[Nilton]

Well, today is Tuesday and my Edge has been sitting for 2 days already at the Dealer. They are still unable to pinpoint the problem. They checked the battery connection, every connector of modules, sensor, and everything.

 

This car is only "10 days old", and sitting in a repair shop. This is the first time since 1996 that I am 2 days without a car. Not even my old car gave me a headache like this. Now, they're thinking about re-programming the modules completely again from scratch.

 

I'll say, that life without wheels is a hassle! I am trying everyday to get a ride from/to work with my co-workers. One of them has a 2008 Honda Accord, and I'm beginning to like that car!

 

Every hour that passes by... I'm losing confidence in the American Quality Inspection for the manufacturing process of cars. I forgot to mention, that my new Edge came with stupid mistakes (at the factory) with the carpet-lining on the righthand side in the back, and even the weatherized rubber outside the left backseat door was folded incorrectly. I corrected them myself on the same day I got the car, with a very tiny screwdriver protected with a thin sheet of cloth. One other problem, the "mysterious contour wrap" of the third brake light, leaves a wide gap open for dirt and water to seep inside. That I can not fix myself. (So in total, this new car came with 1 major problem, and 3 small ones).

 

Wrapping up, my new Ford Edge still parked in the Dealership with a very strange illness. And my patience is wearing thin. Was there maybe an "off" day at the Manufacturing Plant recently where they did not check out everything before shipping them?

 

That's the end of my rant for today.

Nilton.

[tpm419419]

At the least a loaner car should be made available to you. Insist on it

[ixlar8]

I cannot understand why your dealer did not offer you a loaner!!

 

There is a BIG sign in the service area of my Ford Dealer that states- if the dealer needs to keep you car overnight, you qualify for a loaner car.

 

When I drove up at 4:30PM and asked for a 5K oil change and inspection (usually a 30 min wait), the service manager said they were booked, but he said That I could leave the car, take a loaner and pick up my Edge the next day. No $$.

 

This is service and why I buy from this guy.

[Nilton]

This is the third day of the new Edge in the repair shop. And I'm getting the feeling that they haven't got a clue what is wrong. They are making all kind of measurements with the sensors and the module, and the next step for them will be to call the Ford Tech Hotline.

 

They told me they haven't seen this symptom with any other Ford vehicle before. So they have my car for 72 hours already looking everywhere for a trouble. I will post the video on YouTube soon for everyone to see what the display looked like when it went out of whack.

 

By the way, I contacted my sales-person directly, and she is the one who gave me a "loaner", she says it is her personal car. I can tell she's telling me the truth, because there is one child shoe on the back seat. But at least now I have wheels again.

 

My wife and I think, that now really is the time to begin a hammering the Dealer about being sold a "Lemon".

 

Thanks guys for all the replies.

 

Nilton.

[Nilton]

Update: Day #4 has come and gone, and still no Edge. But it seems that they have narrowed it down to a module that, roughly acts like a 'network hub' for all the sensors in the vehicle, and it is mounted just behind the steering wheel.

 

This is where the fault seems to be.

 

Let's hope that Friday will bring good news.

 

(By the way, my "loaner" is a Ford Explorer Sportrac Limited, with 3.000 miles on it. I do not like how the suspension keeps rocking your body inside that car. It is a big difference between the Crossover Edge and this SUV Pickup.

 

Nilton.

[Nilton]

PROBLEM SOLVED

 

On day 5, finally my Edge is ready. No more false lights going on and off.

 

The culprit? Incredible as it seems, the Steering Position Sensor installed just behind the steering wheel and adjacent of the turn-signal lever. For some strange reason, this sensor was wreaking havoc on the rest of the system, creating false warnings, and even disabling the airconditioning compressor. This tiny sensor really has big powers!

 

Drove the entire weekend, and it is perfect! But my dealer did agree that it was a real challenge to find this error, and they "learned a lot" of the debugging process.

 

I am glad to be again in my Edge, because I couldn't stand the bumpy-ride that their loaner car (new Ford Explorer Sportrac) gave me. I guess, I'm not a fan for Rugged Trucks suspension.

 

Nilton.

[akirby]

PROBLEM SOLVED

 

On day 5, finally my Edge is ready. No more false lights going on and off.

 

The culprit? Incredible as it seems, the Steering Position Sensor installed just behind the steering wheel and adjacent of the turn-signal lever. For some strange reason, this sensor was wreaking havoc on the rest of the system, creating false warnings, and even disabling the airconditioning compressor. This tiny sensor really has big powers!

 

Drove the entire weekend, and it is perfect! But my dealer did agree that it was a real challenge to find this error, and they "learned a lot" of the debugging process.

 

I am glad to be again in my Edge, because I couldn't stand the bumpy-ride that their loaner car (new Ford Explorer Sportrac) gave me. I guess, I'm not a fan for Rugged Trucks suspension.

 

Nilton.

 

The newer car electronics use a bus similar to your home ethernet network. If one device goes crazy and starts spewing garbage to the bus it can cause other things on the bus to misbehave. Rare but it does happen.

[beston38st]

PROBLEM SOLVED

 

On day 5, finally my Edge is ready. No more false lights going on and off.

 

The culprit? Incredible as it seems, the Steering Position Sensor installed just behind the steering wheel and adjacent of the turn-signal lever. For some strange reason, this sensor was wreaking havoc on the rest of the system, creating false warnings, and even disabling the airconditioning compressor. This tiny sensor really has big powers!

 

Drove the entire weekend, and it is perfect! But my dealer did agree that it was a real challenge to find this error, and they "learned a lot" of the debugging process.

 

I am glad to be again in my Edge, because I couldn't stand the bumpy-ride that their loaner car (new Ford Explorer Sportrac) gave me. I guess, I'm not a fan for Rugged Trucks suspension.

 

Nilton.

 

I'm having the same exact symptoms with my 08 - it started happening the day after I bought it. My dealer just ordered the same part (steering position sensor) but it's on backorder. Just curious if you ever saw it occur again after they replaced the part or is it still working since they fixed it.

 

Thanks

[Nilton]

Hi beston38st,

 

No, the warning lights never came back! The only one that appears sometimes is the Advancetrack light, but that only happens when I'm cornering on slippery road. That's normal, and I'm happy that it's there.

 

I'm happy with the Edge right now. Did some modification to it, like my own Sirius installation, chrome rearview mirrors, wider chrome tailpipes, and the Edge emblem on both front doors. Also did install my own "blue LEDS" under the dash, and this glowy lights changes the mood inside drastically.

 

Only problem that I'm knocking the door of the Dealer with, the next time it goes for oil-change, is my discovery that the Lock button on the left front door does not work. It will only Unlock.

 

Nilton.

Edited July 16, 2008 by Nilton

[toxicjn]

All,

 

I took delivery of a 2010 AWD Limited this weekend and have had some problems similar to those described by the original poster. I will try to document my issue in this thread.

 

I purchased the vehicle about 2 1/2hrs south of where I currently live. While driving home (about 20 miles away), home my dashboard turned into a light show which the original poster describes. My tach and speedometer went to zero, the message center read out many different errors, and the nav also informed me of an error. I immediately got off the freeway and called ford roadside assistance and was towed to the dealership nearest my home.

 

While waiting for the tow truck (appx 40 min), I periodicaly turned the key on just far enough to turn on the electronics and, from the message center, I got the following warnings:

- check the brake system

- low oil (I checked and it was fine)

- bad engine temperature data

- odometer reading of '---'

- no odometer available

- etc

 

Oddly enough, my other vehicle (a Milan) had a 7AM appointment at the same dealership so hopefully they can switch out the Milan for the Edge.

 

I will keep you posted....

[toxicjn]

Problem solved for my edge. It appears, from talking with the service tech, that the solution was tightening up a loose ground connection.

 

The edge spent a total of three days in the shop, of which one day was a loss because the vehicle had not yet been reported sold in their system (I was told it takes ~ 12hrs to work its way through the system) because the dealership I purchased it from did not report it sold until Monday morning. Because of this they did not even touch the vehicle or read out error codes. On the second day, they requested that I bring in the second pair of keys, after finding the remote start did not contribute to the issue. On the third day after ruling out the keys, remote start, etc, they started looking at electrical connections and "tested power and grounds at the modules" as read directly from the service sheet.

 

I'm glad it is fixed now...however it has spent more time in the shop than I have owned it

[Nilton]

Okay... After 10 years I'm replying back on this thread.

I still have the Edge. Drives great and still really quiet inside. But now in July 2018, the "Light Show" on the Instrument Cluster is at it again.

Here we go again......

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

Time for another new Steering Position Sensor? Tho possibly it is a ground connection that needs cleaning, can only tell by getting to the sensor first.

[ZoomJeep3]

On 7/28/2018 at 10:23 PM, Nilton said:

Okay... After 10 years I'm replying back on this thread.

I still have the Edge. Drives great and still really quiet inside. But now in July 2018, the "Light Show" on the Instrument Cluster is at it again.

Here we go again......

Nilton, I saw you posted on 2 topic posts last year about your problem repeating.

 

What was the diagnosis this time around?

 

I have an MKX (1st generation fiber-optic Controller Area Network like the other cars listed here) that has been at dealer for 3, let me repeat this, 3 months now.

 

Dealer isn't willing to swap or simply unplug the existing steering sensor as a diagnostic measure, unless I pay for R&R the sensor and labor.

Edited May 11, 2019 by ZoomJeep3
clarification

[ZoomJeep3]

Fixed as we entered the 4th calendar month of out of service! My example was a melted Right Hand (RH) headlamp bulb pigtail connector that had melted from aftermarket LED lighting, which caused voltage interference along both the lower and medium voltage spectrum from the headlamp module, and this occurred regardless if headlamps were on/auto/off.