Someone who was borrowing my 05 freightliner let the battery die, and subsequently tried to start it while it was hooked to a battery charger. I've done a lot of troubleshooting based on the service manual and wiring diagrams (but without a scanner) and about 95% sure the instrument cluster is bad.
Symptoms; the dash clicks, beeps, lcd display flashes, and headlights flash continuously, but interestingly, the van will start & run and even drive normally, but the symptoms do not go away once it is started.
I checked all fuses (including the one for the instrument cluster) and have cleaned all the battery connections & grounds, just in case. Battery tested good also.
I can buy a used cluster (same year vehicle if that makes any difference), and think I should just go ahead and pull the trigger on that, because of how cheap it is.
According to page 3 of this thread: "instrument cluster, gauges" it appears that a used cluster should work if I cut a yellow wire that is in the fuel sender circuit, (a check engine light will remain, and the fuel gauge likely will not work)... these I can live with.
Can anyone give me more details about this? Is cutting the yellow wire necessary to get a used cluster working or is that unique to the problem in the other thread (fuel sender circuit issue), which may not be identical to the problem I'm having?
It is a high miles van and I definitely won't be taking it to the dealer, or buying a brand new cluster..and having them program it. I don't know if it's relevant but it hasn't had the t21 recall done. I would consider sending the ecm/key to someone to have them flashed only as a last resort. Again, I wouldn't mind a check engine light AT ALL, although I'd prefer to keep the fuel gauge working if at all possible.
Thanks for your help!
Symptoms; the dash clicks, beeps, lcd display flashes, and headlights flash continuously, but interestingly, the van will start & run and even drive normally, but the symptoms do not go away once it is started.
I checked all fuses (including the one for the instrument cluster) and have cleaned all the battery connections & grounds, just in case. Battery tested good also.
I can buy a used cluster (same year vehicle if that makes any difference), and think I should just go ahead and pull the trigger on that, because of how cheap it is.
According to page 3 of this thread: "instrument cluster, gauges" it appears that a used cluster should work if I cut a yellow wire that is in the fuel sender circuit, (a check engine light will remain, and the fuel gauge likely will not work)... these I can live with.
Can anyone give me more details about this? Is cutting the yellow wire necessary to get a used cluster working or is that unique to the problem in the other thread (fuel sender circuit issue), which may not be identical to the problem I'm having?
It is a high miles van and I definitely won't be taking it to the dealer, or buying a brand new cluster..and having them program it. I don't know if it's relevant but it hasn't had the t21 recall done. I would consider sending the ecm/key to someone to have them flashed only as a last resort. Again, I wouldn't mind a check engine light AT ALL, although I'd prefer to keep the fuel gauge working if at all possible.
Thanks for your help!