Dashboard Lighting

[Dee_82]

my problem was the bluetooth module under the dash, passanger side, above the glove box. disconnected, problem resolved, plugged it back it, IC stayed on.

Wiring all looked good but for whatever reason the BT module was staying powered up, which for reasons unknown, meant the IC stayed on as well

[GerryC]

I have the same problem. Factory Ford CD/Sat nav completley died last last time but problem still persists. Have since removed the factory unit and problem resolved but when installing an aftermarket unit or even the old one that no longer works the problem comes back. Have even disconnected the bt module from above the glovebox but dash lights stay on. Any other recommendations? Anyone know how much I am likely to have to pay at a garage to have this sorted?

Focus zetec 59 plate

[koebben]

I still have the problem with my Focus C-Max 2007.

Odometer is ligthning all the time. Tried to take out the fuse #46, and the dash light went off. But an anoying buzzing sound occured from the dashboard. Didn't like it, so I mounted the fuse again, and the sound disappeared, but the light was back. Both things drains battery anyway.

I bought a brand new original battery today, cause I heard it could be the problem - but nothing changed.

I still have this annoying light in the middle of the dashboard, that drains my battery.

Anyone who have solved this problem propperly?

 

Christian, Denmark 

 

[Tamnobel]

Hi there. Anyone still reading this. I had the exact same problem with my zetec 2008 focus estate which kept running the battery flat in the morning. Solution was to smear the key with WD40 and wiggle it in the ignition barrel. Dash would then go off after 5-10 minutes. It’s to do with the mechanics of the ignition barrel rather than any electrical fault. 

[Man]

That’s great news I have a transit 2009 2.4 tdi and the led in the middle is staying on, I will try lubricating the key first thanks,

 

[MisterMr]

Hello all in 2020.... and what a year its been so far with Coronavirus :( 

I am having a problem with my dashboard red light display (Image attached) staying on all day and night, i have tried everything, checked fuses and even changed battery.

Eventually it will drain my new battery and during these times, there are no electrical mechanics available, which is understandable.

Anybody got any idea on how to solve this problem? Many thanks

[MisterMr]

Nevermind

[Leeaaron]

Hi i have a 2010 ford focus and same thing with mine draining battery this fuse 46 under passenger seat cant find mies starts at 100 +. Also radio doesnt work either just bought new battery any help would be appreciated 😡

[Tdci-Peter]

On 8/29/2020 at 1:57 PM, Leeaaron said:

Hi i have a 2010 ford focus and same thing with mine draining battery this fuse 46 under passenger seat cant find mies starts at 100 +. Also radio doesnt work either just bought new battery any help would be appreciated

Fuse 46 in the older fusebox is fuse F107 in the later boxes.

The usual cause for this display staying on is not the instrument cluster itself, more likely it is some optional goody like the radio or bluetooth interface that is keeping the cluster awake.

Many radios need to have a code entered if they lose power, eg while changing a battery. If you do not have the code, there are loads of websites offering to provide the code if you have info like the model & serial no. I have not verified any myself, but I know others have used this facility.

[Morty1977]

Sometimes a seat belt can be caught in a door and when you lock it you hear the locking noise but the interior lights etc sidelights stay on. That's what I've found anyway😀😉

[Toddg]

Hi all just reading above messages and I've just come across this problem hence why I looking on this forum .. my radio seemed to be playing up not working and my instrument display won't go off at all now its drained battery has anyone fixed there problem yet and can help please thanks

[Tdci-Peter]

17 hours ago, Toddg said:

my radio seemed to be playing up not working and my instrument display won't go off at all now its drained battery

I would remove and unplug the radio first off. The Ford audio multi-plug has CAN bus connections in it. Any item that keeps disturbing this bus can prevent other modules from shutting down properly, and they continue to draw current. The LCD display on the IC (Instrument cluster) is a symptom of this, even though the LCD itself draws hardly any current. If the ECU was prevented from closing down fully, this would draw a lot of current, enough to flatten a decent battery in a day or so.

If there is a fault in the radio, it will have to come out for repair or replacement anyway.

[JAT65]

Has anyone had any luck sorting this problem out, my dash light stays on especially if the weather is damp.

 

[JAT65]

Has anyone had any results in solving the problems with the dash light staying on.

My 2010 Focus has developed the problem and is flattening the battery.

[Moe zenhar]

I have a ford focus 2010 that i bought used and I had this problem which drained my battery and after paying 100 pounds to get it fixed they didn’t figure it out.

 

later i fixed it by myself. Feel free to reach out if you are still having this issue

[Crug90]

Hi I also have 2010 focus the LCD on the dashboard stays on and the Ford power button is also staying illuminated. Any solutions would be greatly appreciated 

[Moe zenhar]

Is the audio unit working?

you can disconnect the audio unit from the back, then adjust the clock of the dashboard and lock the car and check later if the light of the dashboard has gone off.

 

[s1mpa]

On 1/28/2021 at 5:33 PM, Moe zenhar said:

I have a ford focus 2010 that i bought used and I had this problem which drained my battery and after paying 100 pounds to get it fixed they didn’t figure it out.

 

later i fixed it by myself. Feel free to reach out if you are still having this issue

Hi Moe,

Hope you are well?

I'm also hoping you can help I'm having the same issue with my focus and I'm reaching out to you for some much needed help or advice.

You can contact me at simpsongreg@hotmail.co.uk if you don't want to publish the fix on the forum.

Many thanks in advance,

Greg.

[Jameschef]

Driving me mad for 2 years, auto electrician new few box new battery, just about survive summer winter no chance one day sat and it’s dead, yet no one to the tune of 800 quid has managed to fix it yet, 1.6 10 plate focus anyone please help 

[Tdci-Peter]

11 hours ago, Jameschef said:

auto electrician new few box new battery, just about survive summer winter no chance one day sat and it’s dead

There is no one cause for this common problem. So it is a matter of logical fault finding over a period of time to eliminate causes and track it down. If a battery is new, in good condition and fully charged, it will take a parasitic current of over 1A to flatten it in 24 hours. If so, then the load is not some low power thing like an LCD display, or a few little LEDs. A few things to check:

Is the alternator charging the battery. It should be up to 13.4v to 14.8v at the battery while idling after a run. This should drop to about 12.6v over a few hours after switching off.  If it drops more than this, then: The battery could be defective (possible even with a new one); The battery is not fully charged; Or there is a parasitic current draw. You can check for parasitic draw by disconnecting the battery negative terminal a few minutes after switching off the engine, and checking to see if the battery shows the same drop rate, or if if now holds its voltage.

Disconnect all non-essential items fully. The radio especially, remove the multi-plug or any combination of plugs. Many of these units connect to one of the car's CAN buses, and faulty or just wrongly set-up equipment can keep a bus active, and prevent proper shutdown of the whole car, including the ECU.

Check the ECU (aka PCM) is shutting down. I hear a number of buzzes and other noises after ignition off, then a noticeable click & silence. The ECU does cleaning & testing cycles at shut-down, and there is a relay (R6 in the main engine fuse box on a Mk2/2a Focus) that keeps the ECU powered while ignition is off. The ECU itself turns this relay off when it has completed its tests and there is no activity on the HS-CAN bus, and this turns off almost all ECU functions and several engine sensors and actuators. So if R6 is staying on for any reason, or has welded contacts, there will be a substantial power draw. But note that R6 staying on does not necessarily mean a failed ECU. It is more likely to be some accessory keeping it awake, or some other wiring problem.

Use a good diagnostic system like Forscan to probe all modules on the HS and MS CAN buses for errors.

These tests take time and patience! And most garages & electricians have a shortage of both, though with garage charges at £50 to £120 per hour, their time is very expensive!

 

[Withey1992]

On 1/28/2021 at 9:11 PM, Crug90 said:

Hi I also have 2010 focus the LCD on the dashboard stays on and the Ford power button is also staying illuminated. Any solutions would be greatly appreciated 

Did you manage ro fix it? I've got the same issue and I have the keyless version too. Power Button Stays on, instrument display on, but showing time, temp and miles. 

 

Please can anyone help??

[Bruno3131]

On 1/28/2021 at 5:33 PM, Moe zenhar said:

I have a ford focus 2010 that i bought used and I had this problem which drained my battery and after paying 100 pounds to get it fixed they didn’t figure it out.

 

later i fixed it by myself. Feel free to reach out if you are still having this issue

How did you fix this issue? 

[unofix]

On 9/30/2021 at 11:35 AM, Tdci-Peter said:

There is no one cause for this common problem.

Read the full post above by Tdci-peter

[Tdci-Peter]

9 hours ago, Bruno3131 said:

How did you fix this issue?

I would hazard a guess, from Moe's post on Feb 4th above, that the audio unit was a prime suspect. Moe has not visited this site since February.

There must be hundreds of posts about batteries going flat on this site, I have seen quite a few. Far fewer come to any conclusion, sadly. Of those that do find an answer, not many have the same answer. Audio units do feature high in the problem list though.

To test a battery & charging system properly needs expensive equipment & experience. But there are some quick checks (outlined in the post above) that can tell you if a full test is needed. All that is needed is a basic, cheap multimeter.

Simply removing fuses to check if some part is causing a current draw can cause more confusion than help. A lot of equipment has more than one supply, and many items are inter-connected. But if the car owners manual is used to find fuses that supply unswitched (permanent) battery power to items like radios & accessories, it can sometimes help. If the manual is lost, sites on the internet can usually supply them.

It can take time and perseverance to track these faults down, but if the alternative is to scrap or sell for peanuts, a decent working car in all other ways, then it must be worth it!

 

[Nicholas Condylios]

Dear Sir my 2003 Ford Focus has an instrumentation light always glowing it’s the tailgate light which never goes out even when tailgate is locked

what can l do to fix it, please

regards

Nicholas Condylios 

Goulburn NSW AUS