Hi

     I've owned a 2013 Fiesta zetec 1.25L for the last few years. Every year when the weather gets cold ( like now) I get a strange fault with the dash at start up. When I start the engine all of the gauges on the dash move to the maximum negative position and rattle with an electrical buzzing noise. This causes the trip computer to reset and the dash briefly displays traction control off.  I've also suffered a flat battery a couple of days ago, I don't know if thats related or just the weather.  I took it to a garage last year and they replaced the wiring loom but the problem goes on.  Has anybody got any experience with this fault and know what the solution might be? 

    Thanks for looking

What you describe with the needles being moved down to max negative position and a rattle/buzzing noise, sounds like standard 'power on' behaviour of the cluster. I.e. if you disconnect all power to it and then reapply it, then as part of the startup procedure, since it has no way of detecting gauge positions, it spends a few moments commanding the motors to turn towards zero. Once they've hit zero and can't go any further you then get a bit of rattle/buzz from them until it stops trying to move them.

The cluster will have multiple power supply wires. One of them is a permanent feed. One or more only supply additional power when the ignition is on (different wires / wire combinations for different ignition positions).

Sounds like for some reason either the permanent feed isn't getting to the cluster, so it only receives power from the additional circuits through the ignition when you turn the ignition on, so the cluster then goes through its startup routine, or if the permanent feed is there initially, somehow its dropping out momentarily during startup, perhaps relating to a low battery condition and so much power going to the starter?

Some cluster models suffer from cracked connector solder joints, but the fiesta ones don't suffer from this in my experience (I repair them).

1 hour ago, rd457 said:

What you describe with the needles being moved down to max negative position and a rattle/buzzing noise, sounds like standard 'power on' behaviour of the cluster. I.e. if you disconnect all power to it and then reapply it, then as part of the startup procedure, since it has no way of detecting gauge positions, it spends a few moments commanding the motors to turn towards zero. Once they've hit zero and can't go any further you then get a bit of rattle/buzz from them until it stops trying to move them.

The cluster will have multiple power supply wires. One of them is a permanent feed. One or more only supply additional power when the ignition is on (different wires / wire combinations for different ignition positions).

Sounds like for some reason either the permanent feed isn't getting to the cluster, so it only receives power from the additional circuits through the ignition when you turn the ignition on, so the cluster then goes through its startup routine, or if the permanent feed is there initially, somehow its dropping out momentarily during startup, perhaps relating to a low battery condition and so much power going to the starter?

Some cluster models suffer from cracked connector solder joints, but the fiesta ones don't suffer from this in my experience (I repair them).

Hi thanks for your responce, I don't think it's normal start up proceedure as the fault only occurs when it's below about 10 degrees also the other day after doing the thing with the gauges the petrol gauge ended up reading a full tank when it was on half. I'm worried that the buzzing noise problem will damage the actual gauges. Also why would this reset the trip and the display saying that the traction control is off.? I can't explain why the battery is flat althou this happened once last winter but after a charging was fine apart from the gittering gauges which continued.

...P.s do you think it would be worth getting the cluster tested seen as the wiring loom has been changed? Do you have a website/ how much do you charge to test them?

On 11/23/2024 at 9:52 PM, relaxcraft said:

I don't think it's normal start up proceedure as the fault only occurs when...

I think you've misunderstood. When I say this is possibly normal behaviour, it sounds like normal behaviour for when the cluster completely looses power and then power is restored. That is not a normal thing a vehicle owner would experience. The cluster normally always has power going to it, even with the vehicle off and locked. Kind of like putting your TV into standby mode. It's only when power to the cluster is completely removed, e.g. having disconnected the battery, or having unplugged and removed the cluster from the vehicle, and then power is restored, that you'd experience the sort of behaviour that you describe. So as I said, it sounds as though your cluster is somehow experiencing a momentary complete power loss.

On 11/23/2024 at 9:52 PM, relaxcraft said:

I can't explain why the battery is flat

A situation where the battery goes flat for seemingly no reason is called a 'parasitic draw'. Something is drawing power when it shouldn't. Best to engage the services of an auto-electrician to track it down, if you can't fault find it yourself.

On 11/23/2024 at 10:12 PM, relaxcraft said:

the wiring loom has been changed

Sounds like they also came to the conclusion that there was a power supply issue. If you paid a garage to solve the problem and they went through the expense of replacing the wiring loom, and that hasn't solved the problem, it would be reasonable for you to go back to them and complain.

23 hours ago, rd457 said:

I think you've misunderstood. When I say this is possibly normal behaviour, it sounds like normal behaviour for when the cluster completely looses power and then power is restored. That is not a normal thing a vehicle owner would experience. The cluster normally always has power going to it, even with the vehicle off and locked. Kind of like putting your TV into standby mode. It's only when power to the cluster is completely removed, e.g. having disconnected the battery, or having unplugged and removed the cluster from the vehicle, and then power is restored, that you'd experience the sort of behaviour that you describe. So as I said, it sounds as though your cluster is somehow experiencing a momentary complete power loss.

A situation where the battery goes flat for seemingly no reason is called a 'parasitic draw'. Something is drawing power when it shouldn't. Best to engage the services of an auto-electrician to track it down, if you can't fault find it yourself.

Sounds like they also came to the conclusion that there was a power supply issue. If you paid a garage to solve the problem and they went through the expense of replacing the wiring loom, and that hasn't solved the problem, it would be reasonable for you to go back to them and complain.

Hi thanks for the additional info, I see what you mean about the start up I just meant not normal as it wouldn't do it when the vehicle is warm. My theory is then and correct me if I'm wrong but the loss of power must be either a cracked solder joint etc on the instrument cluster it's self or maybe a fault with the petrol, speed or rev sensor as it can't be the wireing. I presume the new wiring loom goes all the way from the battery to the cluster and to the sensors. If the cluster has a fault on the main power supply, some kind of bad connection could the increased resistance have caused the battery to go flat?  I don't think the battery condition has caused the fault as it has been fine starting (apart from the gittering gauges etc) for the last few years all thru winter apart from my current flat battery and one last year. I had my garage check the battery fault last year and they said the battery and alternator were fine I think they also said that they couldn't detect any parrasitic draw but I suppose they wouldn't once it was warmed up.  I was warned at the time about the wiring loom, they said they could try changing it but that the fault could well be with the cluster. Also I don't think they can replicate the fault in the workshop due to it only occuring when the car is cold.  You said that you work repairing the clusters, do you have a website and a rough idea how much it might be to repair it??

  Kind regards