2002 Dash lights come on and off

[michelb1]

I have an issue with the dashboard in my 2002. Warning lights start flashing out of nowhere. Right now, the ABS, Traction Control, Brakes and sometimes the Battery lights come on and off. There is no change in the drivability of the vehicle. I checked if the battery is charging and at rest it reads 12.6V, which is the correct number without the engine running. At idle, it reads 14.2V. Which is also correct. Sometimes the lights dim up and down for a few seconds and then go back to steady. What should I look for, voltage regulator issue, ECM issue, alternator. Anybody with an idea is welcome.

 

[JohnS]

The lights dimming occasionally could be a shorted cell problem with the battery. The battery is made up of 6 cells and as they age (especially in a hot environment) they will be susceptible to a cell shorting out. It starts out intermittently but gets progressively worse and can lead to damage and even explosion if you try to jump start a battery with a shorted cell. Sometimes the battery will test good at the auto parts store even though it is the process of failing. So, if it is an old battery (5 years or more) replace that and see if it takes care of the problem. Also, look at the connections to the battery. Any corrosion can cause a connectivity issue and it is also a sign of a failing battery.

 

[doug7740]

I have an issue with the dashboard in my 2002. Warning lights start flashing out of nowhere. Right now, the ABS, Traction Control, Brakes and sometimes the Battery lights come on and off. There is no change in the drivability of the vehicle. I checked if the battery is charging and at rest it reads 12.6V, which is the correct number without the engine running. At idle, it reads 14.2V. Which is also correct. Sometimes the lights dim up and down for a few seconds and then go back to steady. What should I look for, voltage regulator issue, ECM issue, alternator. Anybody with an idea is welcome.

Since you have different warning lights flashing in the instrument cluster, the first thing I would do is to check for faults in all of the control modules, especially the instrument cluster. If there are no stored faults or the faults do not lead to a proper diagnostic path, next I would check the ground connection G203 below the right side of the dash panel. The instrument cluster has a microprocesser inside. If the microprocesser is found to be defective, I would send it to Automotive Modules for repair.

http://www.automotivemodules.com/Thunderbird.html#anchor_176

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[michelb1]

Since you have different warning lights flashing in the instrument cluster, the first thing I would do is to check for faults in all of the control modules, especially the instrument cluster. If there are no stored faults or the faults do not lead to a proper diagnostic path, next I would check the ground connection G203 below the right side of the dash panel. The instrument cluster has a microprocesser inside. If the microprocesser is found to be defective, I would send it to Automotive Modules for repair.

http://www.automotivemodules.com/Thunderbird.html#anchor_176

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

View attachment 29302

Thank you so much, this is very helpful information. I thought it would be an issue with the FEM module.