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markkathy

Freightliner, Dead Instrument Cluster

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Mark,

I had a similar problem and a lot of support from both dealer and Freightliner help desk. It turned out to be a bad (loose) battery terminal. When mine failed we all focused on the instrument cluster.

Lots of luck.

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Mark you should see our experience of "Our Holiday Travel Misadventure so Far". This is when we travel from the west coast to the east coast and back last Christmas and the things that went wrong. I had the Norcold trouble on my way to Alaska last summer with a fresh recall. Guess I'm never suppose to power wash after driving through so many chip seal project. I bypassed it until I figured out how to bypass it with a strong magnet. Seem like every event is an adventure.

http://community.fmca.com/topic/6353-our-holiday-travel-misadventure-so-far/?hl=misadventure

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Mark, Have a safe trip and enjoy the view.

The coaches are beyond the days of the Model T. So it takes more then a screw driver, pliers and some baling wire to keep them running !!

Thing I try to remember is, if an issue has not happen to me yet. It's not been my turn !!!

Rich.

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All I can say is thanks to all of you for sharing. It is really a big part of what makes this a great community! I'll get the instrument cluster issue resolved and share what that was.......will check the battery cables too!

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Mark, I told you it was under the bed not realizing you have a different floor plan, mine was a 2000 Itasca Horizon with the engine under the bed, I'm sorry about the confusion. Take the engine cover off and on the back wall should be a black box with the air lines running to it. That's the instrument control module Part # 1539-10159-01 Let me know if this helps.

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Mark, there is a letter E after the part number. Mine original one had a letter A, this telling me the part has been updated several times. This is a Freightliner part. That fixed my faulty gauges.

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Mark I told you it was under the bed not realizing you have a different floor plan. I had a 200 Itasca Horizon. Remove the engine cover and on the back wall should be a black box with the colored air lines going into it. That is the instrument control module. The Freightliner part number is 1539-10159-01. My original one had a letter A after the part number the newer one has a letter E, indicating to me the this part has been updated numerous times. Let me know if this helps.

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Just logged back on after our short trip to the North Shore of Lake Superior, all went well from a Freightliner perspective. Mark you are right the control module is actually under the side radiator cover and they are working with Freightliner to resolve the gauge issue. Add to my woes the recall failure of the Norcold high temp sensor and now the flush handle valve shaft (plastic) snapped off of our Dometic Concerto toilet! Thank goodness for vise grips and channel locks. Herman, I called Ghostbusters AND an Exorsist.

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If you drove the North Shore that would explain the new issues. Minnesota should be embarrassed by the condition of their premier scenic route Hwy 61. The worst road we encountered in a 3200 mile trip. I had recommended the drive to a fellow RVer. Never again. I have to make that beautiful drive into Canada and back every year, but don't know how much of that road my coach and boat trailer can endure. You would think that road would be a high priority. Makes you wonder if MN state officials ever make that trip!

Hope you find the gremlins in your dashboard. Has to be very frustrating but it sure sounds like you have the creativity and perseverance to win the battles of all problems motorhome.

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:-) you make a good point regarding the roads north of Two Harbors, I have never traveled the AlCan highway but can't imagine it being much worse than some sections of 61, however there is hope! They were working on a large stretch between Schroeder and Grand Marais!

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Sorry, taking it to a dedicated Freightliner service center on Monday 8/4......have exhausted every suggested possibility listed on the forum as well as 1-888 Freightliner service tips.

It's a mystery (one I am very unhappy to be the owner of/not the coach, the mystery).

I will follow up when this is resolved.

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8/6, two days of diagnostics at the local Freightliner shop and still no resolution. I gotta be honest I am losing faith and going broke. My regular maint. guy has read all of your comments and simply exhausted his skills. Local Freightliner authorized dealer seems to be appraoching the same conclusion...which is none.

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Mark,

Have him STOP, pick up the phone and call Gaffney. They are very good at working through the diagnostic tree on things like this.

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I have the power probe kit and I could test end to end with it. Plug into any 12/24 volt power source and with 50+ feet of leads all wires can be checked end to end whatever value it should supply. If the module is good and the cluster is good then I suspect a mouse in hidden area chew wires.

http://www.powerprobe.com/webstore/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=205

I almost forgot, it has transmitter and remote for impossible jobs. No shop should be without this kit.

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OK......6 weeks after the initial incident the problem has been solved. Here is what FCCC told my local Freightliner dealer. The display message center failed on ignition sending a surge a power to all kinds of places it should not have, frying the gauges and damaging the conduit from the main control module in the back of the coach. Power initially appeared present, however it was not "clean"and that main conduit had to be replaced along with display center and all the gauges. That was my pitiful interpretation of the specific's, but it is just that.......an interpretation. I am not an electrical wiz and will admit even trying to share the specific can be frustrating.

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Mark:

Thank you for sharing your frustrating repair journey to conclusion. I thought I had the worst luck with mechanical failures, but you have raised the bar. Wishing you many years of safe and trouble free travels. You have earned it.

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Thanks to all. For your comments and support. I have repaired the broken handle on the toilet, and adjusted the igniter on my fridge and now (hopefully) can pickup my repaired coach with a new instrument cluster and get back on the road. Happy travels to all.

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Mark:

After your August 12, 2014 post was this the last time you had a problem with this?  Was it the final fix for the problem.  Our coach has been at the Freightliner Dealership for a whole month and they can not resolve the issue...no instruments.  Wondering if there is any up to date info on this issue?

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11 hours ago, clc91960 said:

Mark:

After your August 12, 2014 post was this the last time you had a problem with this?  Was it the final fix for the problem.  Our coach has been at the Freightliner Dealership for a whole month and they can not resolve the issue...no instruments.  Wondering if there is any up to date info on this issue?

This information just came into my email - So I need to ask. Have you gotten any thing displayed like this?

First message on display read "No trans ECU data"

 

Second message on display read "No eng ECU data"

 

Third message on display read "Park set on neutral" 

 

 

Rich.

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