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2003 Ford Instrument Panel Not Working
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Bearitone
New User
Nov 4, 2011, 4:16 PM
Post #1 of 9
(3997 views)
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2003 Ford Instrument Panel Not Working
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This is for a:
2003
Ford
Explorer Limited V8 4.6L
I am looking for possible reasons the instrument panel would go out on this car.
I need to explain a little. We bought this car through an insurance auction. The car was stolen and recovered with the radio and catalytic converter ripped out. In the pictures for the auction there is a shot of the instrument panel lit up, so it seems to have failed at some point since it was sitting in the lot. I need to figure out the possible costs for this car before I spend $400 to tow it, because if it is not worth fixing I will re-list it.
These are things I know about the car that could might have something to do with the instrument panel not working:
the battery is dead, it was jump started to show my friend the car when he went to look at it.
and the power windows also don't work
I am not familiar with car repair, I am trying my best to search and read but I it is possible that I don't know what I am looking for. My first thought would be the fuse, but I would like to know some other possible causes and how difficult/expensive they will be to repair.
Thank you for any help, I understand that not having the car right here for me to look at and give you more details makes it much harder to find the problem but hopefully I can at least get some idea of what kind of problem this is.
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Bearitone
New User
Nov 4, 2011, 4:54 PM
Post #4 of 9
(3968 views)
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Re: 2003 Ford Instrument Panel Not Working
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I am not familiar with car repair It may not have been the smartest move to buy a salvage car at an auction. Even some of the best in the business can be burnt doing that. You could be looking at hundreds for a new cluster. You have no idea what some shop could have swapped out before it was sold. Collision or theft damage can leave all kinds of hidden damage.
While I appreciate the advice, the (financial)damage is done. The title is clean, the interior is mint, and the cost of the car leaves me quite a bit of money to invest in repairs before I spend the equivalent of KBB low book. I honestly don't mind working on a car, I don't mind learning what needs to be done, and I don't mind paying a professional what the cost is. At this point I am just trying to determine what some possible causes to this particular problem are so I can determine the risk involved.
(This post was edited by Bearitone on Nov 4, 2011, 4:56 PM)
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Sidom
Veteran
/ Moderator
Nov 4, 2011, 5:06 PM
Post #5 of 9
(3953 views)
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Re: 2003 Ford Instrument Panel Not Working
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When you say you bought this from an insurance auction, I'm assuming you have a salvaged title.
In CA you can't get full coverage insurance on a vehicle with a salvaged title, liability only.
I'm not sure if this makes a difference or not in your situation but just want to make sure you are aware of this before you sink any more $$$$$$$ into this project.
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Bearitone
New User
Nov 4, 2011, 5:26 PM
Post #6 of 9
(3945 views)
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Re: 2003 Ford Instrument Panel Not Working
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It is a clean title.
I appreciate the caution. I know what people will think when they see a post like this. I figure since the car is already bought, I would put together a list of possible costs and determine the risk in keeping it. I know that no matter what I plan for there is always the possibility of hidden damage.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Nov 5, 2011, 1:15 AM
Post #7 of 9
(3921 views)
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Re: 2003 Ford Instrument Panel Not Working
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Bearitone: I can only guess from here how much destruction happened in the course of being stolen and dash "ripped" up to take the radio too. Best bet is pro insurance adjusters already declared it a total loss except parts value which is why it was at auction.
Hard to say but since you are admitting you know little about this my suggestion is to cut losses and re-list it,
T
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Sidom
Veteran
/ Moderator
Nov 5, 2011, 9:54 AM
Post #8 of 9
(3916 views)
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Re: 2003 Ford Instrument Panel Not Working
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Yea that's what I thought also Tom when I saw it was an insurance auction. Those cars are usually totals (for what ever reason) and that would give it a salvaged title. In CA that requires the car to go to a brk, lamp & smog shop to get signed off on the inspection before it can be registered...He says it's not so apparently they sell more than just totaled out ones.........learn something new everyday...
Some cars it's nuts what will get them totaled. My daughter had an older, real clean Nissan Sentra that got in a small fender bender, the RF fender had a dent you could pop out with a cup, the bumper had a small dent on the corner & the grill was cracked (she drove it home & for a few more weeks), They totaled the car!!! Crazy....
I suppose if you had an older SUV that needed a full tank of gas & set of tires.......It would be a total loss....... 
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Nov 5, 2011, 11:10 AM
Post #9 of 9
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Re: 2003 Ford Instrument Panel Not Working
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Hmmm - things change all the time with this stuff. Here, a vehicle is deemed totalled if the expected cost of repair plus the core value of what's left exceeds book value. It could be safe but insurance companies will pick the lower cost way out. May (can't say) have a clean title if thought safe to fix. Salvage title means AYOR but folks or shops still take them in and savvy buyers should know as it's then below any book value forever.
I bought a salvage car once. Great looking, all new paint but OMG the nickle dime bull that never quit happening wasn't worth it. It was supposed to all done and fixed by a body shop keeping employees busy in a slow period and fine. I sold that to a friend knowing the history as I had fixed everything I could find but if paid for that time is was a big loss!
T
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