2001 TC, dashboard is out, but ABS module is fine - wth????

groucho797groucho797 Member Posts: 1
edited March 2018 in Lincoln
I'm trying to help my mechanic out here, but we're both stumped. The dashboard is out on my '01 TC. Gas gauge and temp work, but nothing else does (including cruise control). ABS light stays on, but the car drives fine with no brake issues. All the other onboard stuff like gas mileage and trip meters fail when the dash goes out as well. This problem is INTERMITTENT, meaning sometimes on a very cold day, the dash lights up and all gauges work. But if I drive for a while or shut it off and restart, we're back to everything being out.

The mechanic has sent the dash back to Ford TWICE to have it repaired. It hasn't solved the problem. I told him that I read online that a lot of it has to do with the ABS module itself, so he went to a junkyard to pick up one to swap.

Here's where it gets weird - regardless of which ABS module he swaps in, the odometer reading stays the same. I mention in passing the odometer increments correctly. So if the odometer reading isn't stored in the ABS module, where is it stored?

The dash isn't working much at all anymore since the weather warmed up a bit. I can't pass inspection without a speedometer, and they're not letting me pass with using a phone app.

So does anyone have any idea what's going on here? Need more info? Please ask. We're waiting on a callback from a former Ford mechanic, but it's been two weeks and the guy's not returning calls. The mechanic would be happy to see my TC at the bottom of a lake. But we both agree that it's got to be something fixable, even though we'd both like to avoid spending thousands of bucks to fix the problem.

Help would be deeply appreciated, thanks.


  • EarthvillagerEarthvillager Member Posts: 2
    Sounds like a Door Module problem. It's located in the upper right hand side of the drivers door. Does the radio fail to shut off automatically after closing the door?
  • nwraaanwraaa Member Posts: 177
    Just get another another panel. Don't worry about the difference in the mileage showing on the replacement panel. These instrument clusters are difficult to repair.
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