Ford explorer odometer fix

There are some cases of cold solder joints on the cluster causing a blank odometer display.

might be wroth checking, but time consuming and you need to be hand with a soldering iron to repair them.

good thread at F150online on this, with pictures.

http://www.f150online.com/forums/electrical-systems/373597-intermittent-odometer-repair.html

You can try an inexpensive fix. Remove the instrument cluster, you should see four resistors in an area of the board that in a 1997 should be cold solder jointed. Re-solder or replace them and it should come right back in. This is a well known problem with older Buick, olds and gm

You can take a look at the back of the cluster, where the odometer plugs in for cold solder joints.
I have not been able to find them yet, maybe with a magnifying glass and a good light, you will have better luck than myself.

The odometer plugs into the cluster with edge pins, and this is a place to start looking for the cold solder joints ( 97-03 MY was much easier to find the cold solder joints ).

The digital odometer has some cases of cold solder joints.

If you are good with taking the instrument cluster out, and using a soldering iron, it is somewhat time consuming, but can be done in an afternoon.

1. Remove the headlamp switch. There are large metal clips holding it in.
2. Remove the plastic U shaped cover over the steering wheel. Spring clips hold it down, I find the 99-03 MY easiest to remove the knee panel first.
3. the plastic trim around the instrument cluster. There are blots & spring clips holding it in ( 1 is behind the headlamp switch panel removed ).
At this point the instrument cluster bolts should be visible. Use a towel over the steering wheel column, and remove the cluster.

Remove the screws holding the metal plate on the back of the cluster.

Looking at the back, there is a multi wire ( ribbon cable) from the odometer gauge to the cluster. Carefully remove the ribbon cable, and you can remove the circuit board from the gauges.
On the back side of the circuit board, where the ribbon cable is attached, you should see some cold solder joints for the pins sticking up. One of these might have cracked, need a magnifying glass to be sure of which one. Heat up a soldering iron, and touch up the cracked solder joint.
Put back together ( up to the metal shield part ) and test. Should have done the trick, else go back checking for more cold solder joints.

This sounds back, but it is not. Just a bit time consuming.