Driving home last night in the fast lane of the M1, and without warning every light on the dashboard came on, all the dials went to max, then zero, then max, then everything went off (on the dash) and then came back on normal.

All the mpg/trips etc have reset but the odometer has remained at the correct reading.

Nothing else happened and the car didnt operate and differently, should I worry?

Ta

Perhaps. Get it looked at would be my advice.

what car?

Driving home last night in the fast lane

Best don the suit of asbestos.

Was it a peugeot by chance?

You can make many Fords (I’ve done it on a 52 plate Mondeo and a 53 plate Fusion, I think it worked on my 56 plate Transit as well) do this as a self test, holding down the two odometer/clock pins whilst turning the ignition on. It resets the trip at the same time. (reason for doing it is it lets you go through the fault codes etc)

Obviously thats not what you did, but if it was a Ford it sounds like it was doing a dash/dial test.

Sounds like your alternator might be about to throw in it’s hand.

was it very wet?

+ 1 for the alternator. Flat battery will get you next.

Electrics ? Check the earthing belt under the battery ?

focus by any chance ?

Sorry its a 54 plate Mondeo diesel. Was dry at the time, doing about 80 lights on, no Air Con etc, heater on low etc. Was a bit windy though

If it’s a ford as kimbers and spooky say then I would also say self test. If not then get a chain garage to do a winter garage. These are usually free and will flag up either an alternator prob (probably) or battery issue

http://www.talkford.com/forum/122-mondeo-mk3-discussion/

i was thinking focus too. the plug which connects the dash is notorios. replaced at dealer for a tenner; not a recall!! 🙄

I was reading it and new it would be a Ford.

Just wait until everything goes off including windscreen wipers, horn and lights when you come home one night and you have been in the house for half an hour.

So is it alternator or battery then? I dont want to go changing the alternator to then find its the battery, also I dont want to change the battery then to get that drained by a knackered alternator…

How old is the battery? If its the original I’d replace that first as its an easy fix and one you can do yourself within 10mins.

Plus – if it is the original it’d be better to anyway as winter driving puts a strain on batteries.

So is it alternator or battery then? I dont want to go changing the alternator to then find its the battery, also I dont want to change the battery then to get that drained by a knackered alternator…

Get a multimeter and see what the current (or voltage? dunno, I have no idea about electrics) is across the battery terminals with the car running and then with it off. No idea what they should be for a ford, but it’ll be on the internet somewhere and will give you an idea whether it’s battery, alternator or neither.

I’ll have to check all the receipts but my assumption would be that its the original battery.

Flying Ox – Ah yes should have thought of trying that one. I assume the voltage should be the same with engine on or off? ie no additional drain from the batter whilst the engine running?

it should be more when running.

12.7v – 13.2 when off.
14.0+ v when running.

On my Puma you can carry out a dash diagnostic that shows the voltage running through and any error codes. Basic but it shows fluctuations with engine running etc around its ‘average’.

I’d go on a Ford forum first and post up and one of the questions being this ^ as any fluctuations or codes could show you if its the battery or alternator.

Sounds very similar to our old cmax, although it didn’t recover. Needed a new fuse box as apparently they get wet, bad design. Cost about £600! Car continued to have little elec glitches, so sold out for a honda

Ah yes, my 53 Mondeo started doing this then decided to start cutting out at m-way speeds! Fairly keeps you on your toes!

A lot if the time it can be fixed by swapping out the speed sensor

Good old ford. We’ve had 2 cars in the fleet with complete dash replacements, and lots of electrical faults in all of them. Dreadful heaps of carp! Check you batter earth as most of the time they are very poor indeed.

Good old ford. We’ve had 2 cars in the fleet with complete dash replacements, and lots of electrical faults in all of them. Dreadful heaps of carp! Check you batter earth as most of the time they are very poor indeed.

Yep every ford is crap!! 🙄

Ford’s are brilliant however they are just as bad as VW’s for reliability.

…every light on the dashboard came on, all the dials went to max, then zero, then max, then everything went off (on the dash) and then came back on normal.

Dashbard crashed, went into self-test mode then reset itself. Nothing to worry about.

Speed limit is 70mph

SBZ is this here you live

or are you just a

and yes, all fords are rubbish

As is the way someone will be along shortly and say ‘Ive had my Ford 10yrs/500,000miles and never had to even change a light bulb’.

In my painful and expensive experience Ford’s are rubbish

“As is the way someone will be along shortly and say ‘Ive had my Ford 10yrs/500,000miles and never had to even change a light bulb’.”

Yes me 🙂 ok maybe not 500k miles but certainly owned > 10 years worth, even more of you include family members.

sbz, how is your comment even remotely helpful or useful? Its not even funny either.

Nor is yours. Didnt stop you posting it though did it…

Funky -get it posted here http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&f=23&mid=70159

As it could be a simple fix (i.e. no money spent)

Ford – Found On Roadside Dead. 😉

They may be bad but I’m sure nothing they throw together could touch my old Fiat for trouble.