NHTSA Complaint #11190417 — 2008 FORD F-150

RECENTLY DRIVING ALONG A COUNTY ROAD; VEHICLE WARNING TONE SOUNDS AND I SEE THE FOLLOWING. BATTERY, CHECK ENGINE, BRAKES, ABS AND TPMS LIGHTS ON. SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER INOPERATIVE, ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INOPERATIVE. VEHICLE INFORMATION DISPLAY SHOWED TITLES, I.E. TRIP A, MILEAGE ETC., BUT THERE WERE NO VALUES. OIL PRESSURE AND CHARGING SYSTEM AND FUEL GAUGES WORKING NORMALLY. ENGINE PERFORMANCE UNAFFECTED. DROVE 15+ MILES TO HOMETOWN AND MY MECHANIC. AFTER A DAY OF DIAGNOSIS, HE STATED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS THE PROBLEM, AND ALSO THAT IT WAS A KNOWN BUT NOT ACKNOWLEDGED ISSUE BY FORD. NEW CLUSTERS ARE $700 TO $900 WHICH IS OUTRAGEOUS. AFTER A QUICK SEARCH ONLINE, THERE AND A LOT; AND I MEAN A LOT OF PEOPLE SELLING 2008 F-150 LARIAT INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS. SURE I COULD PICK ONE UP FOR A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS, BUT AN ADDITIONAL PROBLEM IS THE MILEAGE; WHICH IS STORED IN THE CLUSTER ROM. MY TRUCK ONLY HAD 86K MILES, WHEREAS IF I INSTALL A USED ONE I INHERIT WHATEVER MILEAGE IS ON THERE. CONSIDERING THE POPULARITY OF THE F-150, YOU WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT FORD WOULD DO THE RIGHT THING; BUT I SUPPOSE I'M BEING NAIVE WITH THAT WISH.