CLUSTER MODULE

Okay now you ask: What the heck is a Cluster Module?

Well, it’s what controls all of your dash board lights, ALL of your instrumental gadgets on the dashboard such as your speedometer, odometer, fuel and mileage just to name a few and then depending what else you might have on your panel.

Module Cluster-the bad one

One out of every nine manages to go goofy or bad on motorhomes.  So what causes them to go bad?  Well I will be glad to try and explain as the mechanic explained it to us.

When a motorhome is built, it’s starts with a car manufacturing building the engine compartment, frame and chaise.  then it gets sent over to the RV manufacture and here is where they actually build the remainder part of your motorhome.  It’s also where they add the extra blows and whistles they want to.  Some being important to a motorhome; like the back-up camera. 

But for some unknown reason they decided to run the slide-out mechanism and the out side step to the engine battery and cluster module.  When they do this, then they have to re-modify the cluster module.  When doing this is so easy for the RV Manufacture to cut, slice or damage that particular instrumental panel; which in our case they shorted it out when they spliced into it.  They overloaded the Cluster Module without it being re-inspected by the car dealership to make sure all is up to standard code. 

Now I’m not saying they should actually send them back-for I know this would cost loads of money-but they could hire a mechanic that knows what he is doing to inspect the engine compartment before sending them out to be dealt with the dealership and us consumers.

When taking a cluster module out and replacing it isn’t as simple as it appears.  Once taken out-and replaced, your vehicle will not start.  It must be hooked to a computer, and all the information for your engine must be reloaded into this new module. 

Computer downloading all the information into the new Cluster Module so that we can get back on the road again.

In the 2-1/2 years of owning our motorhome we have gone through 4 engine batteries, and 3 Ford Dealership before we found the one in Parker AZ that actually knew what he was doing!

 Our wonderful mechanic hard a work fixing our motorhome.

He took the extra step to finally find the problem.  One dealership mechanic told us that we needed to drive our motorhome at least 100 miles a day to keep the battery  engine charged!

Now because it was an add-0n to the motorhome by the RV dealership that actually caused the problem-Ford could have said no to the repair under warranty-causing us thousands of dollars; because the warranty under the RV was done. (RV warranty was 1 year-Engine warranty is 3 years).

So if you are ever having battery engine trouble on a new motorhome and it’s under warranty. Don’t let the mechanics push you around. Ask them to check the module cluster to see if it’s performing or if there is some kind of short in the system.