# All dash lights come on then go off when you drive **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** focus, ford\ **Created:** [June 10, 2022, 7:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/all-dash-lights-come-on-then-go-off-when-you-drive/184599 "2022-06-10T19:43:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shiancrum00\_179174](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@shiancrum00\_179174](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shiancrum00_179174)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 7:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/all-dash-lights-come-on-then-go-off-when-you-drive/184599/1 "2022-06-10T19:43:35Z")
I’m trying to buy a used car and she said “ It’s a 2005 so occasionally lights come on but they go right back off, we have had a tune up and checked all the lights and it’s just a fuse but they go off after your on the road, it’s being sold as a work vehicle with the year of it. But it’s a solid little car.” What’s do you think is wrong with it? ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 7:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/all-dash-lights-come-on-then-go-off-when-you-drive/184599/2 "2022-06-10T19:53:51Z")
No way to tell what is wrong with it from out here on the internet. I can’t see it, touch it, smell it or hook my scanner to it to read the codes from the internet. You need YOUR mechanic to take a look, hook it up to a scanner to read the codes and to determine stored short and long term error codes. Never rely on what the seller tells you. Verify it. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 7:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/all-dash-lights-come-on-then-go-off-when-you-drive/184599/3 "2022-06-10T19:56:05Z")
> [@shiancrum00\_179174](#): > > What’s do you think is wrong with it? Who knows ? I guess you did not buy your sisters vehicle . If this was just a fuse problem that would be an easy fix so why have they not fixed it . Just pass and find something that has everything working . ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 8:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/all-dash-lights-come-on-then-go-off-when-you-drive/184599/4 "2022-06-10T20:03:31Z")
BCM could be failing. > **[5 Common Symptoms of a Failing Body Control Module (BCM) - Module Experts](https://moduleexperts.com/5-common-symptoms-failing-body-control-module-bcm/)** > > If your BCM malfunctions, you will notice a negative effect on the operation of your vehicle. Watch out for these symptoms. Tester ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 8:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/all-dash-lights-come-on-then-go-off-when-you-drive/184599/5 "2022-06-10T20:12:48Z")
> [@shiancrum00\_179174](#): > > t’s just a fuse If it’s “just a fuse”, and since fuses are so cheap, why hasn’t the seller simply replaced the _supposedly_-bad fuse? (Translation: I do not believe the seller’s line of BS.) > [@Tester](#): > > BCM could be failing. This is much more likely, but–from afar–everyone is simply guessing, and only your mechanic can determine the actual cause of the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 8:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/all-dash-lights-come-on-then-go-off-when-you-drive/184599/6 "2022-06-10T20:30:48Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > but–from afar–everyone is simply guessing, No kidding! 🙄 Tester ---
**Author:** ![eddo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/eddo/32/2594_2.png) [@eddo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/eddo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 8:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/all-dash-lights-come-on-then-go-off-when-you-drive/184599/7 "2022-06-10T20:44:52Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > You need YOUR mechanic to take a look, hook it up to a scanner to read the codes and to determine stored short and long term error codes. Never rely on what the seller tells you. Verify it. this, this, and some more of this. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2022, 8:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/all-dash-lights-come-on-then-go-off-when-you-drive/184599/8 "2022-06-11T20:25:20Z")
Tell them to replace the fuse and when that does not work negotiate the price down. “It’s only a…” is a well worn cliche’. It could well be that the seller has been given the news about a potential cause and is playing dumb with the fuse BS. A lady brought a Chevy to me once that had an engine coolant drip. She was told upon purchase that “you just need someone to go over the hose clamps and tighten them”. That drip turned out to be a block plug behind the flex plate. That in turn meant engine out for a 1 dollar plug… ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2022, 10:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/all-dash-lights-come-on-then-go-off-when-you-drive/184599/9 "2022-06-11T22:48:31Z")
May or may not be a serious problem. If you like the car otherwise, hire your own shop to do a pre-purchase inspection. Make sure they verify the check engine light turns on with the key in “on”, then immediately turns off as soon as the engine is started. Also as part of this inspection, your shop should check for any diagnostic codes, & verify all of the emission system’s readiness monitors are complete. Will cost you $100-$200, money well spent imo.