# Dash guages at startup

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-guages-at-startup/42572>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** ford, f150\
**Created:** [January 15, 2010, 1:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-guages-at-startup/42572 "2010-01-15T01:42:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![papabyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7feea3/32.png) [@papabyd](https://community.cartalk.com/u/papabyd)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 1:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-guages-at-startup/42572/1 "2010-01-15T01:42:43Z")

</div>

When I start up all the guages peg full scale and then go back to normal.What is up??

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![papabyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7feea3/32.png) [@papabyd](https://community.cartalk.com/u/papabyd)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-guages-at-startup/42572/2 "2010-01-15T01:44:17Z")

</div>

OH left out that this is a 2003 ford f150

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![andersonjl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@andersonjl](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andersonjl)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-guages-at-startup/42572/3 "2010-01-18T14:55:14Z")

</div>

I just had this happen. When I replaced the battery it stopped. My conclusion was that the computer was not being maintained by the old battery and the full stop action was to re-calibrate the gauges. Btw, my battery was 6+ years old at the time.  
I also have a 2003 F150.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 3:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-guages-at-startup/42572/4 "2010-01-18T15:07:32Z")

</div>

Your battery is starting to fail.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [January 18, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-guages-at-startup/42572/5 "2010-01-18T15:09:16Z")

</div>

On many new cars, this is the normal start-up operation of the gauges.  
However, on a 2003 F-150, I suspect that this may be due to a battery that is about to fail–as was already said. Time for a load test on that battery.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![papabyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7feea3/32.png) [@papabyd](https://community.cartalk.com/u/papabyd)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/dash-guages-at-startup/42572/6 "2010-01-18T19:23:31Z")

</div>

Thanks to all. This is what I was told but when I had the battery load tested it tested strong. Well I think it is time for a new battery.