My daughter has an "06 Ford Freestyle. Within the past few months, the instruments would all die, and after a few minutes, come back on. Lately, here radio and windshield wipers are being affected as well. I realize this is a wiring problem, and my question is, is there instrumentation out there (dealer or otherwise) that is able to locate such problems? Or will she have to pay shop time for someone to explore?
“is there instrumentation out there (dealer or otherwise) that is able to locate such problems? Or will she have to pay shop time for someone to explore?”
If this vehicle is still under warranty, there should be no cost. If it is not under warranty, I would suggest that you go to an auto mechanic who specializes in electrical problems. My best guess is that there is a bad ground under the dashboard, but locating it could be difficult.
Also, since failure of the windshield wipers (as well as instrumentation) constitutes a safety hazard, I would suggest that you report this problem to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) via their website. If this turns out to be a problem for more than one person, a recall could result, and you could wind up being compensated for any repairs that you paid for.
I would hope a 2006 would still be under warranty which means it is the dealer’s problem not yours. Don’t spend you time or money trying to do their job.