I have a 2004 F150 heritage edition and I'm having a couple electrical problems. When the truck is off and the key isn't in the ignition the instrument cluster still remains on, the electric windows still roll up and down and the interior lights still turn on and off. Also in order for me to shift out of park I have to push down the tab on the left side of the shifter but once I'm out of park I can shift any other gear no problem until I put it back into park. Another thing with the gear shifter and instrument cluster is when it's in park all my gauges work but when I put it in any gear the gauges stop working till I put it in park again. Does anyone know what the problem could be and how I can fix it?

 

One or the other doesn't seem that odd, but both together is weird. Did these both start happening at the same time, or are they just coincidental? The first problem sounds like an ignition switch problem, and the second one may indicate that adjustment of the shift lever is needed.

EDIT: I take that back. The second problem is just plain weird all by itself. The position of the shift lever has nothing to do with gauges working or not, unless somehow its movement is pinching or moving a wire.

 

Your initial issue sounds like a GEM issue as that controls interior lights and door functions, among other things. Have you noticed any windshield leaks?

As far as the cluster issue, all I can suggest is to pull the cluster and see if anything is tied into the wiring. Without any details of your ownership tenure, as in have you recently acquired said truck or had it from its arrival on the dealership lot, I can only believe some sort of hack job with the wiring has shown itself. Maybe something got tied into the shifter interlock.

 

I guess it could be the GEM, but I'd expect more odd things to be happening. Then again.....

 

Pull the kick panels and inspect the grounds. Start on the driver's side.

Is this a column or console shifter?