no dash lights

[uptonfg]

no cluster lighting and ac panel minus the warning lights...dimmer works...radio lights work...any suggestions? ive checked all fuses and replaced bulbs in cluster

 

[budwich]

dimmer relay, headlight switch... ? autolamps in the truck?... no, then no dimmer relay. Then its your headlight switch... maybe but get a meter and check it.

 

[LONO100]

sounds like the headlight switch. you can get a new one at autozone for under 20 bucks. if you have new bulbs in the cluster, fuses and relays are good, im pretty sure its the headlight switch.

 

[Nueve Cinco XLT]

Mine is doing the same. I replaced all the bulbs on sunday and to no avail. I will replace the headlight switch sometime this week. Keep us posted, if I replace mine before you, I will post on here my success or failure.

 

[uptonfg]

thanks for the info..no auto lighting on my truck..never even considered the switch, seems like everything on the switch has been working..ill dig in to it a lil more and repost what i find..thanks again

 

[LONO100]

im pretty sure its the headlight switch. i had the same problem. changed out the headlight switch and everything was good.

 

[Nueve Cinco XLT]

Well I changed the headlight switch and I still do not have lights on my dash nor do I have lights for my HVAC controls. But I now have lights on the factory radio and for the headlight switch controls. I keep reading about replacing the dimmer switch and I will try that. My question is, when I look for the part, I keep seeing the turn signal stalk but not the part that controls the roller on the dash. Is that the correct part? Or am I looking for the wrong part?

 

[uptonfg]

ive had lights on my hvac, radio,and headlight control the whole time. and they dim in and out with the dimmer switch. im just not following how only the cluster backlighting isnt working and the switch is supposed to be the culprit. i have a headlight switch enroute for mine but im very doubtfull. never got to test my old headlight switch broke it on the way out...does your radio dim with the dimmer switch? if yes dim switch is good. on mine it has roller dimmer switch right beside headlight switch..my ford p/n# for dimmer is L907R F57B11691AD will post back soon as to if headlight switch fixes mine.

 

[Nueve Cinco XLT]

ive had lights on my hvac, radio,and headlight control the whole time. and they dim in and out with the dimmer switch. im just not following how only the cluster backlighting isnt working and the switch is supposed to be the culprit. i have a headlight switch enroute for mine but im very doubtfull. never got to test my old headlight switch broke it on the way out...does your radio dim with the dimmer switch? if yes dim switch is good. on mine it has roller dimmer switch right beside headlight switch..my ford p/n# for dimmer is L907R F57B11691AD will post back soon as to if headlight switch fixes mine.

I hope that you are not buying parts from the dealer, you can get the headlight switch from auto zone for $19.99 part number SW716 I believe. The lights on the radio do not dim with the switch at all. I can only turn the dome light on with that switch. I called the stealership about the dimmer module and they wanted $165 for it. I will tape a flashlight to the gauge cluster before I pay that price. I am hoping that this guy parting out his explorer will sell me the part. I will keep you posted on what happens when I replace the dimmer module.

 

[budwich]

ive had lights on my hvac, radio,and headlight control the whole time. and they dim in and out with the dimmer switch. im just not following how only the cluster backlighting isnt working and the switch is supposed to be the culprit. i have a headlight switch enroute for mine but im very doubtfull. never got to test my old headlight switch broke it on the way out...does your radio dim with the dimmer switch? if yes dim switch is good. on mine it has roller dimmer switch right beside headlight switch..my ford p/n# for dimmer is L907R F57B11691AD will post back soon as to if headlight switch fixes mine.

Your further details makes it sound like your dimmer is indeed working as expected (at least in some form). Further then, it is likely that you have a broken splice or connection going into your cluster... :-( not nice... follow the connection back from your radio / AC to a common point and / or check the connector on the cluster.

 

[$300ExSport]

On my 96 XLT, my dash lights would flash when I went over bumps(R.R. tracks etc.) but would not stay on at night(Drove me crazy!). Since my problem didn't seem to be bulbs in the dash(they all worked), I replicated what caused them to work...I started slapping the dash with my palm until my hand was near the headlight switch, it turned out to be weekened solder points on the pc board of either the dimmer switch or headlight switch...I can't remember... If anyone would like me to disassemble mine and show them what fixed mine just let me know! Cost for my fix = $0

 

[uptonfg]

amazing truly never would of thought the headlight switch was the culprit. it was...all is well now...let me know how yours turns out. and no not usually buying dealer parts...purchased mine from car quest for 24 bucks...oriellys wanted 45

 

[uptonfg]

dimmer module?165 dollars? mine has a dimmer switch..like 25 bucks

 

[uptonfg]

dash lights quit again

installed new switch while i was at work and tested in the daylight..was working..got off work drove to my fishing spot hung out for a lil and it got dark..wanted to move truck to new spot so flipped lights on all is well..never had dash lights before in this truck and now its night looks really good.... thinking pulling the cluster for new bulbs was worth it cause all is burning nothing is out..park the truck kill the lights..had lights on for all of 60 seconds...fish some more...get stabbed by a gaft top sail cat..go to leave pissed..wtf..no dash lights....maybe i shouldve bought a ford switch.......dimmer still works...back to testing tomorrow...more ideas?

 

[Nueve Cinco XLT]

Didn't get a call about the dimmer module from the guy on Craigslist, figures...so I test the interior dimmer switch because I didn't test it the other night. The lights on the radio and head light switch fade when I roll the switch. The interior lights don't and the lights on the instrument panel still do not work. I don't know much about electrical but I think that I will read over other posts on the different topics similar to this and take some notes and try again. I will keep everyone posted on what I find.

 

[budwich]

"classic wiring issue", uptonfg.... you go in and "play" with things while you replace a part... things work... hey part was faulty... great fixed... ... later... wtf... broken!!!!....:-( ... my favorite quote from a friend "is simple...you have done nothing".... more money bet placed on a wiring issue towards splice or connector on panel (with most money on the splice).

 

[uptonfg]

ok cool but where is the splice located...its too bright outside to do a wiggle test, cant see if theres dash lights or not hardly..and i never have had lights flickering over bumps or anything like that...and at least i wanted to go fishing so bad that i drove it with the dash tore open, its like something told me drive it first

 

[$300ExSport]

I threw together a REALLY quick video just to help out anyone interested in seeing where my dimmer module went bad. Questions? Shoot me a message.

 

[uptonfg]

wow what an awesome video..really appreciate the time taken to make..with all the checks ive done and dimmer still seeming to work is it possible mine is fouled up the same way? thanks again for the video reply

 

[$300ExSport]

wow what an awesome video..really appreciate the time taken to make..with all the checks ive done and dimmer still seeming to work is it possible mine is fouled up the same way? thanks again for the video reply

Anything is possible, If you feel like taking the time to take your dash apart, go ahead and inspect what I specify in the video.

The way I figured out everything was vibration related, I was coming home(not quite dark yet but I had my headlights on anyway) and went over some railroad track and faintly saw my dash light up! When I got home, I just started slapping my dash with the open part of my palm until I was hitting near the dimmer and headlight switch. When I would hit that area when my headlights were switched on, my dash lights would flicker! When I unscrewed my dimmer module from the dash while leaving it plugged into the wiring harness, I could get the same effect by tapping on the dimmer module housing..."bingo!" I found it!

Maybe I should go make a video about how I fixed my doors by preventing them from slamming on my foot(I wear flip-flops because I'm lazy). I literally insert 2 or 3 pennies between the the rubber pad that gets squished when your door opens past the two "door-prop" sections.