Electrical problem. help

[yanksball14]

Hey guys, I recently bought a 1996 explorer 4.0 v6. my problem is I have no dash lights or HVAC lights. I have the indicator lights(such as CEL,door ajar, etc.) I took the cluster out and checked the bulbs and there was 4 bulbs bad. I changed them and still nothing. I searched on here and i found some threads on this but mine is a little different. so heres my problems:

-no dash lights or HVAC lights
-Headlights, dome light, turn signals, and brake lights work
-Checked the fuses- all good
-replaced the 194 bulbs (4 were bad) still no luck
-Indicator lights work (CEL, door ajar, etc.)

any help would be great as im trying to get this problem fixed asap! thanks!

 

[jremington59]

I know this sounds silly but did you turn up the dimmer switch?

 

[yanksball14]

yup. i played with that. no luck. but if you "click" it up the dome light comes on as normal.

 

[budwich]

hmmm sounds like a bad light switch. does your light on the switch light?

 

[yanksball14]

the light on the dimmer switch? no, no lights.

 

[jremington59]

Turn the dimmer to high and test the power wire going to the dash lights for voltage

 

[budwich]

sorry about the "mistype".... talking about the light switch not dimmer. The light switch is suppose to be lit.

 

[yanksball14]

if your talking about the headlight switch, no theres no lights on that either, but the headlights, brake lights and turns work.

 

[yanksball14]

found the problem! took apart the dimmer switch for the instrument cluster and the solder for one of the transistors was broken. resoldered it and it works!