If it wasn't for bad luck.....

[4rd Xplora]

Bought that high dollar dimmer switch for the Explorer about 16 months ago and yesterday I decided to put that "also high dollar" worm gear in to run the odometer and replace the lights in the message center with led's (I had blue/white led's and replaced them with green ones). After the install, I lost the radio lights (the info lights, not the display lights), I noticed that the dimmer function for the message center and the overhead console did not work and the light on the headlight switch goes out when the lights are turned on. Now my question is could I have some how fried the dimmer switch when I connected the battery back?

 

[RomeovilleIL]

Might be compatability issue. Many LEDs dont work correctly with dimmers. It is all one circuit, so maybe try disconnecting message center lights and seeing if others come back on.

 

[budwich]

spend some money on a "low dollars" multimeter and find out what's actually happening... it will likely take all the guess work out and you can probably ultimately save some regular dollars and time....

 

[RomeovilleIL]

spend some money on a "low dollars" multimeter and find out what's actually happening... it will likely take all the guess work out and you can probably ultimately save some regular dollars and time....

You really want to take the fun out of wiring don't you.

 

[budwich]

you are right especially when I don't have any "high dollars".... but I do have lots of time so "free fun with wiring" is also good but I can't afford the "beer frustration removal" when things don't look so good with my eyes.... now that I am old, I can't see electrons so good...

 

[4rd Xplora]

spend some money on a "low dollars" multimeter and find out what's actually happening... it will likely take all the guess work out and you can probably ultimately save some regular dollars and time....

Got one. Need a diagram of how the thing works. Used a test light that showed power in and out, depending on the position of the switch, but I have one wire, besides the ground, that shows no power at anytime. Will test tomorrow or this weekend with the multimeter. BTW thanks for the responses.

 

[4rd Xplora]

UPDATE: Instead of buying a $120+ panel dimmer switch, since I was not sure that it was the problem, I opted for a $20.00 unit off of e-bay. Happy to say everything is back to nomal. Hard to figure out what happened to the old one since it was working before I put in that new odometer gear and it wasn't that old. Thanks again for all of the responses to my problem.

 

[SoNic67]

Awesome to know that the ebay 'el cheapo' worked

 

[4rd Xplora]

Same issue again. The oem unit died 1st, after the first 6 years of service. Then bought a Ford oem high dollar unit, lasted 16 months as stated above. Then bought the e-bay oem used unit, made it about 8 months. Just got another used one off of e-bay and may order a spare one. Except for this issue, this may turn out to be the best all around vehicle I've ever owned. Has never failed to get us to and from. Everything works, interior has no rips. Daily driver status. Bought it right at 11 years back for $2500.00 (book was 8 or 9K I think, with 135K mi. The former owner realized his mistake later :fire.