Steering Wheel Lights (Gone?)

[Hitchhikingmike]

I know exactly what is happening to your explorer.

 

[BlkExplorerSport]

what would that be?

 

[BonesDT]

Sounds like you have been afflicted by some e-demons.

The lights on my 4x4 switch just randomly went out the other day.

The good news is that there's something going on inside the steering wheel as opposed to the GEM.

Tear apart your steering wheel. Pull the airbag fuse then unbolt the two bolts under the plastic caps on the side of your steering wheel to remove your airbag. Turn on your headlights and fiddle around with those wires going to your cruise switches.

 

[BlkExplorerSport]

ya except.. i dont have the tools or the experience to do that.. im a high school student trying to figure this out. how much would ford charge to do it ?

 

[BonesDT]

more than a high school student can afford. you should try to do it yourself, it is very easy, at least what I explained to do.

 

[4x4xbrian.com]

It's shurly just a bulb, I had mine flicker for a few weeks before they finally crapped out then I changed both ford Part # E5RY*13466*BA
they screwed my for $5.40 ea but now there fixed

 

[5.0 POWER]

if you really wanted to you can do an led swap fairly easy... i forgot where i had found the forum but its on here somewhere. if i remember correctly the guy had a ranger and did it . IF YOU do do an led swp make sure that you put in two , or else only one of the controls will light up.

WHOever had the keypad bulb out... you can fix that with an led aswell. there is a rightup around here also about changing that to an led of any color. I have done both of these and recommend that if you are going to replace the bulb change the color cause that stock green color sucks IMO.

 

[RockyMtnHigh]

I have done both of these and recommend that if you are going to replace the bulb change the color cause that stock green color sucks IMO.

Oh boy! Tell the Saskatchewan guy that green sucks...anything you want to say about watermelons?

Sounds like a bulb or two are burnt out. Mine has the same problem but I am just waiting for the rest to burn out so it all matches. My Mustang's cruise buttons don't light (came that way) and I don't need them to.

If you are going to repair them yourself make sure to disconnect the battery for a good half hour before tearing the steering wheel appart. The airbag, and it's little rocket motors, could make burnt out lamps seem really nice.

 

[CrazyAlaskan]

my Foglight button does the same thing, some times a good smack on the side of the dash next to it turns it on, some times it dont. To be honost I really dont care much. I know where all my buttons are

 

[BonesDT]

Funny, my 4x4 switch lights just went out recently.

The green night light in my Rear Defroster switch works, but the amber defroster-active light hasn't worked in so long. It's driving me crazy. I hear the switch clicking when I push it, but the light won't come on. I bought a new switch and same thing, so it's not the bulb.

These damn lights! I understand the frustration. Your dashboard is what you stare at during all those long hours driving. You want it to be perfect.

I did a Mustang steering wheel swap, so now I have the non-illuminated cruise control switches. Part of the appeal was the aftermarket support for billet cruise control switches, which I have too.

I didn't think I'd miss the lights. I thought, if Stangs came stock without them, then Ex's won't need them either. My cruise control has been broken for a while, so I forgot where the buttons are, and at night it is a PITA.

Sometimes I wish I could go back, but you can't have them with the Stang setup. The Stang wheel has fewer wires running through it's airbag clock spring, so there's no room for an illumination power wire. (I've seen Stangers ask if they can swap the Ex's illumination switches over, and here's the answer).