Dash Lights Still Not Working

92SCDoughboy

Registered User
Ok, a while back i had made a post that my dash lights were not working, and I thought it might have been the dimmer switch. So I changed it, it didn;t work.

I check the fuse and it was burnt, so of course i changed that too, the lights worked for a bout 15seconds, then out, fuse was burnt, the fuse kept going out everytime. So i figured maybe crimped wire or frayed, but no. Something is shorting this fuse out, but for the life of me I cannot figure it out.

Could the cluster part itself have a short in it, i thought maybe some part of it was touching metal behind for some reason, but i civered the metak wit h a pplastic paint and it still doesn;t work.

Does anyone else have any ideas, before I get fed up and take it to FORD, cause I have been driving with no dash lights for a good 5 months, and its friggin annoying

thx in advance
 
LOL, I feel your pain, got the same problem myself, although not as severe, mine lasts for a while and then randomly blows. The fuse blew one night, then I replaced it, lasted 2 weeks, blew again, lasted one day and blew again, and now tonight it didn't blow... so I better investigate what the problem is but in the meantime, I Got a supply of fuses ;)


Sorry to go of your topic, but its related anyway good luck , let me know if you find anything, might be the same with mine, just not as severe.
 
First, get one of those battery powered "book" lights. It can clip to the dash and work temporarily.

Then you need to get out an ohm meter and start testing for shorts. It's going to likely be quite a pain. I'd start by checking all of the switches that are lit. Especially ones that may draw high currents like the defrost switch, lighter. The things that move, like the mirror lights. Then check wires under the dash close to the pedals. Something has likely rubbed through. you can start probing back from the fuse block, checking at connections for low resistance values.

It's slow, methodical work that is very expensive for a dealer to do at $80/hr.
 
This may or may not apply to your car. On my 89 LS (3.8L N/A) the person who installed the stereo didn't install an inline fuse on it. Everytime I turned the volume most of the way up, it would blow the fuse that powered the stereo and the instrument cluster lights. If your stereo is stock, it's less likely that this is the problem. But if you have an aftermarket head unit, you may want to take a look at your stereo wiring.

-Rod
 
Just my thoughts, I don't know if you have the auto dimmer or not but the standard headlight switch has the rheostat that dims the lights when you turn the knob. If that "spring" is rusty or corroded, it will demand more amps and possibly overheat or blow the fuse. If you can, try another headlight switch with good contacts and a clean rheostat spring and see if that helps. Like these guys have said, there's a pull somewhere that the fuse just can't handle. Sorry but I hope this helps some.

Good luck.
 
hmmm, actually u guys have brought up some good things to check, i will look into this more on the weekend.

and the aftermarket stereo one could possibly be the culprit, because i slightly remember my dash lights stoppped working relatively close to me installing my deck. I guess installing an inline fuse would be key if this is waht it is then right ?
 
Yes, I would try installing inline fuses on the stereo's power and illiumination circuits and any other circuits that you might think are related. I'd try using fuses that are rated pretty low, that way they blow before the entire instrument cluster's fuse blows. It's just something else for you to try.

-Rod
 
Mike8675309 said:
First, get one of those battery powered "book" lights. It can clip to the dash and work temporarily.

Then you need to get out an ohm meter and start testing for shorts. It's going to likely be quite a pain. I'd start by checking all of the switches that are lit. Especially ones that may draw high currents like the defrost switch, lighter. The things that move, like the mirror lights. Then check wires under the dash close to the pedals. Something has likely rubbed through. you can start probing back from the fuse block, checking at connections for low resistance values.

It's slow, methodical work that is very expensive for a dealer to do at $80/hr.
Ok I have a similar problem with a bit of a twist. My console lights are good to go. All of my instrument blubs were swapped out for brighter W5W's so they're not burnt out. The fuse is also good. This afternoon I'll rip 'er all apart to make sure I did connect everything proplerly for the third time. So assuming I did connect everything does this mean I'm buying msyelf an ohm meter? :(
 
Well if you've installed brighter bulbs that may be the problem. Brighter bulbs draw more current and you may be drawing more that the stock fuse and or wireing can handle.
 
MIKE 38sc said:
Well if you've installed brighter bulbs that may be the problem. Brighter bulbs draw more current and you may be drawing more that the stock fuse and or wireing can handle.
Maybe but why **** hell would so many here and on the TCCoA be recomending those then? :confused: :mad: Its not the fuse and if it was the wiring why are my console lights working? Would't these bulbs by drawing the extra juice toast the main wire that was feeding all of 'em?
 
Grims95SC said:
Maybe but why **** hell would so many here and on the TCCoA be recomending those then? :confused: :mad: Its not the fuse and if it was the wiring why are my console lights working? Would't these bulbs by drawing the extra juice toast the main wire that was feeding all of 'em?

I do not know the answer to your first qeustion. I wonder about alot of the recomendations I see from people, especialy when I have first hand experiance that most of them just do not work.

Lets say that the bulbs are drawing more current than the fuse protecting that circiut can handle. The fuse will blow because the fuse is supposed to blow before the wires burn and melt.
 
Sorry Grim I got your post mixed up with someone elses. Your fuse is not blowing so you have a break in the circuit somewhere.
 
MIKE 38sc said:
Sorry Grim I got your post mixed up with someone elses. Your fuse is not blowing so you have a break in the circuit somewhere.
You're right, there was a break in the circuit. The break was where the plug wasn't tight into the back of the cluster. The blubs were good, the fuse was good, so was the wiring but I guess I didn't clue in that maybe the plug wasn't tight. To look at it, it seems good but pull on it and it fell out. Wow I feel like such an idiot now... :eek:
 
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