Instrument cluster lights out - fuse good (1998, V6, MTX)

[pajacobsen]

Hello All,

1997 Contour, V6, MTX.

My instrument cluster light went out. All other lights are good, including engine management lights. Fuse (F31) is good (and I did try another fuse), and dimmer switch is not turned off(!) The rest of the cluster is good (speedometer, for instance, works fine).

I assume bulb is done for, and I have found posting from Tony (TONY2005) on how to change bulb (09-06-2006). I also found posting from SnafuFlux (10-23-2006) discussing similar problem.

My questions are:

1) Tony's post links to illustration -->

http://www.contour.org/mods/mods.php?s=howto&displayid=16

but the link does not work. What do I have to do get the illustration?

2) SnafuFlux references a post Tony that discusses how to determine if the bulb (or the dimmer switch, I think) is bad using a "work-around" before going ahead and changing the bulb. However, this link -->

http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/s...d=allposts&Main=743905&Search=true#Post744474

also does not work. What do I have to get to this location?


In case the links do no longer work (archived, perhaps), can someone tell me how to determine if the dimmer or the bulb is bad (without taking the instrument cluster out?)

Thanks,

pajacobsen

 

[pajacobsen]

Any takers? - I need help as soon as possible (EOM)

Any takers? - I need help as soon as possible (EOM)

All,

Any takers? - I need help as soon as possible.

Thanks,

pajacobsen

 

[bgrogan01]

Are you sure the fuse is good? Mine did the same thing and it was a 7.5 fuse under the dash that was bad. If you search on the forums you should find the correct fuse location. Look at the fuse that controls the radio also as that one was blown in my car. It's a 7.5 also. One more thing is it just the cluster thats out or is the hvac controls out too?

 

[pajacobsen]

Are you sure the fuse is good? Mine did the same thing and it was a 7.5 fuse under the dash that was bad. If you search on the forums you should find the correct fuse location. Look at the fuse that controls the radio also as that one was blown in my car. It's a 7.5 also. One more thing is it just the cluster thats out or is the hvac controls out too?

Thank you for the response.

Yes, I am sure about the fuse (F31). I swapped it with the radio fuse (also a 7.5 amp). The radio works and the light is still out.

What are you asking about the HVAC controls? Do you mean the light for the HVAC controls and, if so, do you mean that they are on the same fuse as the instrument cluster? I do not recall if the HVAC light is also out, but I will check.

Thanks.

 

[bgrogan01]

Thank you for the response.

Yes, I am sure about the fuse (F31). I swapped it with the radio fuse (also a 7.5 amp). The radio works and the light is still out.

What are you asking about the HVAC controls? Do you mean the light for the HVAC controls and, if so, do you mean that they are on the same fuse as the instrument cluster? I do not recall if the HVAC light is also out, but I will check.

Thanks.

Yes if your hvac controls light is out......they are on the same circuit. Hmmmm i dunno then if the fuse is good. I don't see all the bulbs going bad at one time.

 

[pajacobsen]

Yes if your hvac controls light is out......they are on the same circuit. Hmmmm i dunno then if the fuse is good. I don't see all the bulbs going bad at one time.

Bgrogan01,

Well, the HVAC lights are out. I guess that would imply that the dimmer is dead, wouldn't it?

Is there a way to bypass the dimmer to make sure?

Also what is the part number of the dimmer swith?

Best,

pajacobsen

 

[bgrogan01]

I dunno what part # it is or how to bypass it but pm me if you can figure out if thats your problem I have an extra dimmer switch I can sell you real cheap.

 

[pajacobsen]

I dunno what part # it is or how to bypass it but pm me if you can figure out if thats your problem I have an extra dimmer switch I can sell you real cheap.

Bgrogan01,

Thanks.

I went to the Mondeo forum and there is a thread on this problem for 1998s. It seems the switch runs too hot and burns the wire. A number of people has opened the switch door and been able to see the problem (and fix it).

I am going to pry it off and see what I can see. If I determine that the problem is the dimmer switch (assembly) then I will take you up on your offer.

Best,

pajacobsen

 

[bgrogan01]

Bgrogan01,

Thanks.

I went to the Mondeo forum and there is a thread on this problem for 1998s. It seems the switch runs too hot and burns the wire. A number of people has opened the switch door and been able to see the problem (and fix it).

I am going to pry it off and see what I can see. If I determine that the problem is the dimmer switch (assembly) then I will take you up on your offer.

Best,

pajacobsen

No problem...hope you can fix.

 

[pajacobsen]

Hi Bgrogan01,

I finally got around to getting the dashboard component out and looking at the rheostat.

The wires are fine, and I have 12 volts coming in, but zero going out on the third leg no matter how I set the rheostat, so I am concluding that the rheostat is shot. Just for the heck of it, I also measured resistance and on the third leg I have massive resistance regardless of how I set the rheostat.

What is strange is that the rheostat looks fine (and, as you may know, it is really quite simple (I was really surprised (a little wheel and a touchpoint and that is it?)) with no burn mark and no abrasions; yet it does not work.

In spite of the simplicity I did not try to bypass it since I read that bypassing may cause a short on the Contour. Better safe than sorry, I guess.

Anyways, if your offer of buying your rheostat is still open, please PM with a picture and the details. I am also looking for a (lower) rubber edging for the rear left passenger window if you have one in stock.

Best,

pajacobsen

 

[alien_yet_familiar]

My sister's 96 SE had this exact problem. I replaced the dimmer rheostat with one from a junkyard and it fixed the problem entirely. You'll probably be able to find one in any pick-n-pull yard for cheap if you can't get one from another member. Good luck!!

 

[96_98_SE]

Sounds like a problem my 96SE had back in late 1999. I took it to the dealership because that exact same day the lights went out I had received a Recall Notice from Ford. Turned out something associated with the headlight switch was bad; they replaced it with an upgraded part. In this instance, the dimmer was NOT faulty.