Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting instrument panel illumination not working

I am having trouble with my dash instrument panel illumination.

The back light no longer works. This is regardless of the setting of the dash illumination slider to the right and bottom of the steering column.

I have checked the fuse box. No problem there.

I have checked the slider. I pulled the sterio+AC dash panel off and removed the slider switch from the wiring harness and opened the slider. The voltmeter shows power is getting to the switch source terminal from the wiring harness. However, no voltage reaches the output terminal of the switch regardless of switch position.

With the wiring harness connected to the switch, I connected the terminals directly via a short circuit wire to cause full illumination, and still there is no power coming out of the switch.

Opinions and help required.

BTW: I'm a first post newbie from Toronto Canada.

I recently found this site and laughed as I have had or replaced most of the faults people have been reporting.

I recently replace the AC blower switch and wiring harness myself after it went.
I replaced the CAT not realizing it was under recall.
But at 200,000Km, I dont expect them to fix it anyway.
I had the sticking fuel door.
I had the REVs not dropping because of the idle air valve.
I still have the clock illumination to fix.
I replaced the ball joints and sepentine belt today.

Busy busy busy.

I wish I could help you. I had the same exact problem with mine. I only had the problem with the slider bar wiring. It was shorting out the circuit because it fell out of place on my dash. Check to see if your license plate lights are working. If they arent then you have a short somewhere.

If power is going into the switch, but not out, it is the switch. Just checked the schematic, it should be 12V in and variable volts out to the dash lights (some, like my old Toyota, grounded the lights through the variable resistor unlike ours, which varies the voltage to the lights and all lamps are grounded.

Buy a switch, put it in!

are there lightbulbs that could burn out causing no illuminaion??

Well, my license plate lights are working.
I don't think it's a short, because a fuse would have already blown...

Sorry for not being clear enough in my first post.

I actually eliminated the switch by directly connecting (shorting) the input to the output terminals of the switch to see if the problem was somewhere after the switch.

12V was coming in to the switch, and I connected that 12V to the output pin of the switch.

Meaning, there is a problem somewhere following the switch in this particular circuit.

Yes indeed.

My first thought was the light bulbs have burnt out.

I do not know how to easily locate and replace them.
I've taken some parts of the dash off for other jobs, so I am not trying to avoid getting my finger nails dirty.

I am hoping perhaps there is an easier way to get to the light bulbs. Anyone?

This may sound stupid and has already been suggeted but check your light bulbs. I had a few blow on me all at once. Do the turn signals still work? How about the other warning lights (brake, oil, engine)?

PS. Come check things out in the Eastern Canada Forum. Lots of locals that can help. One in particular. Horseydug, is an electrical guru of sorts.

Alleged electrical guru of sorts sometimes only as good as Ford wiring manual. Said manual currently on loan to LBVSVT so guru feels a little impotent at the moment.

sprcar:
Many lights work from dimmer, doubtful all burnt out simultaneously. Dimmer itself has light, is that working?
How many terminals on your dimmer?

p.s. What year, model is car?

Hi guys, glad to get such a great amount of responses!
(we must love our contours eh?)

The dimmer switch itself has a light emiting diode. It hasn't worked for a few years now if I recall correctly. It went out about the same time as the clock light did, within a few weeks. Strange but true. :-)

The dimmer switch has three terminals.
1) power.
2) return ground for the dash lights.
3) guessing - return ground for diode? Based on my observations when I took the switch appart.

The turn signals, emergency indicators and other dash lights work.

The actual illumination of the guages and dash backlight do not.