Have a 2014 F250 without the LCD Productivity Screen. Highway to the coast is lined with tall trees and can not read anything on the dash with lights on during the day. I put my scan gauge in so I would at least have some information when driving. Very poor design.

 

'Took my F250 to the dealership yesterday for oil change, check-up, etc. In a discussion with the service rep, I was griping about the gauge lights not coming on unless I covered the sunlight sensor with a towel.

I asked what would happen if I just disconnected the light sensor and he said that the truck wouldn't run if I did that (!) ... He said that everything has to remain connected or the computer will start throwing error codes and shut down operation.

I'm skeptical - has anyone else heard that disconnecting the sensor will disable the truck?

 

You can disconnect that sensor all day long and the truck will run fine and throw zero codes. However, disconnecting the sensor will not give you your dash lights back when the headlights are on.

 

Thanks for the feedback ... so, I guess I'm down to covering the light sensor with tape or painting it over to maintain perpetual darkness for the microprocessor input.

Whenever I have contacted anyone with Ford about this, they seem pretty suborn and even, defensive about this; do you have any idea why they did this in the first place? It's clear to me that there are times when you need the gauge backlights on, no matter what the computer setting might be.

 

I have the same issue as many of you are describing.

I took my rig in yesterday to have the dealer look at the light issue. Once I got them to quit asking if I set the dimmer switch I finally told them the issue. They checked it out-- no problems could be found. They contacted the engineers at Ford and the reply is-- all is fine it is this way on this trim level. I have the auto light switch, 'dumb' review mirror, XLT trim.

Next is an attempt to get FORD to respond to what I consider a safety issue and see if they might make a change for us. Tall order, I know, I'll keep you updated.

 

Sooo ... I'm sitting the truck this morning and the weather is overcast and, as usual, the gauge backlights are not on and I can't see the fuel gauge level - it really ticks me off.

I moved over to the passenger seat and gave the light sensor in the middle of the dash a close look - I see where there is a small pry point on the edge of the sensor, about the size of one of those eye-glass repair screw drivers.

I find one of those tiny screw drivers and, very carefully, insert it into the pry point and the sensor comes loose on one side and I'm able to work it up and out of its mounting hole. I put a clothes pin on the wire bundle (two wires) so it won't fall back into the dash and disconnect the light sensor.

Just for grins, I start the truck and try the lights/gauge backlights and, sure enough, the backlights are working with the sensor disconnected. However; I'm not sure that the BCM might not be generating a error code - I don't see any problems and everything is working OK but, I don't want to chance having some diagnostic routine causing problems. So, I did a neat taping job, covering the sensor top with black electricians tape, reconnected the sensor, and re-seated in its mounting hole.

So now I have gauge back lights when it's overcast - but, what a hoakey way of getting them to work; 'sort of like using white out on the computer monitor to correct a typo mistake in the word processing program.

Whatever it takes ....

 

I have 2012 f250 XLT, and i retrofit fog lamps. They came in package with switch and sensor. Install and plug everything in, never bother to activate light sensor(just don't care for auto-light), and my dash lights come on with turn of a switch. By the way, i think there is two different light sensors - regular(two wires) and one with sensor for windshield heat load(three wires)for auto HVAC.

 

I have an 07 Lariat....I guess Ford must of had Conservative programers at that time, they gave me a light switch so I could decide when to use my lights. I like being able to make those kinds of decisions.

 

This

So you guys complaining about the dash lights not working...are they not working ONLY when the headlight switch is in "Auto", or do they not work when you actually turn your headlights to the "ON" position?

 

The instrument backlights don't come on regardless of whether the headlamp switch is manually turned on or in auto mode, unless it is dark enough for the headlamps to turn on automatically.

Gints - you are correct. I believe there is a solar load sensor in that light sensor as well. Lots of sun, more A/C while in auto mode. However, you can plug the sensor in and without reprogramming the sensor will not automatically turn on the headlamps, even in auto mode.

In a low light situation, the instruments actually have a tiny bit of white backlighting to them. The needles light up, yes, but look closely at the gauges...they are ever so slightly backlit.

I think there is a light sensor in the instrument panel as well. How does a base model "XL" spec truck know not to turn on the instrument backlighting when the headlamps are turned on during the day, but does turn it on at night?

 

No,actually the headlamps are on constantly in auto mode without reprogramming and i don't use it. My point was - may be you guys want to take step back and give up "auto lamp" for dash back-light(unplug auto light sensor or reprogram back to XLT trim level). Without programming for auto-lamp, my dash lights up with turn of a headlight switch and pull of a switch activates fog lamps.

 

I'll take that as "maybe you guys want to..." lol.

I think the point is that anyone buying a 2011+ Super Duty without the 4.2" Productivity LCD screen in the instrument cluster is experiencing the instrument panel lights NOT turning on when the headlamps are switched on manually.

 

Sorry for misprint, English is my adapted language, as you can tell(matter of a fact-third) and I rely heavily on auto correct, so - no pun intended. But then again, we talking about our workhorses as if they are thoroughbreds(myself included)... just saying, that's all,even we paid thoroughbred prices for them.
Back to our ducks - I don't have LCD screen, just regular message center and my back-light comes on with turn of a button.

 

Gints, is your truck a US-spec truck? Or did you purchase it abroad?

No problem with the language adaptation, I found it humorous!

 

I'm in CT, bought truck in NJ and its Kentucky maid, so nothing special all around. Never even cross my mind this problem exists. Dash was always lighting up like its suppose to - with turn of the button/headlights on.