Instrument cluster
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New User
Joined: Nov 2010
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Instrument cluster
I have a 79 Bronco and the lights that light the gauges go on and off. All bulbs are tight, blinkers, brake and seatbelt lights work. I can’t figure out what the heck the issue is any suggestions?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
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Joined: Oct 2010
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From: Georgia
eyein83,
I have not experienced this before on a bronco, but did in a Pont. T/A. It was in the headlight switch that was used to dim the inst. panel. You may be able to clean it or it may need replacing. I would try cleaning and checking connections on it first. Let us know what you find. Mark
I have not experienced this before on a bronco, but did in a Pont. T/A. It was in the headlight switch that was used to dim the inst. panel. You may be able to clean it or it may need replacing. I would try cleaning and checking connections on it first. Let us know what you find. Mark
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checked headlight switch
I pulled the headlight switch cleaned it and still same issue replaced it and still the instrament lights fade from bright to off. Any new ideas? I also forgot that the light for gear goes out sometimes are they linked to the same ground? If so doe anyone know where it's located?
Tuned
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 410
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From: West Virginia
I had a similar issue with a 76 F150 I had. In my case it turned out to be the plastic that makes up the main cluster was bad. The plastic was turning to dust and would not keep constant pressure on the bulb socket and the electric film on the back of the cluster. Sometimes they worked sometime not. I got a couple from the junkyard but they all seemed to have the same dry rotting problem. I think the housing can be gotten new, but not when I had mine.
I took one of the junkyard clusters sanded and cleaned the plastic as best I could. Then rebuilt the holes with some JB weld type stuff and very very carefully reshaped the holes. I cleaned the copper on the film and all worked fine for a while. Eventually the plastic around the JB weld type stuff started breaking too. At that point I just gave up.
This may or may not be part of your problem, just what I found on mine.
I took one of the junkyard clusters sanded and cleaned the plastic as best I could. Then rebuilt the holes with some JB weld type stuff and very very carefully reshaped the holes. I cleaned the copper on the film and all worked fine for a while. Eventually the plastic around the JB weld type stuff started breaking too. At that point I just gave up.
This may or may not be part of your problem, just what I found on mine.
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Yeah, I switched out the cluster for one that is not brittle. Both clusters have the same issue so I'm thinking it has to be something in the Bronco.
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I dealt with this in my 78 F150. It was a combination of an old PCB and the plastic that holds the bulbs. The connections get corroded and the plastic doesn't put enough pressure on the bulbs to make good contact. I sanded down the connections on the PCB and it helped but didn't solve it. Bought a really nice cluster off of eBay and it was worse than mine, but I did eventually get the new one (better housing) to light up all of the bulbs with lots of elbow grease... I might have even added solder to the PCB at the bulb connections, but I don't remember, it was 5 years ago
I spent more time on that stupid cluster than I wish I had!!
If it were my Bronco, I'd still suspect the new cluster. Those PCBs just aren't going to hold up to the 30 years they have been in use. Just try sanding down the connections at the sockets and on the PCB, make sure they are aligned, make sure there are no shorts.
I spent more time on that stupid cluster than I wish I had!!
If it were my Bronco, I'd still suspect the new cluster. Those PCBs just aren't going to hold up to the 30 years they have been in use. Just try sanding down the connections at the sockets and on the PCB, make sure they are aligned, make sure there are no shorts.
