I am looking at the Ford service manual for my vehicle. 2008 Explorer Ltd 4.6L.

I want to:

A. Find out how many instrument cluster illumination bulbs there are.
B. Determine which ones are working and which ones are out.
C. Find out how to remove the Instrument Cluster and replace the ones that don't work.

Ordinarily, I would just start taking it apart, and when I got them out, go buy some. But after discovering that the headlight switch illuminates with a special bulb, I wanted to look this up in the manual before embarking.

Come to find out, the manual says that before you remove the IC (instrument cluster), you have to "download" program information to some kind of device. Then remove the panel, change the bulbs, reconnect the panel, and "upload" the program to it.

It mentions that this will mess with the PATS system and could cause a no-start condition.

The manual does not show my exact instrument cluster. I have the one with the larger of the two message displays.

My understanding is that most of the bulbs are 194s. Is that accurate ?

Anyone have any more information that may help with my bulb replacement?

Thanks.