Alright guys. Since I've bought the Truck, the instrument cluster lights have not worked, except for the Turn Signals, Heater Control Panel, Blue Light for Brights, and the Transmission Shifter Light. I've replaced all of the Bulbs, and the Instrument Cluster Fuse. I've used a 5 Amp Fuse, and no dice. I tried using a 2 Amp Fuse hoping it would Pop to know that there is electric flow going to it. Well, no dice on that.

Any ideas?

 

A quick thing to check is to make sure that you have the dimmer switch turned all the way up. The dimmer is located on the headlight switch.

Pull the switch on and turn the **** from left to right..you should see a change in brightness of the instrument panel as well as the dome/courtesy lights.

Dimmer switches can go bad over the years, you might have to pull the headlight switch and inspect it to make sure that the rheostat is working properly.

Edited to add....


If that doesn't resolve the issue, pull the instrument cluster so that you can inspect the terminal connections between the main wiring pigtail and the printed circuit and between the bulb holders and the printed circuit at each bulb location.

Inspect the printed circuit, make sure that it's in good shape, no broken circuits, etc.

You might find that the terminal to printed circuit interface has become corroded, poor connection, etc. You can try to clean up the connections by using a simple pink pencil eraser, maybe some rubbing alcohol as well to get any body oil off.

Another quick note on the bulb holders. Look at the inside of them, you'll notice a copper connector where the bulb slides in.
There are two "prongs" that contact the printed circuit, make sure that each of those, on each bulb holder is in good shape and clean so it will make a good electrical connection. Those little prongs can get out of shape easily and break.

 

Dimmer is all the way up.

The Prongs for each bulb socket looked good. I guess the thing to check again would be the "Pig Connector" I do have some Dialectric if that helps.

Would doing a LED Strip mod like others have done be a simple fix?

 

Do you have courtesy lights or, can you see your dome light increase/decrease in brightness when you move the dimmer switch?


Would doing a LED Strip mod like others have done be a simple fix?

Yep...that'd be one way to get 'er done.

Here's one Link and
another link

 

Dome light does not work. I need to replace the bulb. The Heater Control Panel, and the Column Shifter Dims with rotation of the ****.

 

Okay cool.

I might have a spare printed circuit or two that I could send up to you if you'd like, or
are you just going to jump into the LED upgrade?

 

I know the lights are dim. My 1985 Cheby's lights are dim as is. I'll try doing the LED swap on the F350, and see how it goes from there.

I appreciate the offer man, and the tips!

 

Why are you telling this guy to spend money on an upgrade without doing any actual troubleshooting? This thread is almost an entire page long with no mention of a multimeter. No bueno!

To the OP: please turn the dimmer all the way up, then check the voltage on BOTH sides of the dash illumination fuse, for a total of two measurements. Report your results.

DO NOT go up in fuse size. 3 amps is the max. Do not exceed 3 amps for this fuse. Replace immediately.

 

To Napa before work it is. 3 Amp Fuse, and a multimeter I go.

 

Alright, so before work I went over to Napa and got a 3 Amp Fuse. Put that on in there. Just gotta see if that changes anything when I get off work. (2AM-3AM) seeing as it was too bright out in the daytime to even tell. In hindsight I should of replaced the dome light. Do'h.

If that doesnt fix it, I'll see about getting a Multimeter and testing the top, and bottom prongs for the Instrument Cluster Fuse and go from there.