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Hey guys. Couple things I could use some advice on. Have a 78 f150 xlt with 400. First should be an easy one. My headlight switch should spin and turn my dome light on? It just spins forever. The only way my dome light comes on is to open the door.
Next probably not so simple. My instrument panel lights are not working right. Seems like there are 2-3 I guess as sometimes the left side works. Sometimes only the right side works. Sometimes neither and other times all works. My high beam indicator sometimes works and other times doesn’t. Same for the gear selector indicator light. All of my gauges are fine. Checked the fuse already. Think it may be the circuit board?
Have you taken the gauge cluster out and inspected the bulbs? Make sure the bulbs are seated. If you choose to pull the gauge cluster, be extra careful and go slow. The plastic housing is brittle (like saltine brittle). Often the bulbs don’t seat because the housing cracked or fell away. If you’ve got a failing housing, you can swap it out without too much difficulty. You could always pick up a new PCB too and return if your current one works.
Replace the broken headlight switch and I bet it might fix the dash light problem. Replace the switch and then test the dash lights before you put it all back together. The arrows in the 1st pic are what I bet the problem is as far as the lights intermittently working. And the fact the shaft is turning all the way, ='s broken internal switch. Dash bezel removal and instrument cluster removal here. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post14880899
And or https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post14982704
You have to remove the dash bezel to get to the headlight switch lock nut. Part # 11650, once you see it just tap it in a loosening direction with a flat tip. Remove nut, push switch out back of dash, unplug elec connector.
Thanks for the suggestions guys! I knew I was gonna have to pull it apart just wanted a few ideas before I did so. I’ll buy a headlight switch and see what happens! Then check out the integrity of the instrument panel housing while I’m in there.
Replaced the switch. It’s nice that I can turn on the dome light now. So that’s better. The gear indicator light on the steering column works now. I don’t have lights for the cluster though. Also the hi/low indicator still doesn’t work. At this point I guess I need to pull the cluster and check out the connections and the board?
Replaced the switch. It’s nice that I can turn on the dome light now. So that’s better. The gear indicator light on the steering column works now. I don’t have lights for the cluster though. Also the hi/low indicator still doesn’t work. At this point I guess I need to pull the cluster and check out the connections and the board?
And bulbs.
On my 81 I replaced all the bulbs with LED's
For the warning lights - brake / turn / high beam I used clear / white LED's
For the rest of the gauge lights I used green as it was the closest to the factory color I could find.
I removed all the color domes so the LED's shine right out.
The only thing I had to do was "tone down" the brightness of the high beam as it was to bright.
My son used a little of scotch tape over it and it is just right.
The other thing if you paint the needles use only the HiPo needle paint as the Testers orange will not show up if you use green LED's
Dave ----
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