The other day I noticed my radio surround lights were out, not the display just the surround lights. I figure no biggee must have burnt out then I notice the O/D light works fine except when the headlights are on then it too goes out. I also noticed that when I started the truck this morning the radio lights appeared to glow so I dont think it is the bulb. Any ideas what it could be ? Fuse ? relay ? short ? I am hoping this wont lead to a bigger problem and will be a quick fix. thanks in advance for your knowledge.

 

What lights are you referring to? I'm not sure what "surround" lights are. Perhaps this is something unique to a Mountaineer?

 

i mean the lights that illuminate the radio controls such as the memory buttons, seek, play etc. all that works is the station/clock display.

 

First of all, I'm not working with a '97 wiring diagram so there may be some differences. However, what you describe does make sense to my diagram.

The O/D light, along with the other indicators, are fed power from two different sources depending on where the headlight switch is positioned. When the headlights are on, the power source for these become the same source as the radio lights. This is true of your 4x4 indicator (if you have 4x4) and Speed Control indicator as well, The Radio, A/C On&Off Switch, and Message Center illumination (but not the Message Center Switch illumination) is fed seperately when the headlights are off. I believe the purpose of this is so that the O/D indicator will dim with the Dome Light Switch/Dimmer but remain lit with the headlights off.

Also, the Radio and other said illuminators, will only be on when the headlights are on (or in Parking Lights). The said indicators (O/D, etc.) should work with headlight on or off.

The wires to the said illuminators (all Light Brown with Red strip) all tie to a single fuse in the interior panel (located on the side of the dash and is in view when you open the driver's door), but my diagram does not state which fuse this is. If you can find your Owner's manual, you can probably find which fuse to check.

Note that not all interior illumination, such as the main instrument illumination, is on the same wire or fuse.

Just because you have a glow in the radio illumination does not necessarily mean that the fuse is good. The current flow could be coming from something like the GEM or Powertain Control which is to provide a ground to illuminate one of the other indicators.

If the fuse is okay, the power source for the fuse is switched by the Headlight Switch. However, the source is not actually the switch. There is a Dimmer Module that is controlled by Dome Lamp/Dimmer switch. There might be something wrong with that.

Check to see if your instrument cluster illuminates okay and that they dim when using the Dome Lamp Switch/Dimmer. If they do work normal, I don't think there is any problem with the either the Dome Lamp switch of the Headlight Switch, but there could still be a problem with the Dimmer Module.

Again, my wiring diagram does not exactly fit the '97 Mountaineer, but it should get you in the right direction.

 

My '97 wiring diagram shows that fuse to be #27 (if I am reading this right).