I did a search and didn't find anybody addressing this specifically, so here goes . . .

I've an '89 3.0l with the digital dash and trip computer. It uses backlighting, and ONLY during th day, the backlighting fails occasionally. It always comes back on after a few minutes. If I have a flashlight handy, I can still read the dash, but it's pretty hard. Usually it's on again within a minute or two, but sometimes it takes up to five minutes to turn back on.

It never goes out when the headlights are on.

I've replaced the headlight switch. I've repaired computer monitors for a living (I say that to qualify me as knowing which end of a DMM to stick into the lemonade) but before I use standard troubleshooting procedures (which are kind of invasive), I'm hoping that one of you has already found this to be a common problem and knows where to look.

Regards,
Al S.

 

Hi,

I have fixed the digital dash in my 87 ford...so i dont think it would be that different from yours.....

Basicly there are 2 blubs that Backlight each section digtial dash...i think when u turn on the headlights one turns off...u might have a messed up blub...there are very easy to replace

U can get the bulbs from any car hardware store, they are very common.

Hope this helps

--ICWiz

 

> I have fixed the digital dash in my 87 ford...so i
> don't think it would be that different from
> yours.....

> Basically there are 2 bulbs that Backlight each
> section digtial dash...i think when u turn on the
> headlights one turns off...u might have a messed
> up blub...there are very easy to replace

Thanks for sharing your experience!

Given how easy it is to remove the dash cover, I'll see if I can free up the time to do this inspection this weekend. I need to track down a squeak in the headlight switch pod anyway, so it's a good time to replace all the std bulbs (I always replace all of them).

Regards,
Al S.

 

I had a 91 Aerostar that did this occasionally. I found that the wiring harness connector to the dash was loose and would occasionally cause the day-time dash lighting to go out. I tried chaging the bulbs fist of course!

 

Does the Digital Dash and the standard dash use the same connector or sensors or are they differnt, Could they be Easly Switched, I would Love to have the Digital Gauge Setup instead of the big old speado that is yellow 55to 70 and red from 70 to 75, Does the Colors mean anything or just to warn you of tipover? I am A speed Demon is there a way to remove the speed limiter It cuts the spark at 90 or 95.


Just Wondering

Jeremy

90-91 Aero

 

I really don't know if the analog and digital dashes are interchangeable complete. It sure would be an easy upgrade if they were! I hope someone more knowledgeable about this pipes up.
ftp://asavage.fdns.net/hosting/75MPH.jpg
I don't have any areas I drive where the speed limit is above 75 (nothing's above 65 here in Oregon, but it's 75 in parts of Idaho, Nevada, and I do drive there sometimes), so I didn't know that there's an upper speed limit built into the FI system. Anybody know which year this was implemented?

Will the 3.0l even push our Aeros that fast? I'm a pretty slow driver.

Regards,
Al S.

 

The 3.0 Might not have the power to burn rubber or powerbreak, Mine sure dont But mine will go a 1/4 inch past 85 about where the upper right corner of the odomater then it shut the motor off un tile you slow down to below the Rev/ Speed Limiter, I think its about 90 or 95MpH. I would love to go to a 1/4 mile track and see what kind of times I could put out in my van, I would REALLY LOVE to go to the Salt flats with out a revlimiter just to see how fast one could go. I had a custom FireBird I had at around 4500 RPM in Overdrive on the interstate one time. It had a 68' 327 that screamed, I miss it but I had to sell it, it was not as useful as my Aerostar but it was fun while it lasted


Jeremy

90-91 Aerostar

 

> The 3.0 Might not have the power to burn rubber or powerbreak

Funny -- it's in full-out rain mode, here in Portland, and I have a tough time keeping the right rear from spinning, it wants to spin all the time on wet pavement unless I back off. I've got the 4:10 rear, though, and that might make the difference. I'm sure if I put the A4LD in snow-mode ('2'), it wouldn't.

It also might be my crappy tires (whatever was on the van when I bought it 19k ago, is what I'm running, and I'm sure they're unremarkable), I don't know. I could probably chirp the RR on dry, I've never tried, but I think it might. I'm sure not going to neutral-drop it, I paid too much for the A4LD rebuild!

Coming from driving mostly diesels, I think this 3.0l revs up quite a bit to move around, but it does get the job done. I wish I had more engine braking, though. Other than '2', I can't get much braking out of it.

> But mine will go a 1/4 inch past 85 about where the upper right > corner of the odomater then it shut the motor off

ISTR that my digital dash stops at 85 (?). Maybe I just never pushed it much above that. I think that's stoopid (both the speed limiter, and the digital speedo that refuses to give you information).

Regards,
Al S.

 

>Does the Digital Dash and the standard dash use the same
>connector or sensors or are they differnt, Could they be
>Easly Switched, I would Love to have the Digital Gauge Setup
>instead of the big old speado that is yellow 55to 70 and red
>from 70 to 75, Does the Colors mean anything or just to warn
>you of tipover? I am A speed Demon is there a way to remove
>the speed limiter It cuts the spark at 90 or 95.
>
>
>Just Wondering
>
>Jeremy
>
>90-91 Aero

See the "Gage Swap" mesage... #337 I beleive. I just fininshed this conversion on my 88

 

 

To finish up this thread . . .

The original problem back in 2001 was that the digital dash's illumination would die ocasionally. You'd be driving around, and look down, and you couldn't read the speedometer. Turn on the headlights, and you could. Sometimes this dark dash would last a few seconds, sometimes a few minutes. Never more than that.

I drove it that way for several years, last year I had both bulbs die on a longish trip. They are special bulbs (PC194 will fit, but aren't really correct. Mine were "blue base" bulbs and I bought them from Ford, about $8 each. I think I replaced all four in the dash).

Well, I decided to try to track down the problem with the dash lights going off in the daytime every once in a while. Long story short, it was an intermittant Daytime Illumination Relay, which switches the juice to the dash lights between full brightness (Daytime) and less juice (headlights on).

Regards,
Al S.

 

From Ford TSB 90239, the correct bulb for the electronic dash for '86-91 is E89Z-13B765-A (Xenon, blue base). The '-A' is important.

Regards,
Al S.