I need some help with dome light
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I need some help with dome light
Hey everyone i need some help. one problem that always bothers me is that my dome light refuses to turn on. i have bought a brand new bulb and the fuse is good, the only thing i can think of is possibly a bad door switch? i can probably get 2 new switches from my neighbors 86. another issue im trying to figure out is how to make an aftermarket stereo fit in the dash because the mounting kit skips right over my 1978. one thing that is also bothering me is lack of things to do... i dont have very much money at the moment (only 16, no job but i have applied) and am incredibly bored. do you know anything i could do to the truck for little or no money to keep me busy? i do have some money to buy some small supplies bit i dont know anything i could do really. any help would
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From: Northeast Nebraska
Does your dome light come on when you turn the head light switch to the left? There are 2 door switches by the door hinges. You should be able to push them like a button. If they are stuck then you will need new ones. Im not sure if an 86 would have the same dome switches. For your new stereo, well you will have to be creative and fabricate something for that. Do a search on here. Ive heard people discuss this before. For things to do that are cheap, clean it top to bottom, grease every zerk you can find, check vacuum hoses and see if a previous owner disconnected stuff, look for any freyed wires or any wires that have been hacked into and fix them and if you can, post some pics of your truck.
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Welcome to the site 
Okay so the title of the thread should read :Non-working Dome light and Aftermarket Stereo Install
The Topic should be in the title
The dome light should work with the headlight switch whether the door switches are bad or not.
Is this a Cassette/Radio or CD Radio?
There are numerous CD installation threads on this forum.
What years does you mounting kit state it fits?
Okay so the title of the thread should read :Non-working Dome light and Aftermarket Stereo Install
The Topic should be in the title
The dome light should work with the headlight switch whether the door switches are bad or not.
Is this a Cassette/Radio or CD Radio?
There are numerous CD installation threads on this forum.
What years does you mounting kit state it fits?
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check the wires going to the door switches, they may have come off or not been put back on as they can be apain to do. happened on my 79. bored ? there is always something to do that doesn't cost anything to do on trucks this old. just crawl all around it and u will find a bunch of little things to do. just my 2cents.
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On my 78 I installed a cd player and i trimmed the metal brace for radio with cutting wheel on a die grinder then use a utility knife to trim the plastic cover to match the metal. I have done two trucks that way an dif you take your time it'll look good, the metal brace on mine was trimmed almost to edges so be careful, and I used the the sleeve for the radio as a templete to mark on bracing.
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To FordTrucksKickGM: ive tried and can push the buttons like, well, buttons and they spring back out
To Mil1ion: no the **** will not turn the lights on. my dad has already installed an aftermarket radio with an 8track (from like 1980) but its a shaft style and just slipped in, im looking at a new pioneer cd headunit
one thing i have done in my spare time was fabricated a cb braket and mounted it under the dash by the ebrake lever (which doesnt work and wont even move)
thanks cowboyty that should come in handy
To Mil1ion: no the **** will not turn the lights on. my dad has already installed an aftermarket radio with an 8track (from like 1980) but its a shaft style and just slipped in, im looking at a new pioneer cd headunit
one thing i have done in my spare time was fabricated a cb braket and mounted it under the dash by the ebrake lever (which doesnt work and wont even move)
thanks cowboyty that should come in handy
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I haven't gotten far enough to install a cb in my 78 yet, but normally I try to install them around the center of the cab. I hgave used the lip on the bottom side of the dash to mount the bracket but have to make sure the shifters don't hit it. Also have made it a longer sided mount and mount to the floor and when the cb is installed its angled up towards the back window and can sit just infront of the seat.
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Posting Guru
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From: Northeast Nebraska
For the dome light get a test light and make sure you have power for the dome light at the fuse. Then trace it from there. Wiring stuff takes a lot of time and should keep you occupied for a while. For the radio, I think it would be cool in a retro sort of way to keep the 8 track player. Maybe install a cd player in the glove box and run a separate system.
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New User
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Both the CB Radio and CD can be floor mounted.
Drop by a CB radio shop and get their floor mount that adjusts in numerous angles.
The CD can also be fitted into the dash and they are numerous threads on here describing how.
Picking the Pioneer was a great choice
Let's get your dome light working.
Is the light assembly grounded ?
The system Ford uses is subject to faulty grounding.
Also,access to the courtesy light circuit is found behind the instrument cluster.
Drop by a CB radio shop and get their floor mount that adjusts in numerous angles.
The CD can also be fitted into the dash and they are numerous threads on here describing how.
Picking the Pioneer was a great choice
Let's get your dome light working.
Is the light assembly grounded ?
The system Ford uses is subject to faulty grounding.
Also,access to the courtesy light circuit is found behind the instrument cluster.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Northern California
Check the connector that's behind the seat on the driver's side, just before the wires go up the rear pillar to the dome light. It is prone to corosion. There is also a ground there if I remember correctly.
See if you have power to the connector.
Check the wires under the kick plate on the driver's side as well.
hope my rambling helps.
See if you have power to the connector.
Check the wires under the kick plate on the driver's side as well.
hope my rambling helps.
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thanks everyone, ill try to cheeck all/some of that tonight. couple of dumb questions, where is the kick plate and which fuse goes to the dome light (i dont see one marked lights). i was at a junk yard a week ago and found out they crushed a 78 like 2 days before i showed up, i did however purchase a moon visor (the one with the lights), but the thing is it didnt look like the one from LMC for Fords and i saw a visor just like it on my shop teachers Cheby. is this thing model specific or does it matter? the lights on it dont work all the time so me and dad are going to try and fix that soon. while i was at the yard i also found a really nice bench seat from a 90s ford that i liked, how hard would it be to make it fit in my cab? one final huge question... how hard would it be to make my truck have a manual tranny? thanks
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The kick panels are each side of the cab in front of the door ,where your foot would touch.The driver side has a vent door on it.
Dome light fuse is in position #7
That moon roof is an aftermarket item and they tend to leak after a while.
The seats up to 96 with swap in. If the seat track from the 78 is used on the 90 it will swap in no problem.
Tranny swap ?
That's major work and a lot of parts to swap over,you would need a donor truck.
Dome light fuse is in position #7
That moon roof is an aftermarket item and they tend to leak after a while.
The seats up to 96 with swap in. If the seat track from the 78 is used on the 90 it will swap in no problem.
Tranny swap ?
That's major work and a lot of parts to swap over,you would need a donor truck.
Post Fiend
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From: Northern California
There is also a metal "scuff" plate that runs the bottom edge of the driver door, on the cab where the wires run under it. It hides the wires, holds the carpet or mat down, and holds the door weatherstriping. I've seen where a rusted floor allowed the wire insulation to be cut, and mud has filled the space between, and the wires corode in two.
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Hey everyone, i went out to the truck last night and looked over the fuse box (which was a trip since the cb is now in the way :P) ans found the one for the dome light. i used a mini screw drive to get it out and when it did, it was shattered in the holder. as i worked at taking it out the driver slipped and crossed the contacts and guess what... the cab lit up from the dome light. so now i guess i buy new fuse and find a way to reconnect my door switch and im good. (to further on that, i disconnected the switch to see if it was bad and when i went to hook it back up it fell back into the hole, any idea how to get it out?)
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From: Sonoma, CA
You may have had a good fuse and bad connection in the fuse box. Corrosion and any moisture will mess up electrical connections quickly even though they look fine. Also, if the wire fell into the door jamb it has to come out of the kick panel to get back to the wiring harness somewhere an if you look you'll see it. Take a coat hanger or stiff wire and put it through the hole and grab it on the inside so you can re attach the wire and pull it back through.