Can somebody help with ideas to brighten up my dashbioard lights? I got in the truck at 4:45 this morning and it just seems dull. I know I have 208,000 miles on the truck, but can anybody help me kick it up a notch?

John in Mobile
'01 PSD EX Limited
208,000 miles

 

 

Oh, thanks. I NEVER would have thought of that!!

 

Heeheeheehee...

Sorry.

I don't know how to make the dashlights any brighter than stock.

 

•First of all, this may sound dumb, but its worth mentioning... Make sure the little black wheel by the headlight switch is all the way up (but not to the point where the interior lights click on)
•I would replace the bulbs in the instrument cluster (im assuming these are the dim ones) Over time they can get kinda silvered on the inside as the filament burns off and deposits on the glass. I had a bulb go out, and when I replaced it, it was brighter than the other ones. Esp. if yours is a '01, it might help. Cheap fix, but kinda a PITA for relatively small gain though...

Let me know if you want instructions on yanking the dash

Isaac

 

afreemanmd:

Hey, could you post the instructions on how to get into the dash?
Would be great as I think I have a bulb going soon as well...

How time intensive is that fix?


Thanks

 

Here are the instructions from a little while ago. Hope they help

The replacement is not too bad at all. (just make sure you take the radio out first before yanking the dash)

Dash removal:
•Take out radio (need to buy or make DIN tools)(You can make 'em, but for the $3 go get 'em at autozone... they work SO much better)
•Drop gear selector into 1 (tilting the steering column all the way down helps too)
•pull on the dash (towards you)until it comes out (its just clipped in)
•unclip all the electrical connectors (headlights, powerpoint, backup sensors, 4wd selector, defroster, etc...) and put dash somewhere where it won't get scratched
•Remove 4 black screws that hold in instrument cluster (same size as bolts that hold door panel on)
•un-clip prnd21 thingie from the bottom of the instrument cluster
•flip instrument cluster up (you don't have to disconnect it further to change the bulbs

There are 2 sizes of bulbs. The idiot lights are small bulbs and the general illumination bulbs are considerably larger. Once you get to the back of the instrument cluster, the little black things are the general illumination bulbs and are labeled 'Ill.'. (the idiot lights are tan) twist the burnt out bulb's black thing counter clockwise until it becomes loose (1/4 turn maybe?). Then pull it out, and the little black thing which holds the bulb will come out along with the bulb. Then, pull the bulb out of the little black thing. The bulb itself is a pretty common generic size, and any autoparts store should have it. Just don't forget a little bulb grease when re-installing bulbs in the black holder thing. Be careful not to break the little black bulb-holder, or ford will charge you like $15 for a new one.

I'm just curious which bulb you guys are having problems with. Mine was the bulb between the speedo and the tach. Technically, it wasn't burnt out, but it was so silvered that no light was getting through. That part of the instrument cluster is a just slightly brighter now because all the other bulbs still have a little silvering in them, so if this is going to bug you, replace them all.


**be careful, if its a 2001, that means the plastic is 6 years old and very brittle

[edit] I found an old invoice from when ford ordered me the wrong bulb, andalso found the packaging from the bulb i ended up using. The PN for the little tan thing and bulb for the idiot lights is f57z13b765ba. The generic number for the big bulb, (without the black thing) is 168. Good Luck!

[edit] This is also a good time to take apart the different little parts (headlight switch panel, 4wd panel, etc...) and give them a good cleaning. Haha coffee stains and stuff are really easy to get off if the dash is in your lap .

good luck

Isaac

 

here is reAX's explanation of you want that for a second opinion:

"I am not sure if the bulb is replacable from the socket, even from a dealer it should be more than $4 each. It's roughly .150" in dia and say .350" long, going from memory and I didn't really measure it.

Pull the radio,and all trim accessories such as headlight panel, parking aid, ect. Remove the dash trim. The cluster is held in with 4 7or8mm bolts. The prndl is cliped into the bottom, but I usually unclip the electrical first. Three large plugs at the top of the cluster. Prndl has a clip on both sides and slides straight out the bottom. The cluster should be clear, set it on a table. There is a plastic casing that makes it difficult to remove the bulbs. I used a skinny set of needle nose plyers to twist and remove the socket, because I was in a hurry and didn't feel like doing anymore disassembling. Installation is the reverse."