How much should I be looking to pay to have the lights in my dashboard replaced. Does anybody know how many bulbs there are behind the dash? My Ex has about 220,000 miles on it and my dash is getting darker.

Can anybody recommend a replacement dash that will really light up?

 

Maybe its not the X - maybe its your eyes getting older. just kidding

First of all, If you are at all technically inclined and have some time, replace the bulbs yourself. I've done it, and its really not bad at all. If you are interested, I'll post instructions later. Basically, its just remove the radio with a set of $3.00 tools and pull the upper dash off (its just clipped in) and then just replace the bulbs. A couple of hours tops.

I bet you will find that the problem is actually that the little bulbs in there are silvering as the tungsten boils off the filament and deposits on the inside of the glass. If you replace them, they should be just as bright as when the truck was new. There may be some darkening of the plastic sheets that turn the light green, but I doubt it. The nice thing is also that the bulbs are cheap, so its a cheap and easy fix, and it certainly won't hurt. The bulbs are just basic autozone bulbs (you can reuse the proprietary base that the bulbs fit into). Unfortunately, I can't remember how many there are, but I bet someone will chime in.

Hope that helps!

Isaac

 

If you want it, here are the instructions on pulling the dash

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 the truck has that many miles on it, its probably a few years old, which means the plastic is a years old and probably very brittle

[edit] I found an old invoice from when ford ordered me the wrong bulb, and also 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 .

Also, here is a little write-up from another user, reAX

"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."

Hope that helps!

Isaac