How do I get to the dash lights to replace them?

 

going in from under the sterring wheel, ran into layers of panels and screws. Am I going in the right direction?

 

Disconnect the battery ground cable

Remove the center instrument panel finish panel.
Remove the rear wiper/washer switch ****.
Remove the screws.
Remove the center instrument panel finish panel.

Remove the parking brake release handle.
Remove the screws.
Remove the parking brake release handle.

Remove the hood latch release handle.
Remove the screws.
Remove the hood latch release handle.

Remove the instrument panel steering column cover
Remove the screws.
Remove the instrument panel steering column cover.

Remove the instrument panel steering column opening cover reinforcement
Remove the screws.
Remove the instrument panel steering column opening cover reinforcement.

Disconnect the transmission range indicator from the steering column.
Remove the bolt.
Disconnect the cable.

Remove the instrument cluster finish panel.
Remove the screws.
Remove the instrument cluster finish panel.
Remove the instrument cluster.
Remove the transmission range indicator screws, and transmission range indicator (automatic transmission only).
Remove the four instrument cluster screws and pull the cluster rearward to disconnect the three electrical connectors on the back.

To install, reverse the removal procedure.


Bulbs
Remove the instrument cluster;
Remove illumination sockets and bulbs and remove the bulb.

 

Here are two FTE website links with great instructions:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...placement.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...eplacment.html

 

Nice posts. Not having an Explorer yet I haven't done the hands-on repairs, just have to go by the book.

 

I prefer to go by the book too...and the reason why I like to get the shop manuals for my vehicles. Sometimes I have found that the experience of others, like in the replacement of the instrument lights in this case, is better in accomplishing the task.

 

I buy the manuals... But normally wait until I fail to accomplish a repair before I open it

 

Kinda like being a computer geek...never read the instructions/manual.