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OD light bulb is broken

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Old Jun 6, 2010 | 04:32 PM
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OD light bulb is broken

I posted this in the f150-350 1986-1997 forum but need some more help, my light bulb in the shifter must be broken was the conclusion, the OD button works shifting down or up, how to I get inside the shift **** and find this light bulb?
 
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Old Jun 6, 2010 | 05:18 PM
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It's an LED, not a real light bulb. It's possible that the harness inside the steering column got damaged, I've seen it before, usually it causes the OD button to stop wprking properly, but maybe in your case just the LED went inop. You'll have to remove the plastic covers of the steering column and investigate the wiring's condition...
 
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Old Jun 6, 2010 | 05:20 PM
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Originally Posted by LCAM-01XA
It's an LED, not a real light bulb. It's possible that the harness inside the steering column got damaged, I've seen it before, usually it causes the OD button to stop wprking properly, but maybe in your case just the LED went inop. You'll have to remove the plastic covers of the steering column and investigate the wiring's condition...
I know how to take off the dashboard above the steering column from when I replaced my headlight problems, but is removing the covers hard, and how can I replace this LED lightbulb?
 
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Old Jun 6, 2010 | 05:39 PM
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Don't mess with the dash itself, all you need is the steering column covers off - there are IIRC six screws that lower half to the upper one, five of them run vertical (two on the left side and therr on the right) and can be easily accessed with a long screwdriver from under the column, the last screw is a short one and runs sideways and is in the very front of the covers partially hidden by the dashboard piece to the right of the column. The LED likely needs no replacing, just the harness to it repaired.
 
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Old Jun 6, 2010 | 05:56 PM
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okay I will try to check it, wouldnt my od button not work though
 
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Old Jun 6, 2010 | 06:04 PM
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my light dont work, and my OD button works fine. course I cant see the light anymore since i used black tape to tape the end of the shifter back on lol.
 
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Old Jun 6, 2010 | 07:41 PM
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I have a 89-91 style switch retrofitted to my truck and there are something like 6 wires going to it.

2 for the LED indicator for "OD OFF"
2 for back lit night mode
and finally we have the 2 wires for the OD momentary switch itself

Each are self contained circuits, so if you loose the OD OFF light circuit, it won't affect the actual function of the overdrive switch itself. At least I don't think the PCM will throw a hissy fit over an LED light that isn't working lol.

I wouldn't know first hand though since I've never run a bone stock E4OD setup with a bone stock control system.
 
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Old Jun 6, 2010 | 10:24 PM
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David, their OD cancel buttons ar on the end of the shifter, they don't have backlighting just the indicator LED. By the way you can move your button on the shifter too, that's where I put mine cause I got tired of trying to hit the darn button on the dash while bouncing on crappy roads (still gotta close up the hole in the dash tho).
 
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Old Jun 6, 2010 | 10:38 PM
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My point is that there wiring for the LED is self contained and separate from the main logic input for the OD cancel switch. Yes I knew it was on the shifter but wasn't sure if there is a back light for it.

I tend to err slightly on the side of style rather than function though. Which is why I like the OD cancel switch right next to my headlight and wiper switch. I have the shift table switch directly above it. I don't usually have to lock out overdrive very often since I can cruise in 3rd all day. Maybe I'm just still preoccupied by the novelty of even having an overdrive switch to worry about how easy it is to reach LOL.
 
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Old Jun 6, 2010 | 10:43 PM
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oh the seperate circuits make alot more sense to me now thanks guys, I seem to be having a few lighting problems inside my cab, #1 the OD light problem #2 my reading light does not always come on when I have my door open and finally #3 my parking brake light on the dash rarely comes on when I put on the parking break, although the light is working because when I crank the truck it will always light for that brief second, but lets say I get in the truck from it sitting over night with the PB on when I get in the truck it will be on, take it off then engage it again and it will not work, the only real "mod I have done for the cab is I unplugged that annoying buzzer under the dash because it broke and would not go off lol
 
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Old Jun 7, 2010 | 02:15 AM
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Originally Posted by David85
I tend to err slightly on the side of style rather than function though. Which is why I like the OD cancel switch right next to my headlight and wiper switch. I have the shift table switch directly above it. I don't usually have to lock out overdrive very often since I can cruise in 3rd all day. Maybe I'm just still preoccupied by the novelty of even having an overdrive switch to worry about how easy it is to reach LOL.
Must be nice having a turbo, eh? See I have no such thing, so for me it's pretty much mandatory that I have both the OD cancel switch and the one for the TCC lockup right there at my fingertips, and the most logical place to install these transmission control switches I found was the shifter itself - just like the range selector and gear splitter switches on a big truck, everything you need to operate the trans is in one easy to reach spot where it can be used intuitively without even actually looking at it

Originally Posted by powerstroker100
oh the seperate circuits make alot more sense to me now thanks guys, I seem to be having a few lighting problems inside my cab, #1 the OD light problem #2 my reading light does not always come on when I have my door open and finally #3 my parking brake light on the dash rarely comes on when I put on the parking break, although the light is working because when I crank the truck it will always light for that brief second, but lets say I get in the truck from it sitting over night with the PB on when I get in the truck it will be on, take it off then engage it again and it will not work, the only real "mod I have done for the cab is I unplugged that annoying buzzer under the dash because it broke and would not go off lol
Your parking brake indicator light not working properly is most likely due to the switch on the parking brake pedal assembly acting up - try pulling its harness off and cleaning the contacts, some wiggling of the switch itself may be needed too. The dome light not coming on always could be a sticky door switch - see if the switches' plungers more freely when you open both doors, I suspect the one on the driver-side door is getting hung up. And like I said the LED issue is probably just damaged wiring in the steering column, seen the issue on both trucks and passenger cars.
 
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Old Jun 7, 2010 | 06:11 AM
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Originally Posted by LCAM-01XA
Must be nice having a turbo, eh? See I have no such thing, so for me it's pretty much mandatory that I have both the OD cancel switch and the one for the TCC lockup right there at my fingertips, and the most logical place to install these transmission control switches I found was the shifter itself - just like the range selector and gear splitter switches on a big truck, everything you need to operate the trans is in one easy to reach spot where it can be used intuitively without even actually looking at it


Your parking brake indicator light not working properly is most likely due to the switch on the parking brake pedal assembly acting up - try pulling its harness off and cleaning the contacts, some wiggling of the switch itself may be needed too. The dome light not coming on always could be a sticky door switch - see if the switches' plungers more freely when you open both doors, I suspect the one on the driver-side door is getting hung up. And like I said the LED issue is probably just damaged wiring in the steering column, seen the issue on both trucks and passenger cars.
awesome Info! thanks! now I know where and how to check when I get out of trade school
 
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Old Jun 7, 2010 | 10:55 PM
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okay see if you can help me with this now, parking brake no come on all day, removed the connecter and cleaned contact but still did not help, wires looked great no chafing, cant figure it out, light still works on dash, next the driver door reading light switch is broken, I need to pull of that small panel in the corner of my cab to further inspect but you have to get the tab pushed out and angled in a sweet spot for it to activate the reading light, in short I think its the switch itself but for now this one is low priority I would like to get the OD and Parking brake ones fixed, I did not have time to check OD wiring but I did get my rear fuel tank working today!
 
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Old Jun 7, 2010 | 11:03 PM
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For the parking brake the switch itself is getting hung up, kinda like the door one for the dome light - pull the switch and see what its condition is, something may have got bent.
 
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Old Jun 7, 2010 | 11:30 PM
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Originally Posted by LCAM-01XA
For the parking brake the switch itself is getting hung up, kinda like the door one for the dome light - pull the switch and see what its condition is, something may have got bent.
darn, I'll try it tomorrow as its really late now, but do I need to remove the parking brake lever and all that nonsense? it looks like the switch had some spring attached on it, basically it look like a pita lol
 
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