Dash lights.

[Sweetblu]

So, when I first got my baby (72' F250 Ranger XLT) her dash lights didn't work.


- I was under the dash and had the cluster off to fix a fuel gauge issue and figured I look at the light issue while I was in there.

Here's what I found:

Lights were all good but one (replaced that one) the circuit looks good and take power fine. Then I go to check to see if power is coming in to the unit

- I see the lights are powered by 2 power wires (right?) because that's how it look on the system (on blue with white and one white with blue stripe) and then the ground. I tested and neither one had power coming in. Then I moved to the fuse panel. The fuse has no power coming through it. So I jumped the fuse to one with power going through it and BAM! the lights came on!! So I am confused... Is it the switch is bad (turning nob on light switch)? Or is it somewhere else the power is cut? I am not sure if the power goes through the switch to the fuse, or vice-versa... I have them working (jury rigged) by my jumper so that when the keys come on they come on, but I would like to have it work by the switch but I don't know where to look first.

So to cover it again:

Power not going to the panel or fuse no matter where the key or switch is located.

When power is applied to the fuse (power in side) they come on just fine just have no way to turn them off (I assume this means that the switch lies BEFORE the fuse?)


Any help here will be GREATLY appreciated.



Jeffrey.

[Mancar1]

I'm not sure if your problem is simalar to the same thing on my 68 after I got it. I had everything working but the dash lights. It was the reostat on the headlight switch. As others on here, fordman for one, said to work the switch back and forth. Turn side to side. It cleaned up the reostat and the dash lights have worked every since.

[Sweetblu]

I read that and have turned that little thing back and forth at least 100 times. Still doesn't work Does anyone have any other ideas?

How would I test to see if the power comes into the switch or is going out?

[fordman]

if the spring (rheostat) is broken. it wont work at all. the easy way to check is to either pull the switch and look at the spring. or pull the insturment cluster and look at the spring. can yo uturn it all the way over and make the dome light come on? if you can then there is power coming and going. and the rheostat is definetly bad.

[Sweetblu]

Yes the dome light does work. How do I get that switch out of the dash??

[fordman]

reach up under the dash and feel on top of the headlight switch. there is a button to push down. push and hold it down. then pull out on the switch knob. once the knob is out use a large blade screwdriver to turn the slot in the knob bezel behind where the knob was at.

[katatude]

hey folks! ok im happy i found this because i have the same problem so if its a bad rheostat, is this a part i can buy at my local parts store?

[fordman]

you can buy the whole switch at the store. for about 26 dollars plus tax. the rheostat isnt sold seperatly. and they are very hard to replace. and get them in there just right. i tried it. i finally got it. but it was a pain to get the contact. to rub the spring properly. it was bent. so i had to rebend it.

[Thunderfoot]

hey folks! ok im happy i found this because i have the same problem so if its a bad rheostat, is this a part i can buy at my local parts store?

Yes, just get a Headlight Switch. O'Reilly's has them for $15+ http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/searc ... vi=1122613

[fordman]

here is more info on the headlight switch for our trucks.

D3ZZ11654A replaced C5TZ11654A, C5TZ11654C, C5ZZ11654B .. Headlamp Switch Kit (Motorcraft SW1245) / Available from Ford.

MSRP: $56.80

Marked: C5TB-11652-A, C5TB-11654-A, C5ZB-11654-B, D2TB-11654-AA, D3ZB-11654-AA

Fits: 1965/67 F100/600 // 1965/72 C500/600 // 1965/69 N500/600 // 1966/77 Bronco // 1968/72 F100/750 // 1965/66 Mustang // 1971/72 Mustang // 1970/72 Maverick/Comet.

This is not the original switch, it's a FoMoCo Service Part Replacement. The trucks headlamp switch knob and shaft will work with this switch.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you want the original switch...it came two different ways. As a kit (includes the switch & the mounting bracket), or the switch only.

The following switches are the obsolete originals.

Ford confusion: These are not the same switches as used on the above passenger cars.

C5TZ11654A .. Headlamp Switch Kit (Motorcraft SW439) / Obsolete-Replaced

Marked: C5TB-11652-A, D2TB-11654-AA


----------------------------------------------------------------
C5TZ11654C .. Headlamp Switch (Motorcraft SW718) / Obsolete-Replaced

Marked: C5TB-11654-A


btw: The trucks headlamp switch knob & shaft (C3TZ11661D) is a ONE piece assembly. The knob was not serviced by itself.

[katatude]

thanks for all the info everyone

[sublimer]

For completeness, here is a picture of what the broken spring looks like inside the rheostat. I just pulled this from my 68 Ford F-100 and replaced it. This fixed my problem; however, I don't like the way the new switch works, it doesn't have a 'click' position when I want the cab light on, so it's kind of tricky to get it to come and stay on, I'll get a different switch.