Dashboard lights

[CHASTER]

My dashboard lights are OK except for the digital clock. This is not lit and therefore useless in the dark. Can anyone tell me if it should be illuminated ? :idea: Perhaps it isn't. Perhaps I have a duff bulb! Can't tell from the handbook whether it should be lit or not, it never has in the 18 months or so that I've had the car.
Can anyone throw some light on the subject please.

 

[terranokid]

try tapping the dash sometimes they start working again

 

[jims-terrano]

Mine seems to stop working in hot summer weather and start working again in the colder winter months, this year it's been fine -rotfl-

It's a common problem, I haven't been brave enough but a thump in the right place seems to work. My opinion is that it is an LED (due to it's colour) and it has a flexible printed circuit board, one of the tracks may just have a small break in it and hence the problem. Ford Escorts and Orions (sorry for swearing) used to have same kind of issue with the bulbs for heater controls. Some tricky soldering and some short lenghts of wire used to sort that problem. I assume a similar repair could be carried out on T2's but never had the inclination to pull the dash appart.

My switches all went dark as well so I replaced bulbs for LED's and resistors and now I have "paradise by the dashboard lights" :roll:

Jim T

 

[theduck]

tap the dash and if that fails replace the bulbs :smile:

 

[CHASTER]

Dashboard lights.

Thanks for the replies folks. Can I take it that the clock should be illuminated ? or not ? As I said before, all other lights work OK except the clock.
I've had a session of thumping , tapping etc all around the dash as per suggestions----afraid much more will put all the good lights out.
Anyone got a clock which is illuminated in same model as mine :?:

 

[jims-terrano]

Yes the clock should light up.

Jim T

 

[(RIP) rustygates]

chaster,
Hi,mine was exactally the same very annoying when all the other dash lights were illuminated but the clock was not so I took the advice from the forum and gave it a good thump on the perspex and said !! let there be light !! and there it was,it is a common fault apparantly.

rustygates.

 

[Johnnybravo]

The Clock light is on all the time (ie when key in on) . The other dash lights are not on all the time.
Hence the clock dash light burns out before the others,
It is a small 2w (I recall) glass bulb/lamp.
Need to take the relavant panels off and instrument cluster in order to access it !!!! At least ,that is what I had to do. I was simple enough to do.

John.

 

[rustic]

With reference to Holdall's question....

Hello. Can anyone tell me if the digital clock (centre of the console) should light up with the rest of the clocks?
also the heater buttons seem to be poorly lit could this be a fuse I have not found?
By the way the vehicle is a 95 Mistal 2.7 auto.
Thanks Holdall.

On my 1995 Maverick, my bulb has gone too, but I am waiting for another to go before I start stripping it down. You can still read it in the daytime though.
I have a Ford radio, (model 2007RDS)_and if you press the "MAN" button twice (or 3 times if you are using a cassette) then the time is displayed for a few seconds..
The time is updated by the RDS automatically.

The brightness of my panel illumination is is controlled by a knurled wheel to the right, below the instrument panel. (above and to the right of the ignition key switch) This feature may only be on certain models, mine is a GLX. If you have a control, it may be faulty. Other than that, a bulb holder may have become dislodged, or sometimes there are 2 bulbs and 1 may have gone.
Hope this helps,
best regards, Rustic

 

[terrance]

The clock on my terrano 11 1999 has gone out gave it a thump and now it works agian!! (At least something was simple to fix!!)

 

[CHASTER]

Thanks for tips folks.
Rustygates ; I tried your "let there be light" and a good thump and lo and behold I was twice blessed ; yea verily the clock light jumped back into life and the radio lights started working again too.
Even with all dash and switch lights working now it's still a fairly mediocre display. Think I might try some additional 12v LEDs around the place.
Any advice anyone please?

 

[Deleted Member S]

Where are you thinking of putting extra LED's :?

 

[jace]

mmmm song in there somewhere "paradise by the dashboard light" loll



get me coat shall i!

 

[jims-terrano]

Jace, I tried that earlier in the thread but it fell on deaf ears but may be just as well with my voice :lol:

Jim T

 

[jace]

he he couldnt resist it though! have to admit im amazed with led lighting nowadays remember when doing electronics at school red an green were only two colours avalible brillant thint nowadays!

 

[Deleted Member S]

We must have been posh Jace we sometimes had yellow ones aswell :lol: :lol:

 

[CHASTER]

Sweety----Thanks for your interest : I would like to improve the lighting around the heater controls and the auto gear lever area, its all a bit gloomy even with all lamps in action but these areas appear to be modules and it might be a bit difficult to insert some extra lamps.
A bit more light in the cabin wouldn't go amiss either. Might put a switchable 12v 16watt caravan flourescent on the head lining.

I,ll have to sleep on it and hope for some inspiration or maybe experienced based advice. Not desperate though. Car still goes like a good-un thats the main thing. Stinks a bit though. Had to transport 8 bags of horse poo in the back yesterday

 

[jims-terrano]

Not sure which dashboard/radio/heater control panel you have but.......

Mine has the earlier type, there is a ledge below the radio and above the heater controls. This is where two of the screws are that hold this panel in situ. I drilled a hole in the left hand corner below the ledge to run the cables for my phone craddle. There is no reason why you couldn't drill two or three holes and fit some LED's, use the radio loom to feed power to the leds. This will illuminate both the heater controls and may be even you gear lever.

Jim T

 

[Deleted Member S]

The 1st thing I would say is go & get 6 magic trees & hang them up in your motor :lol: :lol: :lol: I've still got to fit my LED spots in the footwells & neon tubes along the centre console :lol: (Hot hatch days won't die easily :roll: ) I my old escort I had some stick on LED spotlights (Blue) & plugged into the cig lighter socket which I pointed at the dash around the heater controls & it did light them up better :lol:

 

[CHASTER]

Jim T---- Yes, I've got the same panel as you. Have had the centre panel out and had a good look around. Seems a good idea to drill the ledge under the radio. Thanks for that. Will get some leds and give it a go. Think I'll pinch the cigar lighter light supply.