dimmer switch

[killer]

I have lost the back lights for the dash, I think it might be the dimmer switch but can't find one
any ideas what else it might be, I have dome light and when started the warning lights come on
like they should

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Moving this over to the electrical section.

Dimmer switch is a up/down wheel poking out of the dash next to the switch for the marker lights/headlights.

Blown fuse, damaged wire, bad ground, bad resistor in the dimmer switch, or bulbs burned out can all be possibilities…

 

[killer]

Moving this over to the electrical section.

Dimmer switch is a up/down wheel poking out of the dash next to the switch for the marker lights/headlights.

Blown fuse, damaged wire, bad ground, bad resistor in the dimmer switch, or bulbs burned out can all be possibilities…

thanks, looked at fuses in pass side kick plate and was good,tested bulbs and all good, will look into bad ground, bought haynes book but wiring diagram not all that informetive

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

thanks, looked at fuses in pass side kick plate and was good,tested bulbs and all good, will look into bad ground, bought haynes book but wiring diagram not all that informetive

Haynes manuals wiring diagrams look like they were drawn by a 2-year old with a crayon, and are about as useful. Ideally you need an EVTM book for your model year, one of the Ford repair manuals. You can find print versions sometimes and there’s CD/DVD versions. Unfortunately I don’t have one for your model year and I know it will be vastly different from the newest one that I do have (2000).

 

[killer]

Haynes manuals wiring diagrams look like they were drawn by a 2-year old with a crayon, and are about as useful. Ideally you need an EVTM book for your model year, one of the Ford repair manuals. You can find print versions sometimes and there’s CD/DVD versions. Unfortunately I don’t have one for your model year and I know it will be vastly different from the newest one that I do have (2000).

bought an entire dash from ebay just to get another dimmer switch, swapped out and still no dash illumination

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

bought an entire dash from ebay just to get another dimmer switch, swapped out and still no dash illumination

Seems excessive, but either the replacement dash has the same problem as yours or the wiring problem is on the truck side of the harness.

You’re going to need an EVTM for your year. That will give wiring colors and pinouts at plugs, what you should read if you probe a particular wire, etc. A factory manual for your year will give you troubleshooting information. They are largely year specific, so yeah.