Explorer Overhead Console issue

[oldjohnny]

So, I did the Explorer Overhead console mod. Everything worked fine until a week after installation (or this problem was probably there since the beginning, I just noticed it a week later). My problem is that sometimes, when I turn on my lights, the console dims, but if I dim it more or just turn my lights on randomly, the console will stop dimming and will go back to normal (most of the times, it flickers back and forth rapidly. This happens every now and then and I usually find that I can fix this problem by jabbing the Dimmer scroll or hitting the dashboard. My truck is a 95 Ranger and I am using one of the newer consoles (the ones with the green lights, not the blue one used from 95-97). Any suggestions? I already checked the wires that I installed and all the tappers are secured tightly. I'm thinking of installing the factory radio and seeing if it does it in the screen. My instrument panel and AC panel work fine and don't flicker at all. It's just the damn Dimming! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Any one else has this issue? Will the Console still work if I unplug the dimmer wire?

Here's a video (piss poor quality from RAZR) It's hard to see, but this is what happens when I dim it down or up. Sometimes it works flawlessly, and sometimes, it'll do that. On some other occasions, it won't dim at all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAutXNmmHv4

 

[locovaca]

The console will still work if you disconnect the dimming wire. That wire just controls the dimming function. There's probably some electronic part in the dimmer circuit in the OHC that's going. I'd just disconnect the wire, the dimming isn't anything that'd matter too much to me.

If you really wanted to get it to work, I'd get a digital multimeter, set it for continuity (or resistance if you don't have continuity), and connect one end to the dimmer wire at the switch and one at the end of the wiring harness and try to get it to screw up. If it was a problem with the wiring harness you'd probably be losing continuity to get that effect.

 

[oldjohnny]

The console will still work if you disconnect the dimming wire. That wire just controls the dimming function. There's probably some electronic part in the dimmer circuit in the OHC that's going. I'd just disconnect the wire, the dimming isn't anything that'd matter too much to me.

If you really wanted to get it to work, I'd get a digital multimeter, set it for continuity (or resistance if you don't have continuity), and connect one end to the dimmer wire at the switch and one at the end of the wiring harness and try to get it to screw up. If it was a problem with the wiring harness you'd probably be losing continuity to get that effect.

I'll go to Radio shack on the weekend. Thanks, great advice!!!

 

[Destroyer000]

ive got one of the newer consoles installed an it works great.. also put the older "blue" color gauge console in my other truck an both work great. no problems.