I have a 2000 Ford F-150 and the lights in the instrument panel have gone out. I checked the instrument cluster for a bad bulb but all the bulbs appear fine. The headlights work fine with the headlight switch, as well as the dimmer **** controls turning the interior dome light on and off. The 5 AMP fuse for the instrument panel and dimmer switch has blown, and when I replace it and turn the headlights on, it blows again. However, when I detached the dimmer **** and just had the headlight switch connected, when I turned the headlight switch on again the fuse didn't blow. Does anyone know what may cause this? It sounds maybe like a short somewhere, but it may be a bad dimmer ****? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

Well you could try and bypass the dimmer switch and see what happens if it blows the fuse it is else were if it dosen't most likely the dimmer is bad.

 

On my 1997 the right half of the instrument cluster lights don't work. The rest of the dash lights seem ok. Where are these bulbs? Do I have to take out the instrument cluster? I have the dask around the cluster out but Im anxious about pulling the cluster out unless I have to.

Doug

 

yup, gonna have to pull the cluster to get to those bulbs. it isn't hard. on the back of the cluster there are easy to remove clip-in wire harnesses. once you un-click those, the cluster comes right out. plastic cover on the back of the cluster comes off with a couple screws, then you'll have access to those bulbs...

 

Thanks Blackout. I pulled the cluster out and replaced all the R 194 (bigger bulbs). I plugged the harnesses back into the cluster and vola! the new bulbs work! Still, it appears the some of smaller lights above the speedometer don't work. I suppose sense I have the cluster out I may as well replace all the bulbs. Do you now the type bulbs the smaller bulbs are like R ?? (the big bulbs were R 194).

Doug

 

I haven't done a search for the part #'s myself, but you should be able to find them through where ever you found the R194's. We're talking about the bulbs that light up for "door ajar" and "brake"...stuff like that right? I'm sure you've tested them by having the ignition on and applying the e-brake/opening the door right?