Dash Lights don't turn on until....
 

... it gets pretty dark outside.

I have an 09 XLT and when dusk approaches I like to turn on my parking lights mainly to light up my dash and instrument lights. But No!! The same sensor which activates the auto head lights must feel it's dark enough or the instrument lights will not come on.

Note: I HATE THIS!!!

Anyone know a way around this other than covering the sensor, which is located center dash close to the windshield?

Thanks!

i had the same issue when i boughf my 09. the dealer told me it was new for 09. they showed me in the owners manual how to bypass it with the dimmer switch. ive gotten used to it so i never bothered with it

So how do you bypass it with the dimmer switch? In my truck the dimmer merely dims and brightens the dash lights once they're on, it doesn't make them come on when the sensor is still sensing light.

BTW, Great looking truck you have there!

The dealer showed me in the owners manual that the dash lights can be reset with the dimmer switch. I have to look at the manual to be sure of the procedure, but you have to do something like slide, rotate the switch from off to fully on then off again to reset dash lights and the dimmer needs to be in the off position for the lights to stay on when there is to much light for the sensor. I will look at the manual later and get the page for you for the exact procedure. I only did it once after the dealer showed me and never bothered with it again.

BTW Thanks I love the color the brochure didnt do the color justice!!! Its awesome when its cleaned up and in the sunlight!!

Thanks Smkeater. Any help would be appreciated. I've looked all over my manual under every possible related topic with no luck.

Pilot

When looking for that kind of stuff, it is much easier to download the owners manual in PDF format from www.motorcraftservice.com and be able to search it with Adobe reader.

This is the only reference I could find in the owner's manual...

PANEL DIMMER CONTROL

Use to adjust the brightness of the instrument panel when exterior lights are on.

• Rotate the thumbwheel from left to right to brighten the instrument panel.
• Rotate the thumbwheel from right to left to dim the instrument panel.
• Rotate fully to the right (past detent) to turn on interior lamps.
• Rotate to the left position (past detent) to turn off the interior lamps and to disable the illuminated entry feature. When the control is in the far left position, it acts as a dome lamp defeat/override.

Note: If the battery is disconnected, discharged, or a new battery is
installed, the dimmer switch requires re-calibration. Rotate the dimmer
switch from the full dim position to the full dome/on position to reset.
This will ensure that your displays are visible under all lighting conditions.

Rotate the instrument cluster dimmer thumb wheel all the way to the left and the dash lights will come on no matter how bright it is outside as long as you have manually activated at least the parking lights. At least it seemed to work that way when I played with it a little today.

V, Unfortunately that didn't do it. The instrument panel/dash lights will not come on.

I am trying to understand Ford's logic here. Why have the instrument panel/dash lights tied to the sensor that controls the auto head lights? The auto head lights come on automatically when the switch is in the auto position and the sensor (located center/forward dash) determines it's dark enough. I can turn the headlights on manually any time during the day and they come on, but not the panel lights. I just can't figure out their thinking.

However this morning I did a "work-around." I found a little plastic dome, sort of like half an egg shell, painted it black and put it on top of the sensor. Fits nice and the lights come right on but I'd rather not have it there.

Sorry Ive been working so much I havent had a chance to post the directions. At least some one beat me to it. The directions are exactly the way the dealer showed me. Ill have to tool around there should be a way to jump or bypass the sensor. Ill take a look at it tomorrow when im off and post my results.

Without actually understanding the directions in the manual, I must have stumbled through the procedure to turn them on. I just double-checked and its working. Its bright enough here right now I had to use a towel to cover the dash in order to tell if the dash lights were on with the headlights in manual mode. When I turned the headlight switch to auto, the dash lights go off.

Yesterday I simply turned the headlights on manually, rotated the dimmer thumb wheel all the way to the right to turn on the dome light, then all the way to the left and the dash lights came on. At least I think thats how I did it. :confused:

Regardless, there is a way. We just need to pinpoint the exact procedure.

This didnt bother me until this week when it has been raining 24/7 here and I have the tinted windows up. It makes it just dark enough that you cant see the displays well enough and turning on the headlights of course doesnt help. I almost threw my jacket on the dash but it was wet from walking to the truck in the rain...lol.