Does anyone know if there is a back light on the odom/trip/compass on my 2005 fx4. I've only had the truck a few weeks and noticed tonight that i couldn't see the compass and thought that I had seen it before at night although i've only driven it at night a few times.Maybe the bulb is out every thing else seems to be lit up ok. If so how do you change it?

 

Yes, there is a back lighting feature for the LCD screen where the compass is displayed. There is no "bulb' that one can replace though. If it's out (like mine), you have to replace the entire unit - which is part of the instrument cluster. Last time I checked that was a bit over a $300 repair. I've learned to live without it.

 

Thats weird, it is an electroluminecent display like in most if not all of todays digital watches. This is something that doesn't really go bad this soon. Looking at my wiring diagram it should be the LB-RD (light blue-red stripe)wire on pin 1 that is the illumination feed. Check that for power if you rip the cluster out. I don't see any fuses but it shares a common ground with the audio, instrument cluster and 4wd switch.

 

everything else seems to be luminated except for the little rectange odometer window below the speedometer. $300 sounds a little high

 

I'm not disagreeing with you. It's stupid high. That's why when mine went dark at 42,000 miles, it's stayed dark. It's on my (growing) list of "stupid stuff that shouldn't break with this kind of mileage."

 

Damn, $300! Mine just went out and I thought it would be an easy fix, guess not.