No dash illumination (and I think i looked at everything)

Reply #15 – December 02, 2009, 05:03:16 AM

Quote from: EricCoolCats;300799

Jeeves, have you had any opportunities to look into this further?

Sadly no, and my brain still hurts from the tinkering...and I have other, non Cougar issues too.

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- Leave the System Sentry unhooked. You've got to have a pinched wire somewhere in that system (or metal is touching a wire), but for the time being it seems unrelated to your instrument cluster problem.

Agreed.

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- With the headlamp switch on, do you have illumination in the clock? How about the radio?

I have the dimming feature on the clock and radio, no illumination on radio (because its aftermarket) but none on the EQ (factory) which is more to the point. :(

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- Does the light in the ashtray in the console light up with the headlamp switch?

No. :(

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- Now, does everything light up BUT the cluster? It's the only problem in the whole illumination system when the switch is on?

Its the entire illumination system. But it was fine the first 1-2 days of dash (just the dash, not all the stuff that bolts in it) installation.

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- Pull the System Sentry from the dash, dig out the harness and find the wire that is light blue/red. I'm going to ASSume you have a test light. When you turn on the lights from the headlamp switch, does your test light on that wire light up?

Will do that this week, thank you.

Again, thanks for your help Eric.

No dash illumination (and I think i looked at everything)

Reply #16 – December 02, 2009, 08:53:49 AM

Alright, the way the system works is that there are two main feeds out of fuse #4 for the dash and console illumination. One light blue/red wire feeds the instrument cluster, clock and radio; the other feeds the System Sentry (or lighter panel), floor shift indicator, and ashtray light. If you can see the wiring directly above that fuse in the panel, you'll see what I'm talking about.

So...by deduction, if both circuits from the same fuse are not working, the problem could be anywhere in that system. But if one circuit works and the other doesn't, at least you know where to look for the problem. Technically the fuse should pop...but I've had instances where a pinched wire didn't pop the fuse, and instead produced feedback in the circuit.

If things were fine until you started bolting things back in (radio, System Sentry, etc.) then the problem virtually HAS to be with the wiring behind those specific items. Something is pinched or is touching metal. It's really easy to do, unfortunately. The main culprit wires are the light blue/red behind the radio, as well as the light green/yellow. Maybe even the orange/blue (radio dimmer). There's a lot of metal bracketry behind the center stack that can cause hell on a dash reinstall.

How is your igntion switch, anyway?

No dash illumination (and I think i looked at everything)

Reply #17 – December 04, 2009, 11:11:00 AM

I replaced the ign switch about 5 years ago when I installed the Tripminder, even though I didn't need to. (It had the Ford recall done in the mid 1990s and it was still fine).

Thanks Eric, you've validated my concerns and gave me specifics to tackle. I'm hoping to make it happen this weekend, even if its raining and cold in Houston right now.

No dash illumination (and I think i looked at everything)

Reply #18 – December 05, 2009, 01:14:56 AM

Quote from: pro-five-oh;301136

even if its raining and cold in Houston right now.

global warming:D

No dash illumination (and I think i looked at everything)

Reply #19 – December 05, 2009, 02:48:55 PM

We had two inches of snow yesterday. I live in Houston for a reason. I don't believe this sh--.

I'll tackle the Cougar when it warms up a little bit.

Dash illumination

Reply #20 – August 21, 2010, 10:23:36 PM

Are there just Gremlins in the dash then? I finished installing an aftermarket stereo last night and now my dash does not light up, the right blinker signal doesn't flash, the clock doesn't work, and my trunk release quit working. wtf?

No dash illumination (and I think i looked at everything)

Reply #21 – August 22, 2010, 09:38:47 AM

did you disconnect your battery when you installed it?

No dash illumination (and I think i looked at everything)

Reply #22 – August 22, 2010, 11:09:40 AM

re-install the factory system and see if you stil have the same problem.

No dash illumination (and I think i looked at everything)

Reply #23 – August 24, 2010, 09:49:44 AM

Yes, I removed the negative before I started the process.

No dash illumination (and I think i looked at everything)

Reply #24 – August 25, 2010, 02:46:56 PM

Re-installed factory deck, and the problem persists...Further investigation is required, but if you have input, it would be greatly appreciated!!

No dash illumination (and I think i looked at everything)

Reply #25 – August 26, 2010, 12:53:27 AM

ok, problem validated,
will dig my diagrams out and see but you can do the same at........
http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f162/jcassity_bucket/

No dash illumination (and I think i looked at everything)

Reply #26 – August 26, 2010, 01:13:01 AM

Quote from: 88Birdman;333393

Re-installed factory deck, and the problem persists...Further investigation is required, but if you have input, it would be greatly appreciated!!

actually, you should start your own thread with a subject line that keys on the problem. that way when others do searches, they find your topic and leassons learned more easily.

No dash illumination (and I think i looked at everything)

Reply #27 – August 26, 2010, 01:37:14 AM

For Birdman:

Let me chime in... One time I left a critical ground loose which is attached to the lower subframe of the dash at the bottom rear of the centerstack opening. It caused similar problems for me. Several dash grounds are located here. My original radio had this large ground wire attached to the nut on the back of the radio. The other end was attached to a nut on the dash subframe where other grounds junctioned.

It's just a place to look if you overlooked that possibility. Usually if one of these grounds are loose, current will either back feed and ground through other circuits or not find a ground at all causing the sorts of problems you are having. And since it did not happen until you removed the original radio and installed the new one then I would bet that a loose or missing ground is the culprit.

No dash illumination (and I think i looked at everything)

Reply #28 – August 26, 2010, 01:57:34 AM

Quote from: 88Birdman;332941

Are there just Gremlins in the dash then? I finished installing an aftermarket stereo last night and now my dash does not light up, the right blinker signal doesn't flash, the clock doesn't work, and my trunk release quit working. wtf?

More possibilities...

Sometimes when the dash does not light up and the right turn signal does not flash there could be an exterior taillamp or front parking lamp bulb that is not seated correctly in the socket causing a short between the dual filament contacts. This will cause a right turn signal lamp front and rear not to flash. The dash of course lights up with the parking lamp circuit. It just may be a freak coincidence that one of the bulbs decided to unseat and turn in the socket. The reason I believe it could be a loose bulb is that the turn signal does not work on the right side. All the wiring harness for the taillamps runs along the left side of the car.

Also, the clock wiring harness and trunk release wiring run in the harness behind the radio. A pinch or short is possible but also these wiring harnesses are short to their destinations and are easy to pull the wiring connectors loose. These items (if it is a digital clock) run off of 12V keyed with the ignition. That would be the common denominator for the clock and trunk release not to work. Of course check the fuses on that curcuit.

The other common denominator for the dash lights and the clock is the red/blue dash illumination wire. For the clock it serves to dim the digital readout when the dash lights are turned on. This red/blue wire is common to the parking lamp circuit as well when you turn the headlamp switch on which may support the theory that a bulb may be unseated and twisted the wrong way in an exterior lamp socket.

I wish I could help in person as I believe I could have it remedied in no time through checking all possibilities... It's much harder to diagnose with words than it is for me to actually be doing this with actions.

No dash illumination (and I think i looked at everything)

Reply #29 – August 29, 2010, 10:31:51 AM

Quote from: Watchdevil;333523

For Birdman:

Let me chime in... One time I left a critical ground loose which is attached to the lower subframe of the dash at the bottom rear of the centerstack opening. It caused similar problems for me. Several dash grounds are located here. My original radio had this large ground wire attached to the nut on the back of the radio. The other end was attached to a nut on the dash subframe where other grounds junctioned.

.

more likely on the transmission hump just in back of the center of all the stuff. stud is there were a bunch of grounds come to that point.