Help! - '93 Explorer dash lights flicker

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Chateau

Member - Posts: 2

Joined: February 24, 2003

Posted: February 24, 2003 at 2:32 PM / IP Logged

Dear Wiring Gurus,

About a week ago I turned on my 1993 Ford Explorer and after running for several seconds all the lights in the dashboard flicked off and back on for a fraction of a second. Thinking nothing of it I began to drive and had no further problems. But then, the next day, the same thing happened, only the lights flicked off and on several times. Just yesterday I started my car and the lights flicked off and on for a good 60 seconds, and I am worried that if I don't do anything soon they will flick off and stay off!

My guess is that I have a contact problem, but I do not know anything about the electrical system of my car (the owner's manual has nothing to say about the electrical system), and so I do not know what contact(s) need to be cleaned. This problem affects all the lights on the dashboard, but other electrical systems (e.g. headlights, tape player (the tape continues to play even though the lights on the stereo flick off and on), etc. seem unaffected.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks,

Chateau

P.S. I did find this wiring diagram for my car; maybe it will help too: http://www.bulldogsecurity.com/wires/explor92-94.htm

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gdoof

Member - Posts: 6

Joined: February 22, 2003

Posted: February 25, 2003 at 8:34 AM / IP Logged

Try the easy step first---who knows, you may get lucky!!!Access your headlite control and/or dimmer rheostat switch and give it a good couple of shots/spray with an electronic/electrical aerosaol cleaner ONLY---DO NOT use a brake parts cleaner or anything like that as they can truly destroy some plastic parts; let it dry a few seconds and follow up with a small shot of WD40, LPS1, or silicon spray.

If that doesn't work, you mite need to r/r the headlite switch and/or dimmer---good luck

Greg

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Chateau

Member - Posts: 2

Joined: February 24, 2003

Posted: February 27, 2003 at 11:51 PM / IP Logged

Hi Greg,

Thanks for your advice--I did give the headlite control a good shot of contact spray, and for a couple of days the flickering stopped. But just as I was about to break out the champagne and celebrate, the dash lights went out for good as I was driving down a steep hill. So I guess I didn't get lucky this time!

But I'm not giving up yet!! Perhaps there's a loose connection somewhere--do you know of any connections I can check (without disassembling any major parts of the car)?

And, assuming I don't find any loose connections, you recommend "r/r the headlite switch and/or dimmer". Does r/r mean replace? If so, would you recommend I replace the switch myself, or have a mechanic do it for me? I am not afraid to work on my car--in fact, I really like the thought of being able to fix a problem like this myself. So if you can advise me on how to do it, I'll give it a shot!

Cheers,

Chateau

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gdoof

Member - Posts: 6

Joined: February 22, 2003

Posted: March 01, 2003 at 10:12 AM / IP Logged

If you don't have one, I reccommend you buy either the Chiltons or Haynes repair manual for your make and year(avaiable at most chain auto parts stores for 6-8$), and ref the procedure for accessing the headlite switch/dimmer control (I'm assuming they are one and the same??)Very often, if the contacts are not just dirty (you've cleaned them you say), the voltage arcing causes them to jsut wear out and be eaten up!!! Not uncommon!! (they are usually brass or copper).

Yes, R/R means remove and replace----I just did a headlite/dimmer switch on my wife's 90 Van and the switch cost me 15$ and 15 minutes of my time!! It is ususually pretty easy job, and real easy if you have teh basic manual----and it provides excellent references for future work you sound very capable of doing

Good luck and let me know how it goes!!!!!!!

Greg

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Help! - '93 Explorer dash lights flicker

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