95 Ford Escort Dashboard Lights

[nics0117]

I am new to this and just bought this car. The dashboad (speedometer, fuel guage, and takometer) don't work. I went and bought a new intrumental cluster and put in new bulbs, still does not work. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Thank You in advance.

[KimMG]

Do the tail lights work? Are you getting power to the bulb sockets? Did you test the headlight switch?

[nics0117]

All the light work it is just the five lights that are suppose to light up the speedodmeter and tackodmeter in the dashboard, the blinkers work and all other it is just the five middle lights. The head and tail lights work.

[Escorts4ever]

Down under the dash on the drivers side is a rehostat that turns the lights up and down and even off. Is the rehostat turned down??

[nics0117]

Originally Posted by Escorts4ever

Down under the dash on the drivers side is a rehostat that turns the lights up and down and even off. Is the rehostat turned down??

If the rehostat is the same as the dimmer switch then I have found that the dimmer switch is bad and have ordered a new one. The most likely if the fix; right?

[dougand3]

Yes, rheostat = dimmer switch. Never pulled an Escort one but have others. On some, there is a metal contact that slides over a spring. The spring carries the current. Where the metal contact touches the spring determines how much current goes to light bulbs - longer travel thru spring = dimmer light, shorter travel thru spring = brighter light.

You may be able to clean the rheostat - sandpaper the contacts, dielectric grease on the spring for smooth operation.

Or you can bypass the rheostat - find the in and out wire leads and connect them. It will be at the brightest dash light setting and you can't dim it. Frankly, I've never had an instance where I wanted to dim the dash lights.

[mustang302]

Originally Posted by nics0117

If the rehostat is the same as the dimmer switch then I have found that the dimmer switch is bad and have ordered a new one. The most likely if the fix; right?

Does the dimmer control the radio and climate control brightness when you turn on the headlights? If not, I'd say it's the culprit.