Recently picked up a new 1968 Ford Country Sedan. Many things work well. However, at night, there are zero lights on the inside of if. To be clear, all lights work except the dash lights: The cabin lights, dash blinkers, dash high-beam, dash indicators, hazard, and everything on the outside including the dual rear licence-plate lights works as expected. All fuses in the glove compartment read good: Any chance there is a different fuse for just the dash lights? Twisting the knob back and forth (which I would expect to dim/brighten the light) does nothing. Quite possible the bulb is burnt out : Any tips on a replace? This is literally my first stop on troubleshooting the issue, and I have no other documentation. Thanks!
The part of the headlight switch that you turn to dim the dash lights is likely the problem. On another old Ford years ago I bypassed that rheostat or what they call it with wire. No dim feature that way. Might not be the best way if it's not fuse protected, not sure, this was back in the 1960s! I think a '68 would have the printed circuits and the little twist out bulbs (more than one bulb back there!) The headlight switches are available, too.
Thanks for the info: I have the factory manual in the mail so I can tear into this thing I'll definitely start with the rheostat and go from there. I've been told this is basically a '68 Galaxie on the front-half, but I'm finding a surprising small amount of info for it online.
First thing I did http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/threads/new-owner-of-a-1968-ford-country-sedan.47688/ Here's the gallery: http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/media/albums/1968-ford-country-sedan.817/
Start with the bulbs. How are you going to check the rheostat if the bulbs don't light. You just reach up behind the instrument cluster and twist them out unless you are one of those guys who has to be looking at what he's working on. In that case, hang your legs over the seat back, put your butt on the seat and rest your head on the brake pedal. Then take a flashlight and shine it up with one hand and try to find the bulbs with the other.
@OldFox : Thanks for that info: Since I just bought the car and aren't terribly familiar with it, I wasn't even sure how to access the bulbs (I figured I may have to pull the dash or something), been waiting on the manual to show up. I'll stick my hand under there and see what I can find
Ford shop manuals (at least by 1969) don't include wiring schematics. I can't speak for '68. The '66 manual I have for my Fairlane has schematics, but they aren't great. Jim Osborn Reproductions sells wiring diagrams copied from Ford manuals if your manual doesn't. That said, you typically won't require schematics to diagnose the problem. Here are my suggestions. Don't trust a visual inspection of AGC fuses! Until you've run a continuity test on it, you can't say it is good for certain. I don't trust ATC fuses either without checking continuity. There probably won't be enough room for you to manipulate the so you'll probably have to remove the instrument cluster. That's where the manual will help. Inspect the circuit board and connector for damage. The cluster will probably be illuminated with 192 bulbs in plastic holders. The problem is that the brass contacts in the holders lose tension and corrode over time. Clean them up with tiny strips of sand paper folded over a small screwdriver and gently bend them so the press firmer against the bulbs wires (yeah, wires) and the printed circuit board. Do that even if the bulbs need to be replaced. You are no going to want to do this again any time soon. You can test the illumination by following the circuit board traces for the bulbs to the pins on the multi-connector. Check continuity with the ohmmeter function on a DMM or apply 12 V across the pins to light them up. You can perform this test before checking the bulbs as well. If the cluster and bulbs aren't the source of the problem, check that power is coming in from the main wiring harness at the connector to the cluster with a meter. Make sure the the ground wire for the instrument cluster is well grounded to the chassis. Good grounds are critical and bad ones can cause some weird shit to happen. If there's no power coming in, you should probably replace the headlight switch, assuming someone hasn't hacked up the wiring under the dash. The switch should still be available.
@Vista : Really great info, super appreciated. I just got the manual in and yes: really nothing on the dash. I did use my fuse tester on all the fuses, and it came back positive on each, but I'll pull the whole block out and check the terminals on the back as well. Again, thanks for the detailed info.
Wanted to follow up: Found a great local shop that specializes in old cars like this. Apparently there's a separate fuse somewhere on the column that controls all the dash lights: They're all fully functional now, yah! I really need to track down that fuse for my own knowledge, but I'm just glad their all working now.
