dashboard lights not working?

There is a # f7 fuse in the under dash fuse panel that needs to be checked here is a guide to help you and the fuse location with the dash light wiring diagrams so you can see how the system works.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-fuse

Check out the diagrams (Below). Please let us know what happens.

Ok I took off the panel and all I see are fuses and I check the owners manual and it doesnt show a park lamp relay and I looked for it online and cant even find a picture of it to know what to look for?
Al

I also cannot find a diagram of this junction box ... while i am trying to locate one please check fuses #1 and # 31 in the same junction box also if you can see it, the ground for thse circuits which is located under front centre of console ?

Bought this truck and only a small area of the dash lights work. I replaced the dash lights with LED lights but the exact same area is all that comes on still. Thinking it is somewhere in electrical? Saw posts to check headlight switch, dimmer switch and ground under driver seat. Headlights work, taillights work. Dimmer works to dim the lights that are on and turn on inside light. Will check ground. Is this correct for my problems? Not sure it matters, but the third brake light is on very dim when headlights are turned on. Thanks for your help!

If you mean that only certain sections are working, like the left side lights up but not the right side it is likely that you need the cluster replaced as it has a failure on the circuit board itself as all of the lights are powered from the same power feed on the board.
The dim third brake light sounds like there is a bad ground that is feeding power into the brake light circuit.

Thank you Steve! I will replace the cluster and check the ground for the third brake light. Will let you know the results!

You might be able to repair the current cluster if you were to trace the lines on the board from light to light. It only takes a hairline crack in a circuit trace to knock out a section. Use a magnifying glass to search. But it can be very hard to find and repair. That is why replacement may be easier and much faster.
Keep us in the loop either way, please.

I just got a replacement cluster and plugged it in to my truck and the exact same couple of lights are coming on. So I am thinking this must be in the power supply. Make sense?

Pulled factory wiring diagrams and it shows there are two feed pins to the board but they feed from the same circuit through a splice. It's possible the splice failed. On the board itself there are two grounds used as well. Does the high beam indicator work? How about the right hand turn indicator? Those are on the same grounds that also come out on two pins but go to a splice.
The power wires are Light Blue with a red trace on pin 4 in connector 220B and pin 8 in connector 220A. A test light connected to a ground should show power with the headlights on on both of those.

Thanks for your research and diagrams Steve! We will check all of that and let you know what we find. Ordered the Chilton manual for this truck also since it appears we might need it in the future!

Please let us know what happens.

ANGELAVV, Have you had any luck or no time to play with the dash?

Have not had time yet. My husband is going to check that there is voltage coming through also. Will let you know what we find.

Sorry for such a long delay! Been cold here and my truck sits outside so didn't get back to it until things warmed up. What I found is that after we checked the voltage, more of the lights started working.so I figured the plug connections were the issue. Used a screwdriver to lightly scratch the metal connections on the plugs and more lights started working! Now, just the section that was working to start with has stopped. I'll pull it apart again and see if I can get that working too, but if not, it is much better than it was!! I noticed my 'theft' light blinks now when truck is off. Truck still starts and runs. Is that flashing light a problem?

Yeah it's no fun working in the cold. Hard to pay attention when your teeth are chattering and your hands shake !

Nope, that theft light is supposed to tell a thief to "stay away I'm armed". It should go out when you use the key and it recognizes it. Corrosion is always an issue on vehicles. There are contact cleaner sprays like Deoxit and CRC, they work reasonably well. Then once you get them all working a little dab of dielectric grease on the connector will keep the contacts clean.

I have a 2001 Ford Ranger Edge with a 3.0L engine. The lights on my instrument panel went out this week along with the lights for my heating and A/C unit. The fog lights and parking lights are also out the headlights, brake and turn signal lights all continue to work. No fuses are blown and I replaced and checked all the lights in my instrument cluster to no avail. Whats wrong with my lights?

Ok first I need you to check fuse number 11 it is a 7.5 amp, it is in the central fuse box behind the left (drivers) side of dash. If this fuse is good then I need to know if you have a digital multi meter so we can look at the instrument cluster dimmer and dimming module, this on the top left side of dash. If you have meter I need you to check the brown wire going to it. With the lights on does this wire have voltage? Also the ground for the instrument cluster is below the left front seat make sure it is good and secure. Get back to me and we will take it from there.

Ive already checked that fuse and it seemed to be fine I'm going to check that brown wire and the ground and I'll get back to you.... thanks

Ok great let me know what you find and we will go from there.

So it turns out that it was the headlight switch. There must have been some sort of short part of the switch had melted. I replaced the switch and everything is working again the only thing is that there is a little green light on the swith that is always on now (while the truck is running). I'm not sure if thats the way it's supposed to be???

Ok nothing say's what the green light is for so I will do some more searching. I do have a couple of questions however. Does your truck have fog lights? Do you have DRL (day time running lights)? Get back to me on that in the mean time I will look for why that light is on.

My truck does have fog lights but no DRLs. The green light is actually an LED attached to the switch assembly itself. It is used to light up little symbols on the instrument panel that indicate wether I have no lights parking lights or my headlights on...

It looks like the gem module might be telling it to come on as this controls all the lighting. Is the led on all the time or just when the key is on?

only when the key is on....

So what symbol does it light up? I am looking over the wiring diagram for you lights and I don't find it. Let me know what the symbol is or include a pic. It don't look like the gem module could do that. So get back to me and we will take it from there. There is an orange wire with a black stripe that comes off your headlight switch does this have power all the time? I am not giving up so hang in there with me.

I'm uploading a pic of my light switch you can see the switch and the dimmer on the right. I've also noticed that if turn the dimmer switch all the way down so that the instrument panel is completly dark the fog lights magically come on I know that is not supposed to happen

....

Ok it may be that the dimmer switch module may be not working right so lets do a test to see what is happening. Check to see if the light green wire with the orange stripe has power to it. Then when you turn on the interior lights with the dimmer switch does it give power to the black wire with the pink stripe? Let me know that goes if this tests good then it on to the Gem module to see what it is doing as this does control all the lighting in some way.

okay I'll test those wires and I forgot to mention that I noticed that if my truck is off and I turn the lights on then adjust the dimmer switch the switch makes a humming noise. It only does this when the truck is off...

Thats strange I will see if I can find anything on the humming. Get back to me when you can on testing the power to it and such and we will take it from there.

Hello I am having having basically this same issue. 2001 Ford Ranger Edge V6 3.0L. Several months ago the instrument cluster lights were functioning and then would turn off. They would turn back on if you would give the dash a nice slap. Now nothing. I have replaced all 194 bulbs in cluster (which the old ones still looked like the filaments were good). Still nothing. The lights on the ac/heater also do not work as well as the lights on steering wheel for the cruise control. (Cruise control buttons are beat up but the cruise control still functions). I have checked the ground underneath drivers seat and is in good contact. Just checked the voltage from from fuse 11. Fuse is good. Voltage reading when head light switch was turned on was roughly 11.43. Just trying to figure out what should be my next step before throwing parts at it.. Any comments are welcomed! Thanks in advance! -Marcos

Hi Marcos,

The starter of the thread says it was the headlight switch that was bad in his case. To make sure this is the same problem for your car here is a guide and a wiring diagram.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-a-test-light-circuit-tester

Just check where you lose power with the headlight switch on

Here are the headlight and instrument cluster wiring diagrams (below)

Please let us know what happens.

Cheers, Ken

Hey Ken- I finally had a chance to tear into my dash again. I tested everything you were asking the original poster to check. I looked into your diagrams that you sent me refarding the instrument cluster as well. I am by no means anywhere near an expert into electrical systems. I did end up testing with my voltmeter all the wires on my dimmer switch. Everything seemed to work except for the light blue/red going to the dimmer. Can you give me your opinion of what this indicates besides it not working? I see the light blue/red in the wiring diagrams is where it's related to my issue. Can you please tell me where I should go from here?? Thanks so much! Marcos

Just a thought have you checked the bulbs in the cluster to see if there were good? You might have a bunch of bulbs out. The wire that should have power is the Orange and Blue at the cluster #5 with the headlights on.

Yes I actually changed out all 6 194 bulbs in the instrument cluster during the first go round assuming that was the original issue. The orange/blue on the dimmer switch did give me voltage when headlights were turned on on this most previous test. I have been searching for all grounds and so far they have all checked out.. struggling to figure this one out

Can you put power to the orange and blue wire to see if the instrument cluster lights up?

Will give it a go tonite and let you know how it goes..

No such luck on that test. I did however test with my voltmeter the wires on my dimmer switch and did not get any voltage on the light blue/red wire..

Yep it sounds like the switch is bad, it should have power at that wire with the switch on.

have 2001 ranger checked all things that is talked about the problem now is i only have 6.3 volts on the blue/red wire i am thinking that should have 12 volts on it as i only have some of the dash lights on.is my dimmer switch bad?

Yes that wire should go from 0 to 12 volts which adjusting the dimmer. I would replace the dimmer/headlight switch