Dash Lights Out...

Electrical issues, both 12 volt and 120 volt
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Colorado Coach
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Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2021 1:01 pm

Dash Lights Out...

Post by Colorado Coach »

Hey guys, it's been a while since I've checked in, but I've been making some fixes/upgrades on "Okie" almost weekend-ly, and we even took her up ski-camping about a month ago!

Anyway, I just realized last weekend my dash lights are completely out. (They'd been pretty dim since I purchased her about 6 months ago, but now they're totally out. I checked all the blade fuses under the driver's side dash, and they all look good. Any ideas before I have to try to figure out how to pull the dash off to check the bulbs? (I went ahead and ordered some LED bulbs with good reviews from Amazon, just in case.) OR, can anyone point me to a good video or written tutorial on how to pull the dash on a 1988 E350?

Thanks!
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skater
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Posts: 2569
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:00 am
B190 Year: 1991
WBCCI: 13270
Location: Annapolis, MD

Re: Dash Lights Out...

Post by skater »

Colorado Coach wrote:
Tue Mar 15, 2022 5:44 pm
Hey guys, it's been a while since I've checked in, but I've been making some fixes/upgrades on "Okie" almost weekend-ly, and we even took her up ski-camping about a month ago!

Anyway, I just realized last weekend my dash lights are completely out. (They'd been pretty dim since I purchased her about 6 months ago, but now they're totally out. I checked all the blade fuses under the driver's side dash, and they all look good. Any ideas before I have to try to figure out how to pull the dash off to check the bulbs? (I went ahead and ordered some LED bulbs with good reviews from Amazon, just in case.) OR, can anyone point me to a good video or written tutorial on how to pull the dash on a 1988 E350?

Thanks!
First, are they just dimmed? If memory serves - and it may not - twisting the headlight knob adjusts the brightness.

My next thought would be the headlight switch itself. I believe - and it has been a while - that the dash lights are wired so they always have 12 volts, and the ground is what is switched (and dimmed). Therefore, you'd be looking for a ground wire coming from the headlight switch that isn't doing the job.

I'd have to look in the service manuals I have for more (which are for a 1991, but probably close enough).
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer

WBCCI #13270, Washington, DC Unit
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Colorado Coach
Weekend Camper
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2021 1:01 pm

Re: Dash Lights Out...

Post by Colorado Coach »

Thanks Skater! I'll definitely check the dimmer switch ground wire connection before taking the dash apart. It's definitely not just "dimmed down" on the headlight knob. (I certainly have made oversights in my life that were that obvious, so I'm glad you asked, but this time I actually thought of checking that first.) :) Let me know if you have any tips at all for removing the dash to get access to the bulbs, in case I have to go that route.
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skater
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Posts: 2569
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:00 am
B190 Year: 1991
WBCCI: 13270
Location: Annapolis, MD

Re: Dash Lights Out...

Post by skater »

Colorado Coach wrote:
Fri Mar 18, 2022 2:15 pm
Thanks Skater! I'll definitely check the dimmer switch ground wire connection before taking the dash apart. It's definitely not just "dimmed down" on the headlight knob. (I certainly have made oversights in my life that were that obvious, so I'm glad you asked, but this time I actually thought of checking that first.) :) Let me know if you have any tips at all for removing the dash to get access to the bulbs, in case I have to go that route.
It has been a while since I've had the dash apart. I think the left part, where the headlight switch is, is separate from the rest of it.

If I'm wrong and it is one piece, the dash fascia on the right has a bunch of screws around holding it in place, some at the engine cover - which usually requires loosening and moving it back a few inches to access the screws. There are also at least two screws along the top. I think I also have to turn the ignition on and put the gear selector in a low gear to get the fascia to clear that on the way out. It's not incredibly hard, but there are a lot of things you have to do to get it off. But I don't recall ever worrying about the headlight switch or anything on the far left when I've removed the dash before.
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer

WBCCI #13270, Washington, DC Unit
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