[Binky]

My electro-luminescent backlighting has been out for months, perhaps even a year, and I'd been thinking it was merely a matter of replacing the headlight switch until Tousley/Tasca Steve indicated it was probably otherwise. As a result, I'd pretty much written it off and had come to accept not being able to see anything but the illuminated needles at night.

So tonight - the first FREAKING COLD night since last winter (27 degrees) - I started the car, turned on the lights, and lo-and-behold: the long-lost, green backlighting came on in all its former glory.

I'm guessing that this has everything to do with the sudden cold snap, but... HOW?

 

[crapwacker]

Lower electrical resistance, perhaps?

 

[jwill2489]

The inverter for the back light is built in to the aux gauges. Mine went out a few months ago. Replaced the aux gauges with another unit I bought from a friend, fixed.

You need a new aux cluster. Or you can wire an inverter into the aux gauges. There is a write up somewhere. Just google it and you'll find it.

 

[Steve@Tasca]

Weird, never seen this in an SVT. I do know temps can affect car parts, I had a 77 Coupe de Ville as a winter beater one year and on really cold nights the parts in the steering column would contract or something and the horn would go off until you went out and unplugged it.

-Steve

 

[svtcanuck]

I sort of have had a similar problem. Although my green glow hasn't turned back on in the cold.
So what causes the green glow to fail? What do I need to repair/replace to make it glow again?

 

[jwill2489]

I told you guys what you needed to fix....

 

[Binky]

^^ Ah, but do I need that fix given that mine lights up when it's cold out?

Both the 18th and 19th were below 30 degrees: worked.
Last night was 50: didn't work.
Tonight? 33: worked.

 

[jwill2489]

Mine was intermittent. I could smack the dash and it would come back on. Then eventually it just died

 

[Binky]

^^ Gotcha. Well, I'll just enjoy it whenever it decides to work. I'd gotten used to it NOT working, and don't think I want to monkey around with whatever I'd have to do to make it work full-time again.

 

[Joeyb203]

My guages went out also. Found a write-up but it didn't have pictures, and without pictures, I'm not sure if I could wire an inverter myself. Anyone know of a write up with pics??

 

[Steve@Tasca]

Only solution I've ever seen was to replace the auxiliary cluster which Ford no longer sells so used is your best bet unless you want to get creative and try to wire up something yourself.

-Steve

 

[Joeyb203]

Cool. Thanks For the info. Worst case I'll wire up my own LEDs or something. Will post a thread if I get something going.

 

[Binky]

Well it's official: if it's below 40 degrees out, mine work; if not, not.

I guess crapwacker's diagnosis (post #2) was correct.

 

[Sniper Focus]

My guess wold be a bad solder joint, which would give you higher resistance. The solder, components pins, and board are all expanding and contracting at different rates with the weather.

Seen the same thing happen on an Explorer overhead temp/compass, reflowed the solder and it was good as new.

 

[crapwacker]

My guess wold be a bad solder joint, which would give you higher resistance. The solder, components pins, and board are all expanding and contracting at different rates with the weather.

Seen the same thing happen on an Explorer overhead temp/compass, reflowed the solder and it was good as new.

Well it's official: if it's below 40 degrees out, mine work; if not, not.

I guess crapwacker's diagnosis (post #2) was correct.

It all ads up right there!

 

[Binky]

Yup: after one full week of bitter cold here in D.C., my green-glow gauge faces are, once again, back from the dead.

So there's THAT to love about winter.

 

[Rodewaryer]

Never had a problem with this and am thanking my lucky stars....

 

[Satrebil]

Have this problem, a write-up would be great.

 

[Flow~cus]

My backlight flashes randomly during the first 20 or so minutes of driving...then goes out. Needles all stay lit with no problems. Its been doing it for months now.

So the only way to fix it is to put a new gauge cluster in the dash?

 

[1svt4u2c]

lol, I have the opposite problem. During winter, when I run the heater, the gauge lighting doesn't work. The needles barely light up..... But even when they do work, the brightness isn't what it should be.....