Mk1 Ford KA Instrument Cluster Lights

[flustered]

Hi chaps, any assistance mining the wisdom of the PH collective would be appreciated.

I've just bought a 55 plate Ford KA. We had a good look round the car when we bought it (privately) but on driving it in the dark for the first time the backlighting for the instrument cluster is kaput. After some admittedly ham-fisted googling, it seems like it's a common problem without a common answer.

The rear lights are working (the internet says it can be connected to no instrument cluster lights) and there's no flickering, it just doesn't work. It's a bit of a PITA not to be able to see the speedo and fuel gauge at night.

Any advice? Abuse also welcomed. Thanks in advance!

[nipsips]

Its illuminated by a bulb isnt it? Does the mileage window light up?

[cherie171]

The reason it's come up as connected to the rear lights is a common Ford problem that the connections in the indicator stalk sometimes go on the fritz. The first position of the switch that would turn on the side lights, rear lights and dash lights, just doesn't.

So, do the other dash lights for switches, heater etc. work, or is it just the instrument cluster? If just the instruments, my first thought would be either a bulb, or a dodgy connection.

[S0 What]

If the digital display lights up it's probably the bulbs blown, they get rather hot in there and constant night driving kills them, usually the dash lighst are on the same fuse as the O/S sidelights, so if you only have one side sidelights it's normaly a fuse, non at all it's usually the switch, just the dash usually the bulbs or somone has had the dash out and the multiplug isn't in properly ?

[flustered]

Thanks very much for the responses fellas, I appreciate it.

The odometer/mileometer still lights up, as does the clock, stereo and heating controls. Looks like it's just the bulbs then. That's reassuring, I was a bit put off by the thought of chasing something electrical.

I'm not much use at spannering but I'll have a crack at it and report back.

Thanks again

[nipsips]

This should help you:

http://www.fordwiki.co.uk/index.php?title=Facia_Pa...

[Fixit4nowt]

Hi chaps. I had this problem of an intermittent fault on the speedo light on my daughter's 56 plate Ka. Thanks for the help from nipsips on how to get to it. In my case the fault was caused by heat from the bulb melting the plastic and deforming the seating of the bayonet connector of the bulb holder, so that the contacts didn't always connect. I found that by bending up the two contacts of the bulb holder slightly contact was made.

It's working now and hopefully will for a while.

Hope this helps