Hey guys I need help with the electrical side of the Mav. I am not sure if I need a new dash circuit board yet or if it is a blown fuse but I need help. My dash doesnt light up at all at night as it used to! Driving at night I can't see anything as well as the aftermarket tach and gauges. I am in the process of changing the fuses but hope to change the circuit board the the dash cluster soon if not buy an aftermarket dash set! Any ideas? The Image is of my current circuit board, about half of the board is either corroded or beginning to corrode, losing its connection!
That looks pretty clean to me too. Headlamp switch is very possible. Try rotating the rheostat back and forth a few times to see if you get anything to at least flash on. Best to do in the dark with just the parking lights on. One other thought. I have had every lamp burn out at the same time on the cluster in an old bronco. It can happen - so check the bulbs. Quick way to check the bulbs is a 9v transistor battery. Just touch the bulb contact wires to the 2 terminals.
So I checked the bulbs and they turned out fine, none were burnt out! The headlamp switch made the dash cluster flicker a bit and never continued to work; I kept turning it back and forward a bit more and nothing. I do believe the you guys are right in this one, is there a way to fix it? If so how do I take it out? I've tried taking out before to connect the heater cables to it but it didn't come out and I had to take out the dash panel to put the cables on!
You will have to remove the cluster, then the heater controls. Remove the heater face plate and then take out the three retaining screws. If you are careful you can push back the heater controls into the area where the instrument cluster was. You will then see the headlamp switch inside to the left above the wiper controls. You will then need to pry off the connector on the headlamp switch this can be a real pain... Then remove the retainer and it will come out.
Once you get access to the switch, there is a trick to remove the knob and shaft. There is a button on the side of the switch. Hold the button down and pull the shaft out like you are turning on the lights but keep pulling, it will come out. If you meet any sharp resistance then the button is not down all the way. It pulls out cleanly when all is going right. Once the knob and shaft are out you will be able to unscrew the switch bezel.
While you have that cluster out; I wud take some real fine Scotch Brite pads or something similiar and very, very gently clean the copper strip the bulbs rest on. That is what I did to mine when I replaced all the bulbs and painted the inside of the cluster white....
I use 00 steel wool and then add a bit of dielectric grease. You don't nessesarily need it but it never hurts.
So I got to the part where I have removed the knob and shaft from the rheostat, but part of the rheostat fell off to the dash! What do I do now? How do I take the rest of the rheostat off? Anyone have images or links?
That bezel that is on the front screws out. Put a large flat blade in it and very carefully unscrew it I believe.
So I got the bezel unscrew but it got a bit damaged unfortunately. In the process of taking the rheostat out some pieces fell in the dash, is this the complete rheostat or did I forgot some pieces? The pics are of the rheostat out together and the pieces I found in the dash when I dropped them!
