1962 Dash lights not illuminating

[skorper]

I've got around to looking at the dash light problem on my 1962 Thunderbird. None of them are turning on. Since it was all at the same time I checked out the fuses and they are all fine. I then bought new bulbs and plugged them in and still nothing. I called the guy I know at the parts store because he likes old Fords and he told me that there is a rheostat in the headlight switch that is probably bad, but it is just a guess on his part. I haven't taken out the switch yet but it appears that there are two possible types of headlight switches for the 1962 model year. Anyway, has anyone had any experience with the headlight switch causing the dash lights to not function?

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[62Landau]

I have a 62 Landau. I have headlights but no dash lights. I bought from the Birds Nest headlight switch (I think). Just have not installed it yet. When described the issue they told me that the switch is probably bad.

 

[Ward 57]

I wrote on another thread about the rheostat. On my '57 the rheostat is exposed on the front of the switch. I was able to use a mirror and aimed a shot of PB blaster on it and now I have working adjustable dash lights, the contacts were dirty is all that was wrong. A common problem.

 

[jack-in-sac]

I've got around to looking at the dash light problem on my 1962 Thunderbird. None of them are turning on. Since it was all at the same time I checked out the fuses and they are all fine. I then bought new bulbs and plugged them in and still nothing. I called the guy I know at the parts store because he likes old Fords and he told me that there is a rheostat in the headlight switch that is probably bad, but it is just a guess on his part. I haven't taken out the switch yet but it appears that there are two possible types of headlight switches for the 1962 model year. Anyway, has anyone had any experience with the headlight switch causing the dash lights to not function?

The rheostat is actually a wire wound resistor on a ceramic disc that makes contact with a stud on the resistor. When I frequented wrecking yards (this was before they became "auto dismantlers)I collected quite a few of these resistors because of the propensity for them to fail. When that well ran dry i used a jumper connection from the dash pole on the switch to the headlight pole. No I cannot dim my dash lights but they come on with the headlights and that is what I need.

 

[doug7740]

The rheostat is actually a wire wound resistor on a ceramic disc that makes contact with a stud on the resistor. I used a jumper connection from the dash pole on the switch to the headlight pole. No I cannot dim my dash lights but they come on with the headlights and that is what I need.

Attached is a picture of the rheostat that jack-in-sac is describing.

When I bypassed my rheostat instead of soldering the jumper wire I used the jumper terminal pictured below.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[skorper]

Thanks guys for all the help. Should have this straightened out in no time. Tomorrow morning I'll be pulling it.

 

[Birdflyer]

I've got around to looking at the dash light problem on my 1962 Thunderbird. None of them are turning on. Since it was all at the same time I checked out the fuses and they are all fine. I then bought new bulbs and plugged them in and still nothing. I called the guy I know at the parts store because he likes old Fords and he told me that there is a rheostat in the headlight switch that is probably bad, but it is just a guess on his part. I haven't taken out the switch yet but it appears that there are two possible types of headlight switches for the 1962 model year. Anyway, has anyone had any experience with the headlight switch causing the dash lights to not function?

Hi, did you ever figure out the problem? I have the same issue on my '63.