Dash cluster LED conversion and FEM bypass 2002

[Frankie the Fink]

Well, I found out my instrument cluster had been "hot wired" to make the lights burn full bright anytime the key was on - apparently to get around the typical FEM failure where the dash lights (and shifter light) go dark.
So I had to open up my instrument cluster to "unfornicate" the Bubba fix and remove a jumper and repair two cut wires and while I was in there changed ALL bulbs to LEDs - all 7 white gauge lamps and the 18 warning/status lights. Since the dash wiring was back to stock the lights wouldn't light as the FEM PWM output signal failed... Here is a link on Amazon to purchase.

I wired a reversing relay off the middle DS tail light socket wire behind the trunk panel to send 12V to the front of the car when the wire's voltage goes low (e.g. lights on)...that wire acts as a trigger to an LED aftermarket dimmer switch I put in the lower right side push-pin hole in the steering column cover (very unobtrusive). This arrangement makes sure the cluster lights only operate when the parking lights or headlights are on...

The dimmer switch has one wire that goes to ground and the dimmer PWM signal is wired behind the center stack to the high side of the shifter console indicator light (now also an LED); this is a BLACK wire in a 2002 and the ground is a WHITE wire (go figure). That shifter light wire "back feeds" the instrument cluster gauges on the same line that the FEM would normally use.

If I ever get the FEM fixed (prob not) all I have to do is unplug the trigger wire at the added dimmer switch and everything is back to stock function (except the LEDs). These are 60,000 hour LEDS so I doubt I'll ever pull the cluster again.

This video is the result and I dim and raise the light brightness towards the end. And I don't have to worry about that PITA FEM -- ever. My smartphone camera made the warning lights appear glaring for some reason; they really aren't bad, just brighter.

Dimmer link- https://amzn.to/38IveUh (new model for 2020)
Bulbs Link- https://amzn.to/2p4WdrZ

Please read post 42 before performing this procedure.

This page contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated. As an eBay Partner, and Amazon Associate I may be compensated if you make a purchase at no cost to you.

 

[BluByeU]

You should be very pleased. What an undertaking & have it work out. I can guarantee if I had done what you just did my attempt would not pass the smoke test.

 

[biddle]

Well, I found out my instrument cluster had been "hot wired" to make the lights burn full bright anytime the key was on - apparently to get around the typical FEM failure where the dash lights (and shifter light) go dark.
So I had to open up my instrument cluster to "unfornicate" the Bubba fix and remove a jumper and repair two cut wires and while I was in there changed ALL bulbs to LEDs - all 7 white gauge lamps and the 18 warning/status lights. Since the dash wiring was back to stock the lights wouldn't light as the FEM PWM output signal failed... Here is a link on Amazon to purchase.

I added a link to Amazon to the lights, can you confirm is correct? I appreciate the screenshot, but a link is more user-friendly. https://amzn.to/2p4WdrZ

Excellent post! Thank you.

 

[Frankie the Fink]

Indeed those are the LEDs I used; just for the record there is some misinformation in that ad; the LEDs are NOT "polarity insensitive"; they absolutely have a "-" and "+" terminal and are even marked accordingly on the LED's surface. It was time consuming to find which side of each cluster bulb socket is the negative side; but they are marked with a red dot in each case in the first attachment, and, the convention is to get the same color bulb as the lens it sits behind; e.g. a turn signal dash light should have a green bulb; that is laid out in the second attachment. The LEDs shown in the Amazon link come in every color needed.

 

[Frankie the Fink]

I spent a lot of time in the Ford schematics and checking voltages with my meters and I at first thought this would be a simple task of tapping voltages off the dash dimmer or headlight switch to power the instrument lights. But no, these devices use low voltages (like 5V) that often vary and are just signals to the instrument cluster and FEM, not even close to running lighting or even powering a relay.

If someone's dash lights are out due to the FEM and they just need an emergency fix to drive at night for some reason they can come off a switched power source (like the radio power) through a 5 amp fuse to the console shifter indicator light "hot" wire (black on a 2002) which will "back feed" the instrument lights and they will have the lights on full time at full brightness any time the ignition is on but the bulb life will be diminished. This bypasses the FEM, headlight switch and dimmer switch.

 

[Azstar]

OK Frankie, I like the emergency fix. That would work for my needs. You say to hot wire with 5A fuse to the Black console indicator light. Right? Could you give help guiding me to this wire. I'm thinking of doing this and putting a mini toggle switch in. Almost never drive at night, but did get caught out last night. Thanks

 

[Frankie the Fink]

Somebody can post the pictorial guide to getting into the center console; I've seen it on here before but here are the steps:

1. Chock tires or set parking brake (or both)
2. Put gear shifter in neutral
3. Disconnect battery (LEAVING GEAR SHIFT IN NEUTRAL)
4. Pull down on round trim piece on bottom of gear shift handle to expose two Pihilp's head mounting screws
5. Remove screws and pull up on shifter handle and remove it along with the round trim piece
6. With a plastic trim tool remove the center stack plastic blank off plate (could have seat heater switches) just ahead of the shifter - be V-E-R-Y careful, these plates are unobtanium
7. Pull up on both sides at the front of the center console on each side of the shifter to release the clips and "roll" the entire console up and rearward off the rear plastic hooks.
8. You will see the wires going to the shifter light under the black PRND54321 indicator plate on the left hand side.
9. You may have to lift the PRND54321 plastic ass'y to get to the wires/bulb; if so just pull up carefully on it and maneuver it out (it takes some finagling) Note that the bulb wires go through some plastic hooks in the front of this ass'y and you'll want to pull them free of that
10. Remove the bulb once the PRND54321 plate is raied; then slide the PRND54321 ass'y off the shifter handle

This should give full access to the bulb wires, again the power wire for the bulb which connects to ALL the instrument cluster gauge lights in a 2002 is BLACK, the ground wire is WHITE. Don't confuse them..

Splice your switched (ignition key in RUN/START) 12V power wire into the BLACK wire through a 5A fuse... You can tap that power source off the radio switched power or use an ATC "fuse tap" https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079PSSCYF/?tag=thunderbirdforum-20

on fuse 19, (tele/tilt wheel) 18 or 27 (both are labeled radio - you will have to determine which of those fuses is SWITCHED and not CONSTANT power as I don't know)

NOTE: The shifter bulb wire colors are as I state above for 2002, they may well be different for 2003-2005 and you will have to determine which is power and which is ground.

You can test your success before assembling everything back by connecting the battery and turning the key to the on position and observing the dash lights. Disconnect the battery again to reassemble things reversing the above steps.

If you want to add an ON/OFF/DIMMER switch I recommend this one for LED/incandescent lights:

https://amzn.to/38IveUh

In which case the power wire you tap off the radio or fuse box will go to the 12V (line) terminal, the BLACK (or whatever color) bulb wire will go to the (load) terminal and a ground wire to the remaining terminal (this is all marked on the switch).....a good ground is inside the shifter console housing a the rear of the shifter assembly, you can use a ring terminal on one of the hex head screws ( 8 or 10MM - I forget which)

NOTE: Decide beforehand if you want to do this as it bypasses the FEM, the dash headlight switch and the dash dimmer thumbwheel but it WILL get you instrument lights. Adding the ON/OFF/DIMMER switch will preserve bulb life as you can turn the lights off in the daytime; not adding it will have the bulbs on FULL brightness, FULL time anytime the key is on.

The above procedure sounds worse than it is; its really just popping off some trim and splicing a single wire.. A second advantage of the ON/OFF/DIMMER switch option is that if you get your FEM fixed someday you just turn this switch to OFF and the lights will work as factory. You can leave the switch in for a backup if desired.

And, of course, I am describing what and how I did and you are proceeding at your OWN risk...

 

[Azstar]

Wonderful fix. Using Frankie's instructions it's an easy job. Tapped into the Black wire and bypassing the FEM was perfect.
Haven't ordered the dimmer switch yet and looking at the one that you (Frankie) suggested on Amazon, I noticed there are some smaller ones at the bottom of the Amazon page. Would these work?
I'm thinking of replacing the cigarette lighter with the dimmer. I could simply change the fuse on the lighter to a 5A. Not sure if there's room there for that suggested dimmer as it's 4 1/2 in. long. Could find a different place though.
Thanks again Frankie for the great fix for the dash lights not workings.
Steve

 

[Frankie the Fink]

Other dimmer switches will work with the stock lights. I chose a higher-end version I knew would provide flicker-free dimming with the LED conversion of the instrument lights.

Glad it looks like the workaround is successful for you.

 

[Azstar]

Job complete.
Wonderful fix for dash cluster lights.
If you didn't know you'd think it was stock. Lights work great with total control of cluster, shifter and steering wheel dimming.
Total cost about $40 and about 3hrs working slow. Here's some pics.

 

[Frankie the Fink]

Very slick. Good for you !
Not sure about those house wire nuts in this case. Some crimped butt connectors or solder is what I generally use. But if it works, it works.

And where did you get the 12v power from?

 

[Azstar]

Frankie,

Wire nuts are a way of "Trust but Verify" before u make it permanent.

The 12v is the cigarette lighter wire. Simply swap out the 20 amp fuse for a 5 amp. The down side is it will always have voltage so, u better make sure u turn off when not needed. Your punishment will be a dead battery if u don't.

 

[55-02BIRD]

I like the installation of the light dimmer by AZSTAR and have a couple of questions: 1) Does this particular dimmer have an actual off position (i.e., zero current flow) and 2) the dimmer appears to be mounted using a black-painted "fender" washer (i.e., large overall diameter and small hole) along with the original lighter black plastic mount...is this correct?. I ask about the off position, because I noticed on ebay there are some dimmers available along with a separate on/off switch.

 

[Azstar]

I like the installation of the light dimmer by AZSTAR and have a couple of questions: 1) Does this particular dimmer have an actual off position (i.e., zero current flow) and 2) the dimmer appears to be mounted using a black-painted "fender" washer (i.e., large overall diameter and small hole) along with the original lighter black plastic mount...is this correct?. I ask about the off position, because I noticed on ebay there are some dimmers available along with a separate on/off switch.

Yep u got it. Got the light dimmer switch from Amazon. It does have full off. U can feel the switch click to the off position.
U are correct about the fender washer, it was glued in place after painting with some JB Weld. Did have to drill out the washer a little for the switch.
Link - https://amzn.to/38IveUh

 

[Frankie the Fink]

One update to the instrument cluster LED conversion - apparently an LED in the Air Bag Indicator in the dash sustains a small current that the system uses to monitor that the warning bulb is working, which has two negative effects: after the car starts and that LED goes bright for the prescribed 6 second "power on" test, it then remains lit but very dull the rest of the time, and, there will be an OBD-II scanner code indicating the warming bulb is faulty. So, since I had the dash apart for other reasons I put an incandescent bulb in that spot and all is well again.

Just wanted to get this "out there" if others are considering the upgrade...

 

[mrcliental]

Great work ! Just to understand did you install the aux dash light dimmer because of the bubba job or because the led lights had a problem working working with the factory setup Thank You

 

[Frankie the Fink]

Great work ! Just to understand did you install the aux dash light dimmer because of the bubba job or because the led lights had a problem working working with the factory setup Thank You

There are two different situations involved in this thread, the first was when my FEM had the typical dash/shifter light failure....in which case I did a workaround and "backfed" 12V through the shifter light to the instrument cluster lights. This bypassed the dash dimmer so I added the add'l light dimmer for that situation. Once, I had the FEM repaired the normal dash dimmer was back in the circuit and since it is a PWM signal device (Pulse Width Modulation) it dims the LEDs pretty effectively. So now, everything operates as factory just with brighter and much longer-life LED bulbs.

 

[TheMonk1969]

There are two different situations involved in this thread, the first was when my FEM had the typical dash/shifter light failure....in which case I did a workaround and "backfed" 12V through the shifter light to the instrument cluster lights. This bypassed the dash dimmer so I added the add'l light dimmer for that situation. Once, I had the FEM repaired the normal dash dimmer was back in the circuit and since it is a PWM signal device (Pulse Width Modulation) it dims the LEDs pretty effectively. So now, everything operates as factory just with brighter and much longer-life LED bulbs.

A little late to the party ... but to be clear, if my 02 is operating perfectly normal but I want to transition to LEDs ... all I need to do is replace the bulbs are you've outlined? I do not need to add any dimmer as the dimmer on my vehicle works just fine and I have no FEM issues?

 

[Frankie the Fink]

Yes, for the most part...you don't want LEDs in any bulb that serves as a warning bulb that might stay on for a while as I think I noted above, this includes the high-beam and cruise control lights; do not replace the air bag warning light as the LEDs "fool" the monitoring circuit into thinking the light is out and it will throw an OBDC code AND the dash light will staly dimly lighterd, nothing to be done about that, but all the gauge/turn signals, etc. can be changed out just fine (observing polarity) As to dimming its OK but not like incandescent bulbs; you can dim the lights from very bright to moderatly bright but not all the way off....not without adding a purpose-designed LED dimmer. The video in post #1 demonstrates that. The FEM is unaffected.

 

[OldBird71]

Hello friends. I recently re-aquired an ugly bird that I plan to make sexy again. Is a fiber dashboard possible? I have read a little on the common failing of the dash lights on these, and by the sound of some of these posts they make it out to be a major big dealio…

Is it? Can it be done by an industrious diyer? Thoughts links and opinions please?