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    #1

    Radio not lighting up

    This has been an issue for a while but I put it off until now. There was no radio in the car when I bought it so I got a few from another member. I put one in and the numbers don’t light up. The illumination and dimmer works just fine but the numbers on the screen are very very faint. In direct sunlight you can read it though. So I thought maybe it was the bulb so I replaced it with a 194 bulb but same deal. So I got a cheap radio out of a thunderbird to test and same thing. What could the issue be? Is there a seperate wire for just the screen?


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    #2
    Originally posted by 87GrandMarq View Post
    This has been an issue for a while but I put it off until now. There was no radio in the car when I bought it so I got a few from another member. I put one in and the numbers don’t light up. The illumination and dimmer works just fine but the numbers on the screen are very very faint. In direct sunlight you can read it though. So I thought maybe it was the bulb so I replaced it with a 194 bulb but same deal. So I got a cheap radio out of a thunderbird to test and same thing. What could the issue be? Is there a seperate wire for just the screen?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Many years ago I fixed a Ford with the same problem, I tracked it down to a relay. which one and where (other than behind the dash is all I remember).
    With a wiring diagram and manual you should be able to see everything in the circuit.

    Sorry I couldn't be of any real help.
    2007 Ford Crown Victoria LX Sport

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      #3
      The display defaults to bright unless you power the wire that lights up the bezel. When that sees power it dims the digital display. See if one of the wires goes to ~8v or so when the lights are on. I think its the blue/pink but I don't have the diagram in front of me. With the lights off it should read 0v. If it does not, pull that wire out of the connector and see if it goes bright. If it does, you've got some problem in your light circuit that is bleeding voltage into the dash illumination circuit.
      86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
      5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

      91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

      1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

      Originally posted by phayzer5
      I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

      Comment

        #4
        Will do, I have some vacation coming up that I’d like to use to get caught up with this car. I just find it odd but I guess I understand.

        I’d also like to add that even at night it can’t be seen unless I was to say shine a flashlight on the display.


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          #5
          looked at the diagram last night, dash light wires are light blue / red. I was close.

          Which radio do you have, the 4 button one or the 6 button?
          86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
          5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

          91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

          1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

          Originally posted by phayzer5
          I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

          Comment

            #6
            6 button


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              #7
              I think that one is the LCD display with a backlight. Somewhere I have service manuals for those, but I can't seem to remember wtf I did with them at the moment. I suspect someone "put them away" which means they're in a place I wouldn't have put them.
              86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
              5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

              91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

              1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

              Originally posted by phayzer5
              I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

              Comment

                #8
                Lol been there. I just find it odd that both radios backlights don’t work even with a bulb change.


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                  #9
                  I want to say there are multiple lamps in there. One is only powered when the lights are on. Its what gives the glow around the knobs and such. The other one is behind the LCD itself. Probably some tiny thing. I've never dug into one of that style though so I don't know precisely what you've got in there.
                  86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                  5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                  91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                  1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                  Originally posted by phayzer5
                  I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                  Comment

                    #10
                    There are like 3 or so leds that light up the buttons but behind the screen is one bulb with a t10 style base but a slightly different globe than a 194. I’ve replaced that one with no luck. I don’t see why it would be but maybe the screen is on a different circuit than the illumination.


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                    Comment

                      #11
                      thats probably it then. not sure why it wouldn't light if the bulb is good. Possibly there is some internal voltage dropper that has failed.
                      86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                      5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                      91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                      1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                      Originally posted by phayzer5
                      I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                      Comment

                        #12
                        I had the same problem in my 88 radio (6 button). Took some tiny bulb. Smaller than a 194. I got mine from a 98 Explorer instrument cluster I had handy. The lights for check engine and such, not the illumination bulbs.
                        1990 Country Squire - under restoration
                        1988 Crown Vic LTD Wagon - daily beater

                        GMN Box Panther History
                        Box Panther Horsepower and Torque Ratings
                        Box Panther Production Numbers

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                          #13
                          I’ll look into finding a light bulb just in case. I noticed there are two illumination wires, maybe one of them is my issue.


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                            #14
                            When you tried the backlight, did you slide it back in and fully seat it in the car? With my 89, had a bulb burn out, replaced it (with a #74) and power up with the radio hanging out the dash and the cover off--nothing. Being I had to hit the road, I just slapped it back in quick... and the backlight worked, probably had a bad ground somewhere but it took grounding the radio case for the backlight to come on. (and I did pull it back out, and the backlight shut off again, no obvious issue with the wiring as the push/pull/wiggle didn't change anything).

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Yes. But I have a t5 led lying around that I’ll try anyway if it ever stops raining. But you know it couldn’t hurt to switch the bulb around to reverse the polarity just in case. I believe it has an led in it right now.


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