Dim Message Center

[GJarrett]

Our '08 message center display is on a dim setting at all times as if the headlights were on - during the daytime it still stays dim and is very hard or impossible to read in bright light. I cannot figure out if there is a setting that got changed that I can undo back to day mode, or if it is a malfunction and something is wrong.

Is there a way to get it to brighten when it is in day mode?

 

[rexster314]

Good luck, my '12 Expy is the same way

 

[stamp11127]

Common problem on Ford vehicles. Search on YouTube for ford dim message and take your pick.

 

[Quasar]

My 09 is same way. Had two different dealers tell me that the message center is on a different lighting circuit and does not brighten up like rest of interior lights and its normal. Not sure if its true.

Ended up realizing bright sun glare thru windshield was a huge issue on mine. I got a 20% tint strip put on upper section of windshield and tinted the front two windows and it helped tremendously.

 

[GAINMOB]

dimmer switch all the way up...

 

[nubia]

My dimmer switch is all the way up and my 07 expedition is the same way so dim that you can barely read it

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[Bedrck47]

kindly update your signature line with year model and engine information. This can be done in the USER CP section as this information helps others give you replies specific to your expy

 

[GJarrett]

Thanks for the info.

I also updated my cp with a signature line. It was in my profile but didn't show on my posts.

 

[JUST4FUN]

thanks for the sig line , was the lights brighter when you bought the truck?

 

[nubia]

Yes mine were much brighter when I bought it. I bought the truck with 9 miles on it, it now has over 300.000 runs and looks pristine... People are stunned when they find out how many miles I have. I have a friend who thought I bought a new expedition once after had just washed it. Anyhow, my instrument lights were much brighter until last several months they progressively grew dimmer.....?? I'm at a loss

2007 Expedition Eddie Bauer El

 

[JUST4FUN]

Is it possible that the dimmer for the lights is going bad and not putting out the full voltage

 

[DF5.4]

Try running the dimmer up and down a few times. Mine was dim and I did that. It cleaned off the potentiometer and the dash lights and message center is better.

 

[GJarrett]

No, the lights were as is now - I bought it used a year ago. There was a time a few months back that the message center was bright, but then it went dim again. I did some web surfing after the link above was posted and it appears this is a common Ford problem - some trucks have the digital odometer short off and on, and other Fords experience the same dimming problem. It appears to be bad soldering connections on the circuit board of the message center. And easy soldering fix, but to get to it you have to remove the dash panel and extract the message center to get to the circuit board behind it. Yuck.

 

[tonydiv]

There's a guy on ebay that repairs and upgrades the unit to better than new. The guy has a good feedback rating, so it may be worth your time to sent it to him.