[Roteni]

Hi everyone, I have a 3 year old EcoSport but a couple of days ago, the Instrument cluster light started to flicker. What does this mean please, I don’t want to face inflated charges by going to the local Ford dealer. Thanks a mill.

 

[colinJYD]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Is it just one light that flickered? (bulb is on its way out),
not an easy job taking dash out to replace one bulb after it blows.

Or all dash background lights flickered? (the 12V supply to the dash lights is suspect)
Does it flicker with car movement, ie, going over bumps or potholes in the road?

This could be a dodgy fuse, not solidly in place in fuse box, push fuse in better, or replace with another same rated fuse.
or could be a bad connector or (plug/socket) in the wiring to the dash that is disconnecting with car movement , inspect these, make sure they are pushed solidly home. Use a 12V meter to check electrical continuity, ie, 12V to the dash lights.

 

[colinJYD]

Just thought of something else, that could be causing it.....the dash light dimmer rheostat.

It could simply be the rheostat (a variable resistor) that controls brightness of dash lights by reducing the voltage. This is the dial you turn to reduce or increase brightness of the dash lights.

Carbon build up on rheostat could cause the 12V supply to flicker off and on.

Solution: Try turning the brightness up and down a few times to remove carbon deposits, and set back to the brightness you want. That might sort your problem.

If it sorts it, it might be permanent or a temporary solution if it starts flickering again. Then you just replace with a new dash light dimmer rheostat, knowing that is the problem. Good luck

 

[Roteni]

Thank you. I’ve tried the dimmer button option, that hasn’t worked. I’ll try the fuse box next.