How do you replace the dashboard light bulbs in a 1986 Ford Crown Vic? I removed front facia+panel, and unbolted the speedometer unit (plastic cover, etc) but cannot get the panel out to get to the bulbs. Doesn't appear to be any access from under dash. I suspect the speedo cable is keeping the dash unit from coming out and I am afraid to pull to hard on the panel for fear of dislodging the speedo cable and not being able to get it back in. Help would be appreciated

Never done a crown vic but it is all the same. You will have to search out the screws holding on the individual dash panels. Some are underneath, some are in the ash tray and there are usually concealment tabs that cover up the screws that hold the top on. It is a matter of experimenting the first time unless you can get a diagram from somewhere.

Access to the tail light cluster should be through panels in the rear corners of the vehicle. Remove the panel and you can remove the tail light cluster to replace the bulbs. This is the position on most sedans, unless, like on pick-ups, the tail light lenses have screws which allow the lenses to be removed to change the bulbs.

My dear friend I do believe you have a blown fuse in your fuse panel located usually under the driverside dashboard area. Its probably a 15 or a twenty amp fuse. When you inspect or change any of the fuses, make sure the key is in the off position and removed from your vehicle prior to removal and inspection.

Has anyone bothered to scan the IPC (Instrument Panel Cluster) or the GEM (General Electronic Module) to see if there are any fault codes? Does the engine run OK when this happens? I had a Grand Marquis that was doing something similar and the modules had several U-codes. Finally found the problem in the Transmission Range Sensor - it was shorting out the data line.

Lift the headrest up, unscrew the two plastic covers from the post and then pull the headrest up.

Easy stuff first. Try replacing the #9 fuse on the interior fuse panel. This fuse protects the instrument panel, license, parking and tail light circuits. The panel is located under the dash to the left of the steering column. You will need to pry off the cover on the panel to access the fuses. The fuse you want is a 15 amp fuse located directly under the turn signal flasher. It should be easy to figure out which fuse it is because it will be 'blown' or open. This is easy to determine just by looking at the fuse once it's removed. And, if you aren't sure what's what, I'm sure you can find a diagram of this fuse panel somewhere on the Internets if you look around a little. I took this info out of the Owner Manual from my own '94 Vic. If this doesn't solve the problem I would suggest taking your Vic to a shop and letting them take a look at it.

After removing the front plastic cowl, there are two metal brackets at the rear of each light. use a screwdriver to pry up on them and remove them. after that remove both wiring connectors and headlight will come right out .

the speeometer cable goes into the transmission and thats where i would start looking to fix the problem.

You need to remove the instrument panel and replace the blown bulbs.
Remove the steering wheel and lower facia panel and then reach up behind the instrument panel and push it out of the facia.
NB. Disconnnect the battery and wait for 15 mins. before removing airbag from steering wheel.
Torque setting for steering wheel nut is 80 Nm or 59 lb f

HI THERE I TAKE IT THE BULBS HAVE GONE BEHIND YOUR DASH FIRSTLY MAKE SURE THE REST OF THE DASH LIGHTS ARE OK LIKE HEATER/SWITCHES ETC IF THEY ARE OK THEN WE CAN RULE OUT FUSES CAUSE THEY ARE NORMALLY ON SAME FUSE.
TO STRIP DASH YOU WILL NEED TO REMOVE TORX OR PHILLIPS SCREWS AT COVER OF SPEEDOMETER YOU CAN NOW REMOVE COVER NOW YOU WILL SEE PHILLIPS OR TORX SCREWS HOLDING IN SPEEDOMETER REMOVE SCREWS AND MOVE SPEEDOMETER ONCE YOU HAVE DONE THIS DISCONNECT PLUG AT BACK OF SPEEDO YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET TO BULBS ONCE YOU HAVE DONE THIS REPLACE BLOWN BULBS AND REBUILD BACK UP IF THIS HELPS YOU PLEASE RATE IT THANX.