Hello, I was hoping to pick the GRM braintrust with an odd electrical gremlin that started over the winter in my 2002 Ford Focus (230k kms on the odo).
What is happening is that the when driving with the lights on, after a random amount of time (anywhere from instantly to 30+ mins) the dash lights will revert back to "lights off" mode. The headlights stay on and the marker lights all stay lit, but the dash lights go completely dark, except for the slight illumination behind the odometer digital display. Turning the lights switch off and back on sometimes brings that dash lights back, but the dash lights wink out again after a random amount of time.
I have tried playing around with the brightness dimmer to see if it was a current load causing this, but the dimmer brightness doesn't seem to change things. I have noticed that it seems to happen quicker when the HVAC is blowing warm/hot air, but I can't say for certain if there is a true correlation as with the warmer weather, I am using the lights less because my commute is in daylight now, instead of darkness like the winter.
I am hoping someone here will be able to help point me in the right direction, or help with a diagnosis. Heck, even a good place to start the troubleshooting would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Martin
