Probably a silly question.

My Mk2 has a standard light switch unit and i would like to change it to one with a dimmer unit.

Is it possible to do a straight swap or do i need to modify the wiring to allow the dimmer to work?
Just wanted to check before i bought a replacement unit only to find it becomes a pain.

Also if a straight swap is possible, how do you get the old switch unit out?

Is it a dash strip or are the release clips easily accessible from under the dash?

Thanks in advance.

[quote name='Stoney871' timestamp='1325099334' post='158410']
Probably a silly question.

My Mk2 has a standard light switch unit and i would like to change it to one with a dimmer unit.

Is it possible to do a straight swap or do i need to modify the wiring to allow the dimmer to work?
Just wanted to check before i bought a replacement unit only to find it becomes a pain.

Also if a straight swap is possible, how do you get the old switch unit out?

Is it a dash strip or are the release clips easily accessible from under the dash?

Thanks in advance.
[/quote]

ive wondered myself though if its not a straight swap i wouldnt touch it the dimmer is linked to all the lights doors switches etc and thats a lot of wires to muck around with i was going to when i get the time go to a scrappy and get one just to see from a focus or mondeo just havent had the time

is it the same kind of panel as the mk6 fiesta? im sure those who added front fogs to their mk6 fiestas may well have had to change the panel and IIRC its a pretty simple part to remove.

i would have thought the dimmer would be 'plug and play'

[quote name='Stoney871' timestamp='1325099334' post='158410']
Probably a silly question.

My Mk2 has a standard light switch unit and i would like to change it to one with a dimmer unit.

Is it possible to do a straight swap or do i need to modify the wiring to allow the dimmer to work?
Just wanted to check before i bought a replacement unit only to find it becomes a pain.

Also if a straight swap is possible, how do you get the old switch unit out?

Is it a dash strip or are the release clips easily accessible from under the dash?

Thanks in advance.
[/quote]


Hi Mate,

I have done this Modification 99% worked the reason it didnt work for me 100% is because i had a light control switch with dimmer removed from a Mk3 Mondeo and although it looks identical to the one i have in my 2010 mk2.5 focus its not,

its wider than the one in the mk2 and mk2.5 focus by over 1 inch,

however i had it connected to the loom and it did dim all of the interior lights no problem, i didnt realise the size problem until i went to push it in to the dash i was after fitting it to the loom plug and tested all the features worked so i went to push it in to place and it was too big for the slot,

so it is possible but you need the correct width of unit. best advise if buying on ebay would be to ask the seller to measure the width of the unit, then compare to the one you have in the focus, its a strugle to get a unit that has light leveling wheel, dimmer wheel, front fogs, and no auto light feature. their like hens teeth.

the one i had from the mondeo was 1 inch wider than the focus one.

now to remove the control unit,
if yo look at the panel below the control unit you will see a pocket with the diagnostic socket in it and above the socket is a T25 Screw,
remove this screw then lift the rubber strip from the section of panel where it meets the door of the car,

then pull the panel toward the driver seat, straight out not up or down just straight.
once removed you can put your hand up to the light control unit,
it has a large clip top and bottom spanning the width of itself,

squeeze both clips down on to the unit and push towards the driver seat, it will then pop out,
just remove the loom plug and connect the new unit mate.

[img]http://i575.photobucket.com/albums/ss192/lennymanwoods/Image1199-1.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i575.photobucket.com/albums/ss192/lennymanwoods/discussions/LightingSwitchMk3XenonAutoLightsFrFogsParkingLights2WM.jpg[/img]

Thanks very much for the information.
I think i may have found the chickens wisdom teeth.
[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170726775668?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170726775668?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649[/url]

Not very clean looking but worth a punt i think.

[quote name='Stoney871' timestamp='1325134954' post='158461']
Thanks very much for the information.
I think i may have found the chickens wisdom teeth.
Not very clean looking but worth a punt i think.
[/quote]


No Problem mate,
happy to help, and that one should fit your dash perfectly mate, it looks to be a little dusty mate, but it will clean up like new

also if you plan to connect any additional interior lights to the car, like myself and pree have in the cup holder,
if you link them to a power source of another dash light, they will dim on the wheel too

Definitely worth a go.
Part bought.
When it arrives and i get the time to do it i'll try to remember to get pics.

i too was looking at doing this for some time, but as above...time

i did ask this once however and a user (cant remember who) said the wires aren't in and needs programming via IDS onto the ECU...i cant see how as all it is, is a variable resistor that controls the brightness.

[quote name='johnH' timestamp='1325201890' post='158624']
i too was looking at doing this for some time, but as above...time

i did ask this once however and a user (cant remember who) said the wires aren't in and needs programming via IDS onto the ECU...i cant see how as all it is, is a variable resistor that controls the brightness.
[/quote]


No Programming needed mate,

i have had one fitted on my focus and all the lights including the speedo clocks dimmed on the car,
my only problem was that the unit i had fitted was removed from a Mk3 Mondeo and was too wide to fit the slot in my dash.

Lenny, I keep hearing you say that it was too wide, but I havent thought to ask until now...

What was the resolution to the "too wide" problem? did you extend the hole in the dash? or did you trim the width of the unit to fit?

[quote name='jeebowhite' timestamp='1325236130' post='158634']
Lenny, I keep hearing you say that it was too wide, but I havent thought to ask until now...

What was the resolution to the "too wide" problem? did you extend the hole in the dash? or did you trim the width of the unit to fit?
[/quote]


Hi Jeebo mate,

[font="Times New Roman"] [/font]The mk3 mondeo unit was 1 inch wider than the focus one but identical in design so I thought of cutting the dash but it would have been waytoo risky because the unit sits flush in to the dash.
if the unit had a lip that covered part of the dash I would have cut it to fitbecause the lip would cover any imperfections in the cut,
I didn't fit it after all mate, it got me excited to clip in to the loom andall of the features worked, then I went to push it in to the dash and my excitementmet a concrete wall [img]http://www.millan.net/minimations/smileys/sigh.gif[/img]
I removed it and stuck it back on eBay again [img]http://www.millan.net/minimations/smileys/consoling2.gif[/img] I bought it for £8from a seller in Ireland so I suppose it was a bonus that it worked 100% lol

I'm watching for a cheap one to come up again they are currently allaround the £40-£50 figure which is a bit much for me just to have a dimmingfacility, but it was a learning curve toknow that the older model is 1 inch wider than the new model but in picture'sthey both seem identical until you put them up next to each other.

[font="Times New Roman"] [/font]

Anyhow, i've got hopefully the right one on it's way to me.

Watch this space...

[img]http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/dry.gif[/img]

Finally got to do the job. Lots of pics..

Part was removed from a C-Max MK5 [color=#D3D3D3][size=4][b]PART NUMBER-4M5T13A024BA [/b][/size][/color]

[IMG]http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m522/stoney871/01.jpg[/IMG]

[color=#D3D3D3][size=4][IMG]http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m522/stoney871/02.jpg[/IMG][/size][/color]

As advised earlier, undid the T25 Torx and pulled the panel forward.

[IMG]http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m522/stoney871/03.jpg[/IMG]

Unplugged the ODB port from the panel so as to avoid damaging the wiring (needed 3 hands really to push 2 metal clips and pull the Port clear)

[IMG]http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m522/stoney871/04.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m522/stoney871/05.jpg[/IMG]

I found it was easier to reach the locating clips of the light unit from the gap at the side and had to push, pull and wiggle the unit to get it out, finally pulled forward and down to unlocate the top one first then got the bottom one clear.

[IMG]http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m522/stoney871/11.jpg[/IMG]

Unplugged the cable loom from the old unit.

[IMG]http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m522/stoney871/07.jpg[/IMG]

Checked the units were same size and the plugs were the same.

[IMG]http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m522/stoney871/06.jpg[/IMG]

Attached the new unit and tested the lights, dimmer and levellers.

[IMG]http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m522/stoney871/08.jpg[/IMG]

Pushed the new unit into place (takes a bit of a push).

[IMG]http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m522/stoney871/09.jpg[/IMG]

Relocated the ODB port into the trim and refitted to dash.

[IMG]http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m522/stoney871/10.jpg[/IMG]

Replaced the torx and Roberts's your Mothers Brother.

Nice one Stoney looks good

This looks like one , its says C-max , but gives a different part no.

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-FOCUS-C-MAX-HEADLIGHT-SWITCH-CONTROL-/180774409126?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2a16fe93a6"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item2a16fe93a6[/url]

[quote name='Preee' timestamp='1326577065' post='161303']
Nice one Stoney looks good

This looks like one , its says C-max , but gives a different part no.

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-FOCUS-C-MAX-HEADLIGHT-SWITCH-CONTROL-/180774409126?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2a16fe93a6"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item2a16fe93a6[/url]
[/quote]
Looks to be the same maybe just the casing is more glossy?
i reckon that it will be fine.
Long as it's not from a Mondy... Sorry Lenny

Fitted one of these myself last week although mine has the Auto position on it. When in Auto position it does nothing, so i'm looking into fitting the light sensor on the dash............will let you know how i get on

ive fitted one of these too purchased from ebay though it wasnt cheap not with the auto function though