The Ford Explorer mid-sized SUV debuted in the 1991 model year. By 2011, the Explorer entered its fifth generation, twenty years later, reaching its sales pinnacle in 2000 when Ford sold 445,157 Explorers. No matter the year, each Explorer has interior lights you can control from the dashboard mounted dimmer switch. If the switch burns out, you'll need to purchase a new one and change out the old one. This repair requires a little mechanical inclination and roughly 25 minutes of your time.
Pry the dimmer switch trim bezel off the dashboard with a trim tool. Use care when prying on the bezel as plastic trim breaks easily.
Remove the hex-head screws holding the dimmer switch to the dashboard frame using a socket wrench and an 8 mm socket.
Pull the old switch out of the Explorer's dashboard. Disconnect the old switch from the dashboard wiring harness by depressing the retaining clip on the harness connector and then pulling the connector away from the switch.
Plug the dashboard wiring harness into the new dimmer switch. Set the new dimmer switch in position and thread the hex-head screws in by hand. Tighten the screws with the socket wrench and 6 mm socket.
Place the dimmer switch trim bezel in position and push firmly to snap it back into place. Make sure the bezel is flush with the surrounding dash trim on all sides.
