Ford Super Duty 4x4 Knob Light Bulbs
2004 F250 4x4 XLT Sport
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** Update Feb 2009 -- Click Here -- LED bulb install **
** Updated Dec 2009 -- Click Here -- Direct replacement LED bulb available for some applications! **
Shortly after I bought my F250, I noticed that my 4x4 knob did not have any back lighting. I pulled the switch assembly out of the dash and I found the bulb in question to indeed be blown. I called Ford and they told me that this was not a "serviceable" part and that I had to buy the entire switch assembly ($45 in Dec 2007) to replace it. This encouraged me to research further and I found out a few things.
First, these type of 1/4 twist bulbs are called "neo-wedge" bulbs and the company that made these particular bulbs for Ford is "JKL Components Corporation". The typical neo-wedge replacement bulbs I've found have a few problems. First, they are about 1/2 as tall as the 4x4 bulb is and second, the contacts are located in the wrong spot. The replacement bulbs have contacts located in the area shown by the blue arrow in the picture below. The Ford bulbs have contacts shown in the area by the red arrow.
I originally bought some new bulbs on ebay that were *almost* exact replacements. I later found a better alternative which is an LED from superbrightleds.com, part number NEO5-G. So, I simply removed the dead bulb from my original housing, removed the LED from its housing, installed the LED into the original housing, soldered the connections, and it works like a charm.
Below are a few pics with some explanation
4x4 Switch Assembly. I was able to pop it out without pulling the dash apart.
Note the 1/4 twist bulb location in this picture.
Original Bulb
New bulb from ebay. Recall that the red arrow shows original Ford bulb contact locations, blue arrow shows new bulb contact locations.
Here's the bottom side of the original bulb housing, after I installed a new bulb in place of the blown one. I just bent the bulb wires around so they would touch the contacts, and soldered them. Then reinstalled it into the 4x4 switch assembly and it works great.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= LED BULB UPGRADE =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
This upgrade came about when I installed an LED bulb into my rear wiper/washer switch because its original lighting was amber. I wanted it to be green to match my other dash lights so I ordered a green super bright led. This worked so good, that I installed one in my 4x4 knob light as well. I just soldered it to the tabs like I did the regular bulb in the picture above.
** Updated 12/15/09 ** New version of the 4x4 switch illumination bulb available!
Fellow FTE member james734 found a direct replacement LED for the 4x4 knob bulb.
It is a "Type B Tall (T4)/Neo Wedge Instrument Panel Bulbs/10mm= 3/8"
and they are available here: autolumination.com about halfway down the page.
It appears that this bulb may only work as a direct replacement for the 2005+ models. The contacts on this bulb are in the position shown by the blue arrow in the picture above.
See this thread for details: FTE-esof-switch-dash-light
Questions or Comments? Email jmray@frontiernet.net