Intrument cluster lights problem

I am having a problem with my just my gauge lights. When they are ON sometimes they go out ( just the intrument cluster) and the bright light lite comes On, when this happens, and also when just the bright lite is ON, and the guage lites are out when I put on the bright lites (or high beams) the high beams lite in cluster goes out and sometimes they work normally. 1997 Ford E-350 5.4L Anyone else have or had this problem and what do you think it is.

Thank you,
Expeditor

It sounds like the cluster illumination ground wire is loose or not properly grounded.

Unfortuneately, you will need a wiring diagram for this year truck to figure out exaclty which wire it is, then you can just splice it and run an additional ground lead to the chassis. That would fix it I'm sure.

I would definately check the grounds, you might also, though check the light switch. If it thinks the lights are being turned off, then the dash lights would also turn off. As for the brights indicator, the voltage for when they are turned on solid (not flash to pass) comes to your multifunction switch from your headlight switch and the at rest postion of your multifunction switch allows the current to go straight through to the circuit that controls your dash display (I didn't believe it, either but I'm looking at the Ford diagram online). Good luck with it, and let us know how it turns out.

Thanks a bunch ModMech and yotermanic. I replaced the multifunction switch and this fixed the whole problem, ground is just fine. Again a BIG Thanks to you guys for your input.

Thank You,
Expeditor