cirrus1965

Happy I could help my friend! Good work! It had taken me about 45 minutes too... except I needed 3 days to figure out what to do, hence why I posted the solution here to help people like you! Cheers! Cirrus1965

Hi Folks! I too had this problem with my Ford Fusion 2007 Radio display dimming out after 5 years. The problem is very Real (as some people on this thread seem to imply that we are imagining this problem), and the solution is very Simple! I've found the solution from a "YouTube" video with this link: It is for a "2007 Ford Explorer dim radio fix", but it is the same radio model (and problem) that I've got, and I'm sure the same problem you folks all have with your radios. So here are the facts about this problem: This kind of electronic trouble, which usually starts showing up gradually with time, are mostly due to "cold" solderings on one of the radio motherboards. (a hot soldering is when both parts are sufficiently hot enough before applying the tin to make a hard bond). The display starts fading gradually, and when you press on the display bezel it comes back: well this is simply because you press on the "cold" solder parts and make a temporary contact again, but it doesn't/won't last. I've noticed that this problem deals with the bigger resistors 'surface mount' types. My explanation is that during assembly, the soldering machine doesn't put enough lead/tin in the soldering joints, and the repeated cold-hot seasons make it weak, and the electrical contact wears down, lowering the available voltage to the display filaments. There are 6 of these resistors and you simply need to "refresh" their solder joints with a soldering tool and a bit of 'tin'. The process is easy. Those resistors are located behind the faceplate of the radio. So simply remove the radio from the dashboard (other youtube videos give directions on how to do this), unscrew the face plate (two black screws from the top, and two from the bottom of the face plate), and when you flip it back, you'll notice the big black rectangular resistors in the middle area; two on the left and four in-line on the right. Those resistors actually give the voltage to the very-very small lines that traverse the display horizontally inside, which is what drives the fluorescent intensity on each segment. Fixing the resistor contacts make the proper voltage go across those 9 filament lines within the display. So, here you are my friends! Finally a solution I've been searching for quite some time. Please watch this video, and you'll get your fully-lit display back again, and save lots of $$$. Cheers, and be well. cirrus1965