How to access these lamps ?

You did not say what vehicle. If yours is anything like my '98 Limited, it's straighforward, but a a pain in the neck. Here is what I just did: Remove the hood release lever (held by two screws) Remove the large plastic panel below the steering wheel (held by a few screws and some push-pins) Remove the safety steel panel behind it (more screws) Tilt the steering wheel all the way down, then remove the tilt lever. It's threaded and held tight with RTV. There are notches on its shaft for a wrench (5mm, I believe) Remove the steering wheel shroud (two sections, held together by 3 phillips screws). The upper one is a bit tricky. Easy does it. Remove the two screws and slide the center console (the one holding the radio and A/C control) out just an inch or two Now you have access to the large panel which holds the light switch. Remove the screws (two or three above the instrument panel and (if memory serves) a couple at the bottom. Gently pry it out, flip around, and you will have access to the switch. There is just a single lamp, held by a bayonet mount. It plugs into the rear of the switch and is theoretically accessible without removing it, but I found it a lot easier to do if you take off the single phillips screw and pull the switch out. Ford charges about $10 for the lamp. It consists of a tiny bulb, with a green plastic cap, mounted on top of a long plastic shaft. Rumor has it that the bulb itself is available for one tenth the cost at Radio Shack. If you can save the cap (or improvise one), it sounds like a good way around Ford's extortion prices. Somebody posted the RS part number here a while ago - use Google to find it.

Be gentle and patient when reinstalling everything. Good Luck!

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thanks,

mine is a 96 mazda b2300 which should be the same as your 98 explorer. I think I will leave it for now.