Since nobody seems to want to answer you, here goes. I have a 2000 SE and I have spent a fair amount of time inside the dash lately. The temperature should not usually affect something like this - sounds more like you have either an intermittent ground or power connection. Maybe when it's cold your truck vibrates a bit more because the engine is not warmed up yet, thus causing the flaky connection to misbehave more when it's cold. Do the lights in the center section of the dash (stereo, A/C controls) flicker also? If so, check the dimmer switch for a bad connection since all of the panel lights are fed from that switch. Remove the steering wheel housing and the lower dash panel to access the switch and wiring. If the plug on the back of the dimmer is not loose, it might be a faulty or dirty/corroded dimmer. Sometimes operating the thumbwheel firmly a few times might clean up any dirt or corrision. I don't recall whether or not the switch is sealed, but you might even be able to get a spritz of contact cleaner into it. You can also check the wiring at the fuse panel, or check the fuse itself - make sure it's plugged in firmly. While you're in there you can check the condition of the wires which go to the dimmer switch as well.
If only the instrument cluster lights flicker, the problem might be in the connectors on the back of the instrument cluster. You can check in the XOC forum in an older thread about installing Indiglo gauge faces - one of the guys posted a pretty good series of pictures on how to disassemble the instrument panel. Once you get the pod free, unplug the connectors and check for corrosion or dirt on the contacts, then reseat the plugs firmly and try the lights again. By using the process of elimination you can probably isolate the cause without too much grief and a lot cheaper than the dealer.
I will email you a schematic if I can find one. Happy hunting!
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R. Roseannadanna
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