Electrical Gurus Please Advise!

[bilgamesh]

In working through a starting problem recently, I replaced my ignition switch and key cylinder. Once I got it all back together, I notice everything works except my dash panel lights. I was afraid I had knocked something loose, but I have checked all the connections under the dash and the fuse, but I cannot find anything amiss. I have a hard time believing the headlight switch could have gone out on me just as I was working on all this other, but maybe that is it. All the turn signal lights, high-beam indicator, gauges and interior lights are working, just not the dash panel. I also notice I get a buzzing sound from that switch sometimes. Could this be the problem? I appreciate any help.

 

Thanks,

Bill

[jtdesigns]

I went through this headache myself.. I didnt think it was the headlight switch because I had another to swap out with, still had the problem.. Removed my whole dash and each and every lil light bulb in it thinking one may have shorted together or something,, no help, removed fuse box and the dash connectors to clean them and even jumped power to the dash light no luck..I then went & rewired my radio harness and used my test light and multi meter on everything. I looked and looked through wiring specs for some sort of hint, kelp coming up with the switch being the reason.. I too had all indicator lights, turn signals, brights, and door open dome lights and the switch operated the dome lights.. That switch working the dome/under dash lights was what really threw me off..

The picture below shows what Hornbrod and I decided a while ago that this was what turned the domes on/off

Same picture just not drawn on

Picture below is showing the switch not quite turned fully CCW, dome/under dash lights off.

This picture below shows the switch turned fully CCW and the domes/under dash lights on

So this was my problem. I still haven't gotten a new switch just kinda made the bad one work for now.

[GaruMJ]

I´m not sure if the switch have a dimmer but if it does maybe it´s turned off :D

[GaruMJ]

I´m not sure if the switch have a dimmer but if it does maybe it´s turned off :D

hahaha too late..........

[deziped]

Thats the rhetostat which regulates the voltage flow from 0 - 12 V.

[bilgamesh]

I'm sorry, but I am not quite getting it. Are you saying the problem is the rheostat, and you temporarily shorted it or something to make it work?

[jtdesigns]

The rhetostat is that coil you know.. That lil lever on the right side turns the dome/under dash lights on. I'm not sure what goes wrong within the switch but it doesnt flow through the rhetostat. I removed the coiled wire on my switch and it lights the cluster/dash lights on full strength, but didnt through the rhetostat. :dunno: I sanded the contacts which didnt help and the surface of the coil, no help. I'm pretty sure its something within the switch that goes bad. You could just try to get a used switch from the JY and see if it works. That was/is my problem. Worth a shot for you though. A good check is I was getting 12 V at the fuse on both sides of the fuse, but no power at any light socket, or on the cluster connector.

 

Here is a cluster call out I put together to use with the wiring schematics to help find if it was something with the cluster, like I said I went through pretty much ever circuit that dealt with the illumination of the dash.

[johnnyc]

In working through a starting problem recently, I replaced my ignition switch and key cylinder. Once I got it all back together, I notice everything works except my dash panel lights. I was afraid I had knocked something loose, but I have checked all the connections under the dash and the fuse, but I cannot find anything amiss. I have a hard time believing the headlight switch could have gone out on me just as I was working on all this other, but maybe that is it. All the turn signal lights, high-beam indicator, gauges and interior lights are working, just not the dash panel. I also notice I get a buzzing sound from that switch sometimes. Could this be the problem? I appreciate any help.

 

Thanks,

Bill

 

The dash lights are on the same circuit as the taillights. Do your taillights work?

[bilgamesh]

OK, the headlight switch was the problem. Evidently the rheostat gets corroded, as during removal quite a bit of corrosion dust and particles dropped into my eyes as I was removing it. I found one in stock at Autozone for $16. The instrument cluster works now.

 

Thanks for all the feedback.

 

On to the next problem...