Dash lights went out, only come on when brake is applied?

[Luvtohunt]

Was driving my 88 Comanche tonight, the dash lights went out, and only come on now when the brakes are applied. Anyone have a clue what is going on? Any help would be appreciated.

 

Thank you

[daltonmcgill7]

could be a short have u checked the fuses

[Geonovast]

I bet your tail light ground is loose, and it gets enough juice to make a connection when you hit the brakes. Tail lights and dash lights share a fuse, and Tails and Brakes share a ground.

[Luvtohunt]

I bet your tail light ground is loose, and it gets enough juice to make a connection when you hit the brakes. Tail lights and dash lights share a fuse, and Tails and Brakes share a ground.

 

 

Do you know where the ground is?

 

Thanks for the information.

[Geonovast]

IIRC it's behind the driver's tailight. If it's not there, it's behind the passenger one.

[Luvtohunt]

IIRC it's behind the driver's tailight. If it's not there, it's behind the passenger one.

 

 

Sorry for my ignorance, is it just a wire that is screwed to the frame or body?

[Geonovast]

It'll screw into the bed right behind the light.

[Automan2164]

It'll screw into the bed right behind the light.

 

Yes, behind the drivers side tail. We were just looking at Jakes on sun...

 

Rob L.

[freakjeep93]

It'll screw into the bed right behind the light.

 

Yes, behind the drivers side tail. We were just looking at Jakes on sun...

 

Rob L.

how do you guys break so much stuff on a junkyard run :hmm: ? :rotfl2:

[Geonovast]

It'll screw into the bed right behind the light.

 

Yes, behind the drivers side tail. We were just looking at Jakes on sun...

 

Rob L.

how do you guys break so much stuff on a junkyard run :hmm: ? :rotfl2:

 

Jake's taillights haven't worked right since he bought it....

[Luvtohunt]

It'll screw into the bed right behind the light.

 

 

so if I understand correctly, I just take the tail light assembly out of the drivers side, and I should see a wire attached to the bed?

 

Thanks again for your help.

[Geonovast]

Yup

[freakjeep93]

It'll screw into the bed right behind the light.

 

Yes, behind the drivers side tail. We were just looking at Jakes on sun...

 

Rob L.

how do you guys break so much stuff on a junkyard run :hmm: ? :rotfl2:

 

Jake's taillights haven't worked right since he bought it....

 

oh that makes sense now

[Luvtohunt]

Yup

 

 

checked that ground out behind the drivers side tailight, that was secured good and solid. Any other ideas on what could be causing this?

 

Thanks again.

[freakjeep93]

fuses?

[Luvtohunt]

fuses?

 

 

Fuses all look good.

[freakjeep93]

odd . broken wire perhaps?

[1986Comanche]

Check the 2 upper parking/turn signal bulbs in both taillights. They should both be double filament bulbs. Sometimes people put single filament bulbs in them and it connects the 2 prongs and will backfeed through the system. I hope this info helps.

[Luvtohunt]

Check the 2 upper parking/turn signal bulbs in both taillights. They should both be double filament bulbs. Sometimes people put single filament bulbs in them and it connects the 2 prongs and will backfeed through the system. I hope this info helps.

 

 

I will try that, its weird, it has been working fine for thirty thousand miles, then last night out of the blue it quite.

[Eagle]

Try rotating the knob of the headlight switch. The dimmer is a rheostat, and over time the connection gets dirty or burned and you get dead spots. It might be that you have a dead spot and stepping on the brake pedal causes enough vibration or movement to change where the rotator touches the resistor coil.

 

It's an outside chance, but it doesn't hurt to check anything you can.

[Luvtohunt]

Try rotating the knob of the headlight switch. The dimmer is a rheostat, and over time the connection gets dirty or burned and you get dead spots. It might be that you have a dead spot and stepping on the brake pedal causes enough vibration or movement to change where the rotator touches the resistor coil.

 

It's an outside chance, but it doesn't hurt to check anything you can.

 

 

Thanks, tried rotating the headlight knob, didn't help, but thanks for the idea.

 

This is so frustrating, if I turn my left turn signal, both turn signals turn on, if I turn the right one on, no problem. Not having dash lights is a real pain....

 

Any additional ideas would be appreciated.

[Wildman]

First.......I'm going to toss this at you.......

 

 

If you follow the schematic above, you'll see where the brake switch goes to the turn single switch (AKA- the smart switch) from what you just described, that your left turn lights both indicators, that could be a bad light socket in the front marker/turn, but your dash lights don't work, so.......I would think the smart switch is shot/shorted.

 

When you turn on the turns, do you hear a "blinking/clicking" sound??? You could just switch the 2 turn blinkers first to see it that makes a difference.

 

I know, this don't sound like it has anything to do with the dash light, but, unless you double checked the cluster for shorts, or even for a good ground, the other option would be to change the light switch it's self, if when you turned it, and the dash didn't light up or go dim.

[Luvtohunt]

First.......I'm going to toss this at you.......

 

 

If you follow the schematic above, you'll see where the brake switch goes to the turn single switch (AKA- the smart switch) from what you just described, that your left turn lights both indicators, that could be a bad light socket in the front marker/turn, but your dash lights don't work, so.......I would think the smart switch is shot/shorted.

 

When you turn on the turns, do you hear a "blinking/clicking" sound??? You could just switch the 2 turn blinkers first to see it that makes a difference.

 

I know, this don't sound like it has anything to do with the dash light, but, unless you double checked the cluster for shorts, or even for a good ground, the other option would be to change the light switch it's self, if when you turned it, and the dash didn't light up or go dim.

 

 

Think I will try to order the smart switch, is that enough description, or does anyone know if there is a specific part number?

 

Thanks again for the help.

[Luvtohunt]

Tail lights went out tonight, didn't know it until I was pulled over. Cop was a great guy, didn't write me up and followed me to a truck stop to park it for the night, it is going into the shop tomorrow, as I can't figure it out. Hope it isn't too expensive, but, regardless, can't drive it until its fixed.