My gauges arn't working???

[yeahright16]

All the fuses are in perfect shape. my blinker arrows will light up and so will my high beam indicator but the lights behind my speedo and stuff are not lighting up. my indicators on the left like my seat belt warning all work its just the bulbs behind my guages. I have no idea what could be the problem?

 

 

anyone know whats going on? :???:

 

thanks everyone.

[one_bad_MJ]

loose ground

[-600JeepMJ]

:agree: most likly the ground that is behind the dash just above the break release handle.

 

go to this page to download the Electrical Manual. viewtopic.php?f=9&t=12734

[Eagle]

:agree: most likly the ground that is behind the dash just above the break release handle.

 

go to this page to download the Electrical Manual. viewtopic.php?f=9&t=12734

I disagree. If the warning lights in the array on the left work, the panel has a ground.

 

Have you tried rotating the headlight switch? It's a rheostat dimmer -- there's a contact that scrapes along a coiled (spring-like) resistant wire that controls the brightness of the instrument lights. One extreme is OFF. As the headlight switch gets old, the resistance wire often develops dead spots. On my '88 XJ, I can't run the lights at full brightness because there's a dead spot there. If I turn the switch slightly toward dim, they come on.

[Automan2164]

:agree:

 

Rob L.

[HOrnbrod]

:agree: :rotfl2:

[yeahright16]

:agree: most likly the ground that is behind the dash just above the break release handle.

 

go to this page to download the Electrical Manual. viewtopic.php?f=9&t=12734

I disagree. If the warning lights in the array on the left work, the panel has a ground.

 

Have you tried rotating the headlight switch? It's a rheostat dimmer -- there's a contact that scrapes along a coiled (spring-like) resistant wire that controls the brightness of the instrument lights. One extreme is OFF. As the headlight switch gets old, the resistance wire often develops dead spots. On my '88 XJ, I can't run the lights at full brightness because there's a dead spot there. If I turn the switch slightly toward dim, they come on.

 

yeah that was the first thing i tried. there's no sign of light regardless of which way i turn it even after the little click. But the loose ground could possibly be the problem even though i just looked at it and it seems fine. but like you said it couldn't be the ground if all the other lights are working.

[mopwrd340]

have you checked the fuse for the inst lights . the power should run thru the park lights. :thumbsup:

[yeahright16]

have you checked the fuse for the inst lights . the power should run thru the park lights. :thumbsup:

 

 

just went out and checked and the fuses are in perfect condition. replacing them made no difference. even the instrument panel fuse......

[landlubber]

Same thing with mine. fuses good, warning lights work, arrows work, low fuel light works, but nothing else.

 

at least mine is a standard so I can tell how fast I'm going by the sound of the engine and the knowledge of what gear i be in.

[Eagle]

Dare I ask if you have checked the bulbs to see if they are burned out? The instrument lights are delicate little things. They don't even have normal screw-in bases, like most light bulbs. They just have a blown glass base with two wires sticking out that are folded over to make contact when the bulb is pressed into the socket. If the bulb looks dark instead of clear when you look at it -- it's dead.

[yeahright16]

Dare I ask if you have checked the bulbs to see if they are burned out? The instrument lights are delicate little things. They don't even have normal screw-in bases, like most light bulbs. They just have a blown glass base with two wires sticking out that are folded over to make contact when the bulb is pressed into the socket. If the bulb looks dark instead of clear when you look at it -- it's dead.

 

yup i took a look at the bulbs and they all looked tip top. I have no idea what the problem could be...... :hmm:

[yeahright16]

Does anyone have any idea what i can start doing to trouble shoot this? I really want this problem fixed. So far i've checked the fuses, checked the ground, checked the bulbs which are fine, and i've looked for any loose connections. What should be my next plan of attack?

[Automan2164]

Go back over it, because assuming none of those is bad, it should work.

 

I'll bet you missed something.

Rob L.

[yeahright16]

Go back over it, because assuming none of those is bad, it should work.

 

I'll bet you missed something.

Rob L.

 

well after going back over everything i still see no apparent problems. i have no idea what to do now. this is going to drive me crazy until i fix it. :fs1:

[Automan2164]

You have another cluster to throw in there to see if that lights up? Maybe your printed circuit board it bad...

 

Rob L.

[yeahright16]

You have another cluster to throw in there to see if that lights up? Maybe your printed circuit board it bad...

 

Rob L.

 

sadly i don't have another cluster to test out so I'm planning on just going to the junk yard in the next couple days and get a new dimmer switch and see if that sovles the problem.

[COMANCHERED]

Sorry to dredge this back up, but I am experiencing the exact same problem. I have tried everything I know to get the lights to work but can't figure it out. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Forgot to add that I've already switched from dummy gauges to a full set and neither have worked. I've got the blinker lights and high beam light and warning lights but no gauge illumination.