Instrument lights and gauges stopped working

[87MJTIM]

I drove to a store tonight and everything was working just fine: cluster lights and all gauges.

 

I got back in to the truck to head home and I noticed the most of the dash lights were out.  One or two on the right side were lit up - speedo and oil pressure - all the others were out.  I could also see that none of the gauges were working: temp was pegged to the right, the other three (gas, oil, alt) were pegged to the left.  Both the green turn/flasher lights were on. I could see the tach moving, but it didn't look like it was reading correctly (it was dark and I was driving).

 

I could see in my mirror that my tail lights were on and the turn signals worked.

 

When I put on my turn signal, the tach needle bounced in sync with the turn signal.

 

Also, I think my high beams were on.  A few people flashed me as I drove home.

 

All this just occurred tonight.  I have not had any electrical issue previously.  I have not played with or modified any electrical part on the truck in months. The parts I did work on were in the engine bay and had nothing to do with the lights or dash.

 

When I got home, I flipped the high beam switch and it looked light the HB were on.  I had not turned them on when I first drove it.

 

And the last piece of info:  when I turned off the lights, all the gauges appeared to work correctly.

 

WTF?!?!?

 

[kryptronic]

You might need a replacement head light switch.  As I understand it, just about everything you mentioned is affected by it in some form or another.

[87MJTIM]

That was my first though, also.  However, the instrument lights and gauges run off different circuits.  Why would one effect the other?

[DirtyComanche]

That's smelling a lot like a bad ground.

[87MJTIM]

15 minutes ago, DirtyComanche said:

That's smelling a lot like a bad ground.

That could be, although, I did do Cruiser's dash ground upgrade.

 

I have an older light switch I will throw in to it.  ( I kept the previous light switch from a prior "parts cannon" repair.  Changing the switch did not fix the original issue, so I kept the old one.)

[Ωhm]

1 hour ago, 87MJTIM said:

WTF?!?!?

Tough list of symptoms. Lots of cluster problems. Check connector (C203) on back of instrument cluster, make sure it set and locked in properly.

[HOrnbrod]

Any fix yet for this problem(s)? Curious on this one....

[87MJTIM]

Not yet...too cold to be outside and the sun sets too early to see after work.  I want to get it this weekend.

 

I have located and pulled out the older headlight switch. 

[HOrnbrod]

14 minutes ago, 87MJTIM said:

Not yet...too cold to be outside and the sun sets too early to see after work.  I want to get it this weekend.

 

I have located and pulled out the older headlight switch. 

 

Roger..

[87MJTIM]

Found the problem.

 

and the winner is....Ohm!  The C203 connector came loose.  

 

I pushed it in tighter and all the gauges and lights work as AMC/Jeep intended.

 

Thanks for your help, always appreciated.