Help with Dash lights?
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
From: havelock nc
Help with Dash lights?
I was driving home tonight and all my dash and shifter lights went out. Does anyone know if all these lights are one fuse? The headlights still work, also the interior light comes on when I turn headlight switch or open the door.
Any help on this problem would be Appreciated.
Thanks, Joe
Any help on this problem would be Appreciated.
Thanks, Joe
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Your dash lights fuse will be labeled INST FUSE...lower left in the fuse box..6 amp..shortest fuse in the box.
Make sure your tailights didnt go also because the tailight fuse feeds the inst fuse.
Make sure your tailights didnt go also because the tailight fuse feeds the inst fuse.
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Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Usually if the rheostat goes bad you can turn the **** over almost to where the courtesy lights come on and the dash lights will be on max bright. If the inst fuse is not blown put a test light on the inst fuse with the lights on and rotate the **** to see if the fuse is getting power from the headlight switch.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 469
Likes: 0
From: Tallinn (Estonia)
I recently fixed my instrument lights. One thing that could blow out is the INST FUSE (had it happen twice due to my own errors). When you reach the headlight switch, there is a dark green wire which is supposed to be connected to the aft right jack (aft meaning closest to the rear of car). Check its connection. If that is fine, have a look at the rheostat which is clearly visible when you remove the switch. I believe it could easily break after years of use.
If your fuse was blown, I would check the printed circuit behind the speedo and tach (since you need to remove the block anyway to reach the headlight switch). The circuit seems to catch moisture between its layers and on my 79 one of the wires on it was real bad which rendered the INST fuse blow (I saw sparks from the circuit myself). It's a rather simple job to replace the circuit with a new one and it can be done comfortably on your office desk
There is a similar circuit behind the center console gauges but this is harder to reach. I haven't touched it on my Corvette yet.
I'm quite sure one of the possibilities mentioned by me and the others is probably the key. Very unlikely that a wire inside the dash somewhere broke
If your fuse was blown, I would check the printed circuit behind the speedo and tach (since you need to remove the block anyway to reach the headlight switch). The circuit seems to catch moisture between its layers and on my 79 one of the wires on it was real bad which rendered the INST fuse blow (I saw sparks from the circuit myself). It's a rather simple job to replace the circuit with a new one and it can be done comfortably on your office desk
There is a similar circuit behind the center console gauges but this is harder to reach. I haven't touched it on my Corvette yet.I'm quite sure one of the possibilities mentioned by me and the others is probably the key. Very unlikely that a wire inside the dash somewhere broke