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Well i bought my 79 last year and the guy i got it from was upfront and told me interior gauge lights were not working and as i still haven't driven it in the dark didn't know the tail lights are also not working. Signal lights and brake lights are working and interior courtesy lights work. I changed the fuses so not that and have a receipt that he just had the headlight switch replaced. I am thinking maybe a bad switch. Are the 2 problems connected as i seem to recall on some cars they were Thanks .
I have a 79, its unlikely to be one problem as I understand that the instrument lamps and tail lamps are on separate circuits and separate fuses. Did you replace all the fuses (I have had brand new ones which don't appear to be blown not work). The instrument lamps is a 6amp fuse and tail lamps 20amps.
When I got my car the illumination for the gauges & speedo/tacho only worked if the dimmer on the headlight switch was fully to the right .. the rheostat on the headlight switch has burnt out just before full illumination. Does the receipt cover the switch or include installation (they are a b..tch to replace. Are you sure he replaced the switch? With that said, I know others that brought a new switch and it was faulty out of the box ...
Is it just the illumination for the gauges not working or the speedo/tacho as well? I ask because we managed to damage the circuit board for the centre gauges when we pulled and re-installed the dash, the connecting fingers are very fragile on an old board as they delaminate from the plastic backing. I lost illumination and the clock but a new PCB fixed that.
Do you have the GM shop manual? its got a couple of sections on fault diagnosis that I have found really helpful
Thanks for the info and the pic, So i have 2 problems to work on. Sucks not having the lights. both speedo and tach lights are not working as well as the gauges and shifter lite. Tail light problem fronts go up and work and high beam works just nothing at the back. other than that everything works. Great during the day. dark is the problem .
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In my 68 that would be the 1 problem. The light switch is where the power to the fuse panel comes from for those items. Its weird but I had to trace the problem through the switch into a th fuse block where I found a melted wire. godd luck
The tail lamp fuse feeds the instrument panel light fuse. Your problem could easily be that the tail lamp fuse is blown. Of course if you replace and it blows again you have another problem
If both of those fuses are OK, the rheostat in the headlight switch that controls dimming of the panel lights may be burned out. In that vein have you made sure that the headlamp switch **** is turned all the way clockwise? That's how you control dimming of the panel lamps and if it's far counter-clockwise they won't light.
thanks for the reply. somehow in the back of my mind I was thinking the problems could be related. so will make sure all the fuses are good and change the switch. its kind of a pain but did it on my 78 so have a idea on how it's done. I just have a recipt for a new switch installed a few years ago by the previous owner hopefully a cheap fix and having lights would be a good thing
1 problem or 2
