No Interior Dash Lights??
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 243
Likes: 0
From: Canton MI
No Interior Dash Lights??
I have a new electrical gremlin and, due to some medical problems, I am unable to search is out. To be honest, I'm hoping someone with some knowledge looking at wiring diagrams can point me in the right direction. The car is a 1973 (non-tilt, if that matters).
When I turn on the headlights, the dash remains dark...no lights on the cluster, radio, etc....nothing. Headlights and all exterior lights work fine but the entire dash remains dark. I'm hoping its a ground or something. Any ideas? Much appreciated, as usual!
When I turn on the headlights, the dash remains dark...no lights on the cluster, radio, etc....nothing. Headlights and all exterior lights work fine but the entire dash remains dark. I'm hoping its a ground or something. Any ideas? Much appreciated, as usual!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,100
Likes: 12
From: Frederick Maryland
It could be the headlight switch, a fuse or the printed circuit board behind the dash.
Start with the fuses...make sure all are OK. If they're OK, you're left with one of the other possibilities. In the '78 I owned, I had to replace the printed circuit...not terribly difficult, but you have to be careful.
Start with the fuses...make sure all are OK. If they're OK, you're left with one of the other possibilities. In the '78 I owned, I had to replace the printed circuit...not terribly difficult, but you have to be careful.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,448
Likes: 793
From: Redondo Beach, California
I think there's some discussion about this same topic on ncrs.org. Apparently if there's a short circuit in your taillights, the dash lights will go out. Sounds almost too bizarre to be true. Anyhow, just have a look --- are your taillights working? Opps. I see you said all exterior lights were working, so maybe you should just ignore this message.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 683
Likes: 4
Start with the fuse that is under the drivers side dash. If it is blown replace it, and if it continues to blow replace the light switch. The light switch has a coil spring and a wiper that contacts the spring that controls the brightness of the dash lamps.
When the wiper to spring contact area becomes sloppy this can cause the fuse to fail.
Good Luck,
Steve
When the wiper to spring contact area becomes sloppy this can cause the fuse to fail.
Good Luck,
Steve
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,877
Likes: 13
From: Doha
St. Jude Donor '08
I've been in that before and I found that the fuse was blown, I took sometime to know that because it was the small little fuse which I didnt notice when I checked all the fuses.
