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Okay, I need help please with my 77 vette. I replaced all the bulbs in the dash and console. They were working great. Today I put a new headlight switch in and seems to work just fine. But then I noticed that my tail lights and all of the interior lights don't work. The headlights and parking lights work fine. I checked the fuse and it was okay. I must have disconnected some wire or something. I have the dash pad out since I'm replacing it. Can someone please help me with my no tail lights and no instrument lights. Thank you
Gary, check your connections on the new headlight switch. The first position on the switch turns tose lights on. Check with a test light or voltmeter for power on the downstream terminal of the switch. According to the diagram, one of the brown wires is the tail lights, and the dark green goes the the fusebox and powers the instrument lights on a grey wire. It's most likely the connections on those terminals, OR your new switch is defective. Ask any mechanic, new just means not used, there are quite a few new parts that don't work. Here's the diagram: http://www.keystonestatecorvetteclub...tte%201977.pdf
PS the brown wire for the tail lights goes through the steering column connector. I had trouble with mine on the 73, the right turn signal was fiddley and worked after some jiggling on the connector. So they COULD be separate problems. Bill
Okay, I need help please with my 77 vette. I replaced all the bulbs in the dash and console. They were working great. Today I put a new headlight switch in and seems to work just fine. But then I noticed that my tail lights and all of the interior lights don't work. The headlights and parking lights work fine. I checked the fuse and it was okay. I must have disconnected some wire or something. I have the dash pad out since I'm replacing it. Can someone please help me with my no tail lights and no instrument lights. Thank you
The double brown wires (Circuit 9) at the headlight switch feeds both front and rear Side/Stop/Turn & License plate lights and is powered by the 20 amp Tail fuse (Circuit 40), you say the fuse is OK, recheck your fuse.
Your Headlights are working fine Lt.Blue wire feeding dimmer switch OK.
For dash and gauges lighting check grounds, there are (2) ground connectors (1) each tachometer and speedometer case.
The starting point for those grounds (and others) is on the left hinge pillar just above left courtesy light.
It is connected by a single sheet metal hex head screw through a eyelet at the end of the wire.
If grounds are connected check the 5 amp INST LPS fuse for dash & gauges lighting.
Gary, check your connections on the new headlight switch. The first position on the switch turns tose lights on. Check with a test light or voltmeter for power on the downstream terminal of the switch. According to the diagram, one of the brown wires is the tail lights, and the dark green goes the the fusebox and powers the instrument lights on a grey wire. It's most likely the connections on those terminals, OR your new switch is defective. Ask any mechanic, new just means not used, there are quite a few new parts that don't work. Here's the diagram: http://www.keystonestatecorvetteclub...tte%201977.pdf
PS the brown wire for the tail lights goes through the steering column connector. I had trouble with mine on the 73, the right turn signal was fiddley and worked after some jiggling on the connector. So they COULD be separate problems. Bill
Good information, I need to clarify the above though.
On the 77, Circuit 9 Double Brown wires at switch one goes directly to the rear body lighting connector, the other goes to the front lighting through the bulkhead connector. C124 is the rear lighting connector and C115 is the firewall bulkhead connector.
Okay, first of all thank you everyone for your answers. It is not the new switch. I put the old switch in and its the same. no lights on the dash and still no tail lights. I checked all of the fuses in the fuse box with a meter and all good. You mentioned about the 2 ground wires on the spedo and tach. Do you know what color they might be and would you know if it is one of the ground wires if they control the dash lights and the tail lights. Is there one ground wire for both? Thanks again
Okay, sorry about all the posts. This is the last one I hope. What is out are the dash lights and center console lights, tail lights, license plate light and I just noticed the parking lights are out. Headlights light works just fine. Any ideas? Is there one wire or one fuse that would control all? Like I mentioned before its not the new headlight switch.
Okay, first of all thank you everyone for your answers. It is not the new switch. I put the old switch in and its the same. no lights on the dash and still no tail lights. I checked all of the fuses in the fuse box with a meter and all good. You mentioned about the 2 ground wires on the spedo and tach. Do you know what color they might be and would you know if it is one of the ground wires if they control the dash lights and the tail lights. Is there one ground wire for both? Thanks again
One wire to each tack and speedometer housings, most of the Common Chassis grounds are black.
The eyelet on the picture of post #5 goes up into the main harness, from there it splices to many cabin ground endpoints.
The speedometer and tachometer housings will have there own ground wires, but they all originate at the eyelet post #5.
The rear lights are grounded at the left end of rear cross member, as described on the photo post #4
Here are the ground locations for Speedometer and Tachometer housings, and again the ground eyelet...Hope this helps...
Man, you need to get yourself the 1977 Corvette Assembly Manual and the 1977 Corvette Electrical Troubleshooting Manual for your car.
I'm wondering if you received the correct lamp switch for your model year?? Having several different areas all dead for lack of ground would be akin to hitting the PowerBall (in a 'negative' way). I don't see how you could have 'grounding' problems in the rear end from swapping the headlamp switch. I think the switch logic or the switch wiring must be at fault.
Once again, thank you everybody for your help. I fixed it. It was was the tail light fuse contacts in the fuse box. Fuse was good but the fuse contacts were not touching both sides of the fuse. Had to sand the contacts. Hard to believe that the tail light fuse runs all the dash lights also unless my wiring is not correct. Anyway, I'm glad it was only that. Thank you again everyone.
Once again, thank you everybody for your help. I fixed it. It was was the tail light fuse contacts in the fuse box. Fuse was good but the fuse contacts were not touching both sides of the fuse. Had to sand the contacts. Hard to believe that the tail light fuse runs all the dash lights also unless my wiring is not correct. I'm glad it was only that. Thank you again everyone.
Your wiring is just fine,
Good on you for resolving your issue This is another reason to know if your car is early or late build. There are many differences and when you need help it is useful. On the Tail Fuse, Yes and here is why. This is a Late 77 Charge Circuit Diagram.
Circuit #2 is connected to the large Battery lug on the starter solenoid.
Circuit #2 is protected by a 16 gauge fusible link "A".
Circuit #2 is HOT AT ALL TIMES.
Circuit #2 enters the fuse panel and feeds multiple items.
One side of the Tail Fuse contacts is Circuit #2, the other side it changes to Circuit #40 (orange wire).
Circuit #40 wire connects to the headlight switch directly.
When you pull the headlight switch out, Park or Head position power also passes through the rheostat of the switch and sends power to Circuit #44 DK.Green wire.
Circuit #44 runs back to the fuse panel to the INST LPS 5 amp fuse.
Circuit #44 passes through the 5 amp fuse and then changes to Circuit #8 (Instrument Lights & LPS Socket).
Houston, you now have instrument lights...
Follow?
Yup, follow for sure buddy. Thanks for taking out the time to do that and explaining it to me. I just got this car a few months ago and just finding out things about it now. I'm replacing the dash pad so I decided to change all bulbs since I have the pain in the *** dash pad out . The bulb kit I bought also mentions a hood bulb. I didn't see any socket for that under my hood. Maybe an option that year or do all 77 have that. If there is one, do you know where its located? Also, what is the white wire that connects to my headlight switch for? It wasn't connected to the wiring jack but when I did connect it to the switch, it keep my courtesy lights on all the time. So, I left it alone hanging.
center console and instrument panel
