71 vette dash lights stay on when car is turned off but only the lights in the main cluster the gauges above the radio all go out... and the crazy thing is my dimmer switch works my parking lights wich also stay on ..... This problem was present when I bought the car... totaly removed the aftermarket radio,speakers and kill switch. replaced the headlight switch with a new GM unit.. still no luck Ideas please!!!!!
Thanks 4-speed 350 car with air if it matters

 

Hmmmm, that is strange. Is there any way of turning them off besides disconnecting battery?

 

Hmmmm. I know I had some weird electrical problems when I got my car. :crazy: I'd start by getting a wiring diagram for that year and see if there is anything along the line that could short out or cause problems. Then start chasing wires and testing continuitiy. Maybe the previous owner has a "custom" wiring job in there. Goodluck. :thumbs:

 

:withstupid:

There's only one way to tackle electrical problems. Get the wiring diagram, a good multimeter, and start testing. It can be a huge pain... :(

 

You definitely need a wiring diagram and volt/ohm meter. From your description it sounds like someone burned up some wires, replaced them, and didn't configure the fuse box/firewall connector properly. You may want to start there with your parking lights and see why the dimmer switch is wired right, but controlling the wrong lamps.

 

before you go ape sh it with the wiring diagrams, somehow I suspect someone put the bulbs back in the rong locations...there are 4 gray wired bulbs for each of the tach and speedo.....a lite blue and dark blue...they are right and left turn signals, as I recall, the gray wired bulbs are general lighting, and should work with the lightswitch dimmer...you know, where you twist it to dim the dash lights....and then there is a green for up top of the speedo in the center, and maybe a pink/brown for your emergency brake light up top center of the tach........the two blues go bottom center of each unit....the units casings should be grounded one each by a tab with heavy black wiere pushed over it....bottom center of tach and speedo....there is a ground flat metal tab from light switch frame to the speedo...part of mechanical assy.....

the tach and speedo are marked as to color of wires the bulbs have, stamped into the metal....good luck reading while in the car...have fun, it's such a DREAM up under these older cars.....take the driver's seat out for your comfort, it's only 4 1/2 inch bolts.....you may need drop out the entire dash....
drop steering column first, two firewall bolts, two up under the cover plate and again, have fun....

GENE

 

I will try to get in there to check out the locations of the colored wires and to witch bulb outlet they go.
anyone have a old dash out to show locations of the bulbs/wire color location??
Thanks again for any help an YES i do have to unhook the battery everytime ........................................ . :banghead:

 

pulled the whole deal apart no dice all bulbs plugged in correctly.
new headlight switch from ecklers when I unplug the ground straps from the bottom of the lights they go out.... caould I have gotten a bad headlight /dashlight dimmer switch????? or could something in the ing switch cause it?? that's about all I can think of .... :(

 

Do your dome lights function normally with the door open? Also check the dome light function of the headlight switch.
Is they anything else not working nomally?