instrument cluster is DARK
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 48
instrument cluster is DARK
Hello Everybody,
I own a 1989 with manual transmission. A couple of weeks ago I popped the fuse the runs the interior lights and door chime. Today I replaced that fuse and looked for other burned out fuses. I did not find any. So I replace the 15 amp fuse turn on the car and all my instruments are dark. They do not even light up when I turn on the key. The 15 amp fuse is still intact. The radio and the ac/heat are on and so are my interior lights. Oh and I removed the fuse just to see if anything changed on the dash. It still stayed dark. The black and white wire. that was connected to something when I opened the fuse panel. It got moved. I am wondering if that has anything to do with this. I think it is factory. If I remember correctly my 1984 had a similar wire in the fuse box. As always thank you for your help.
I own a 1989 with manual transmission. A couple of weeks ago I popped the fuse the runs the interior lights and door chime. Today I replaced that fuse and looked for other burned out fuses. I did not find any. So I replace the 15 amp fuse turn on the car and all my instruments are dark. They do not even light up when I turn on the key. The 15 amp fuse is still intact. The radio and the ac/heat are on and so are my interior lights. Oh and I removed the fuse just to see if anything changed on the dash. It still stayed dark. The black and white wire. that was connected to something when I opened the fuse panel. It got moved. I am wondering if that has anything to do with this. I think it is factory. If I remember correctly my 1984 had a similar wire in the fuse box. As always thank you for your help.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 48
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 48
Oh an on the fuse box the inj 2 location says 7.5 amp. But, the fuse diagram in the shop manual has a 20 amp fuse in it. Presently there is an intact 7.5 amp fuse. But, which on belongs in there.
Thank you
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,413
Likes: 2,745
I don't think that can be assumed!
OP - If the wire is BLK/WHT I believe it MAYBE safe to assume it's a ground that has become detached. There's multiple splices behind the dash in the vicinity. In the interest of just being cautious check the BLK/WHT with a meter and confirm that at KEY ON or just the battery connected there's no power. Then "jumper" it to a known good ground and see if anything changes.
Do you have the FSM?
By dash you mean that none of the instrument displays are lit?
The wiring diagram in 8A-11-1 says INJ 1 (20AMP), INJ 2 (10AMP). The image of the FUSE BOX has a "call out" of 7.5 for INJ 1 (but 20AMP in slot), the "call out" for INJ 2 is 10AMP and displays a 10AMP.
Last edited by WVZR-1; May 15, 2016 at 11:56 AM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 48
I don't think that can be assumed!
OP - If the wire is BLK/WHT I believe it MAYBE safe to assume it's a ground that has become detached. There's multiple splices behind the dash in the vicinity. In the interest of just being cautious check the BLK/WHT with a meter and confirm that at KEY ON or just the battery connected there's no power. Then "jumper" it to a known good ground and see if anything changes.
Do you have the FSM?
By dash you mean that none of the instrument displays are lit?
You answered I guess in post 5 you have the FSM. I see a discrepancy in the '89 FSM but it's like this:
The wiring diagram in 8A-11-1 says INJ 1 (20AMP), INJ 2 (10AMP). The image of the FUSE BOX has a "call out" of 7.5 for INJ 1 (but 20AMP in slot), the "call out" for INJ 2 is 10AMP and displays a 10AMP.
Attachment 47981881
OP - If the wire is BLK/WHT I believe it MAYBE safe to assume it's a ground that has become detached. There's multiple splices behind the dash in the vicinity. In the interest of just being cautious check the BLK/WHT with a meter and confirm that at KEY ON or just the battery connected there's no power. Then "jumper" it to a known good ground and see if anything changes.
Do you have the FSM?
By dash you mean that none of the instrument displays are lit?
You answered I guess in post 5 you have the FSM. I see a discrepancy in the '89 FSM but it's like this:
The wiring diagram in 8A-11-1 says INJ 1 (20AMP), INJ 2 (10AMP). The image of the FUSE BOX has a "call out" of 7.5 for INJ 1 (but 20AMP in slot), the "call out" for INJ 2 is 10AMP and displays a 10AMP.
Attachment 47981881
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 15,926
Likes: 579
Let me get this right do the dash lights work till you turn the lights on? If so it might be a bad light sensor.
Sorry reread is there a jump box on that one behind the battery might have to pull the battery to see it and clean it and look at the fuseable links. WV knows alot more than I do about the older ones.
Sorry reread is there a jump box on that one behind the battery might have to pull the battery to see it and clean it and look at the fuseable links. WV knows alot more than I do about the older ones.
Last edited by antfarmer2; May 15, 2016 at 12:46 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 48
Let me get this right do the dash lights work till you turn the lights on? If so it might be a bad light sensor.
Sorry reread is there a jump box on that one behind the battery might have to pull the battery to see it and clean it and look at the fuseable links. WV knows alot more than I do about the older ones.
Sorry reread is there a jump box on that one behind the battery might have to pull the battery to see it and clean it and look at the fuseable links. WV knows alot more than I do about the older ones.
I blew the cluster clock fuse. I finally replaced it. Now all of my inside lights and vanity type lights work and the bell chime for the door open works. But, the LCD does not light up. I just replaced the fuse to the LCD and checked the instrument fuse. Both are in good order. So other than the connector in the dash to the actual instrument cluster, is there any place else to look. the LCD did light up. When I replaced the fuse it went dark. I pulled the fuse and still no LCD lights. Is there a way to bypass the dimmer. Or is there something else that can keep it from illuminating. Remember it does not even light up when I start the car.
Thank you
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2013
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So Bryan Thomas from Batee sales, the instrument cluster repair service he is great, sent me some schematics of the wiring at the connectors. I used my probe and discovered that the pins that should be hot c16 and d16 with the key in start are not hot. But, all the fuses are good, DOH!!
Thank you
Thank you
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,426
Likes: 229
From: Pennsylvania
Look at the display in bright sunlight. Turn on the key. Do you see the "elements" come on, but no backlighting? Or are the displays blank like with the key off?
Makes sense that that loose wire has something to do with the cluster illumination. It's not factory, but if the cluster went dark coincidental to this wire coming loose, I'd investigate that wire.
Makes sense that that loose wire has something to do with the cluster illumination. It's not factory, but if the cluster went dark coincidental to this wire coming loose, I'd investigate that wire.
Sounds like someone may have rewired the dash lighting. That wire may be the new lead wire to the fuse box. In other words, that wire was run from the dash lights to the fuse box bypassing the original circuit. That wire was then inserted into another hot circuit by way of splicing the bare end of the wire into a different fuse.