Quantumleap

Ok fellow vette lovers, my '88 Anniversary Edition has an odd problem, when I turn the headlights on, only headlights, knight rider instrument cluster, turn signals work. Center dash, radio, climate control lights, fog lights, driving lights front and back are out. Would this be the switch? Not looking forward to a pricey tear down looking for a short. Car is in immaculate condition and well cared for...but this...will get me a ticket for having inop tail lights at night. PS: dimmer at switch doesn't work either, but if I turn it all the way over, front floor lights and rear luggage compartment lights do turn on but that's it, no response at cluster (stays one brightness) and center dash lights don't light up

Raidmagic

The fog lights are run by another switch above the headlight switch. I'd say there is more than a switch issue but you could put power straight to the wire that lights that up and see if it works.

Quantumleap

I have no driving lights, center console lights, I mentioned the fogs because that's only part of it. I'm not an electrician, and don't want to spend hundreds just getting it diagnosed. I bought a new headlight switch, looks like the type of switch that is pretty involved, does more than just turn on headlights. Will install it and see what that does

antfarmer2

I would look at your fuses and grounds first.

Cliff Harris

The headlight switch has a circuit breaker built in.

The headlight switch must have the extra connections between the pins that control when the various lights come on:



Your symptoms indicate that you are missing a ground. It could be a crystallized solder connection on the connectors between the two PC boards in the dash. The only way to find out is to take the instrument cluster out and disassemble it.