Electrical problem
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2010
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From: Residing in the shwa. On.
Electrical problem
Hey guys/gals I have a small elec. prob. I do not have any power to my instrument panel lights, I checked the fuse block and there is no power to that circuit at all?? My headlights and markers all work and everything off my ign. switch seams to work... Would this be a bad headlight switch anyways or could it be a ground behind the cluster or somewhere else?? Any thoughts are appreciated.
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
If you rotate the headlight **** with the headlights ON, do you get any lights at all? Sometimes the wiper inside the switch loses contact with the coil, indicating the switch needs to be cleaned, or replaced.
Is the problem just the instrument panel lights specifically, or is it all lights behind the dash (as in also the heater controls and the wiper switch light)? If it's the former, then there is a ground connection at the cluster that could be responsible. If all the lights in the dash are dead, then the problem is upstream (hence the focus on the headlight switch).
Is the problem just the instrument panel lights specifically, or is it all lights behind the dash (as in also the heater controls and the wiper switch light)? If it's the former, then there is a ground connection at the cluster that could be responsible. If all the lights in the dash are dead, then the problem is upstream (hence the focus on the headlight switch).
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 334
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From: Residing in the shwa. On.
No there is nothing anywhere, like I was saying there is no power going to that circuit at all. It's before the fuse, I was suspecting the switch. I just thought it strange that the switch still functioned otherwise... How do I go about cleaning the switch? Contact cleaner? I will try that before ordering a new switch... Thanks FMC!
Tuned
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 251
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I'd go ahead and replace the switch. More than likely the resistor on the switch that controls the dash lights has corroded, has worn out, or simply broke. It's fairly common for them to do that over time, especially if one runs the dash lights on dim all the time.
My wiring diagram shows the current going through the headlight switch, then then dash light fuse, then to the lights
. Kinda backwards I know, so the switch should be the problem...
My wiring diagram shows the current going through the headlight switch, then then dash light fuse, then to the lights
. Kinda backwards I know, so the switch should be the problem...
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
When you get the switch out, you'll see a circular coil at the front of the switch, with a small piece with what looks like a tack head (called a "wiper") that should move along the coil as you rotate the ****. This is the rheostat.
It's fairly common for the wiper to bend away from the coil, or for the coil to fill up with corrosion that looks like dried up toothpaste. Contact cleaner will work great here. If the wiper is broken or the switch is just too messed up to work with, then I agree that it is just simpler to replace the switch.
It's fairly common for the wiper to bend away from the coil, or for the coil to fill up with corrosion that looks like dried up toothpaste. Contact cleaner will work great here. If the wiper is broken or the switch is just too messed up to work with, then I agree that it is just simpler to replace the switch.
