Yet another dash light prob.

[4xKory]

So yesterday I was cleaning up some switches for my cruise control and defogger (which both work now =) and finished up and put the dash back together, I had not even touched the spedo console. I start up the truck, and turn on the lights and now I have no spedo/tach/fuel/temp/cig lighter lights, but all hazard lights and blinker lights and others work perfectly, not even dim at all.

 

-Everything worked before I cleaned up the switches and took apart the bezel and steering wheel plastic.

-I replaced all the bulbs (larger size red/brick colored backing)

-checked the dimmer switch (and tore it apart and it was very clean, no bad connections i could see)

-check all fuses like 9 times, and checked all the connections behind the spedo cluster. Everything seems good, but no luck.

*I read there may be a ground behind the ash tray and looked for it but no luck*

 

Anything Im missing? Thanks in advance!

Edited January 16, 2010 by 4xKory

[WiredWrong]

So yesterday I was cleaning up some switches for my cruise control and defogger (which both work now =) and finished up and put the dash back together, I had not even touched the spedo console. I start up the truck, and turn on the lights and now I have no spedo/tach/fuel/temp/cig lighter lights, but all hazard lights and blinker lights and others work perfectly, not even dim at all.

 

-Everything worked before I cleaned up the switches and took apart the bezel and steering wheel plastic.

-I replaced all the bulbs (larger size red/brick colored backing)

-checked the dimmer switch (and tore it apart and it was very clean, no bad connections i could see)

-check all fuses like 9 times, and checked all the connections behind the spedo cluster. Everything seems good, but no luck.

*I read there may be a ground behind the ash tray and looked for it but no luck*

 

Anything Im missing? Thanks in advance!

 

 

Did you pull the whole dash out ?

are you sure the wires are in the right spot ; pinched wires etc.

 

but it sounds more like your fuse then any thing else , did you check both incab and under the hood ?

[nunya]

Did you turn the dimmer switch down and not back up? Put it togher correctly AND plug it in? Not trying to be dumb, sometimes simple things can be overlooked.

[4xKory]

Did you pull the whole dash out ?

are you sure the wires are in the right spot ; pinched wires etc.

 

but it sounds more like your fuse then any thing else , did you check both incab and under the hood ?

I havent checked under the hood, what ones do I look out for specifically- i will check all i can find. I didnt pull the whole dash, just where the gauges are and the steering column- and gauges as well.

 

Did you turn the dimmer switch down and not back up? Put it togher correctly AND plug it in? Not trying to be dumb, sometimes simple things can be overlooked.

 

Yeah I checked the dimmer switch each time turning both ways fully. I will take it apart again and check, and check connections on circuit too.

 

thanks again guys!

Edited January 16, 2010 by 4xKory

[4xKory]

ok so I got out the meter and tested all the connections on the back of my spedo and tested the connections on my dimmer switch. both came out positive and work good. I found out what two wires specifically light up the bulbs for the needles and clock etc and will trace those back because that is for sure where my problem is.

 

Im going to put together some photos tomorrow and teach everyone step by step diagnostics on dash lights because without a tester its a big guessing game and that just costs money. Im going to include how to disassemble switches and a few other components as well. Ive looked at just about every thread with a complaint on dash lights not working and many of them are dead ends with no solid answers so I hope when I am done it can get stickied or something because it seems to be a real common problem at least in the older rigs.

 

After banging my head all day I hope after I make this guide no one else will have to, at least as much as I did today and got pretty much no where lol.

[WiredWrong]

ok so I got out the meter and tested all the connections on the back of my spedo and tested the connections on my dimmer switch. both came out positive and work good. I found out what two wires specifically light up the bulbs for the needles and clock etc and will trace those back because that is for sure where my problem is.

 

Im going to put together some photos tomorrow and teach everyone step by step diagnostics on dash lights because without a tester its a big guessing game and that just costs money. Im going to include how to disassemble switches and a few other components as well. Ive looked at just about every thread with a complaint on dash lights not working and many of them are dead ends with no solid answers so I hope when I am done it can get stickied or something because it seems to be a real common problem at least in the older rigs.

 

After banging my head all day I hope after I make this guide no one else will have to, at least as much as I did today and got pretty much no where lol.

[Alkorahil]

When I pulled my cluster this past summer I had the smae thing. One of the harnesses was not in all the way though it felt like it was. I pushed some more and it popped in all the way and then everything worked on the cluster.

[4xKory]

When I pulled my cluster this past summer I had the smae thing. One of the harnesses was not in all the way though it felt like it was. I pushed some more and it popped in all the way and then everything worked on the cluster.

 

 

Hmm, good note I will check to make sure all are pushed in very well.

[4xKory]

ok i did some more diagnostics and this is what I get- NON SENSE!

 

 

When I turn the lights on, I get 11.25v on both ILL sides (that link the bulbs)

 

 

And when I turn them off it goes to 0.00v- so this functions as it should.

 

I checked at each bulb and they are getting power, and are new bulbs, but they dont come on....

????

[4xKory]

also does anyone know the right bulb number for the little blue ones for turn signals and the clock? my clock one is out and couldnt find one at schucks that looked like a match.

[4xKory]

Ok so I think I may have nailed down my problem, but dont know how to solve it.

 

I have power going into both negative and positive sides of the bulb.

I believe one side should read zero and the other side should read around 12v (when not running, 14v when running)

 

But I am not sure what I can link this to. Or if I am correct on this theory, any chime in??

[Iceman2989]

I solved this problem by replacing the fuse under the hood. Thought they were all under the dash at first, then found those, and bingo, burnt out it was. Being that this was 3 years ago... I hope you got it figured out by now, ha Just thought I'd chime in my 2 cents in case someone searching for it found this thread.