I went to drive the car tonight, and there are no dash lights. All the other lights work (like warning lights,interior, etc..) but there are no dash lights when the headlights are on. Is there a fuse somewhere? I checked the main fuse panel and couldn't find one specific to the dash, or any that were blown for that matter. Where do I start?

 

Thanks,

Matt

What kind of car are we talking about?

On my 82 GL Hatch the dimmer knob would cause my dash to go off if I bumped it or moved it just a bit.

 

Try messing with the dash dimmer knob and see if you have dead spots on the switch? (or if the dash dimmer knob is adjusted all the way off )

 

Just a thought..

Glenn

82 SubaruHummer

01 Forester

It's on an '85 GL. Its not the dimmer, as that's the first thing I messed with. Real strange, as they worked fine yesterday, but not tonight.

 

 

 

Matt

I'm still not convinced it's not the dimmer switch messing with you

I banged on it, pulled on it, turned it around and around and no luck. It must be a fuse somewhere, although I can't find it.

Just search every fuse in your fuse box and see if any of them have blown.

 

I had that problem once except they quit on me durring a drive at night... and freaked me out. I found that it was in fact one of my fuses that had blown.

 

-Brian

Here is a strange thing to try ..but mine does this...just remembered too since its getting cold out..When I first start it I dont have any dash lights or stereo...but they come on once I wiggle the key up and down. Once the car is warmed up (or its warm outside) it goes away.I have a bad contact somewhere in the ignition switch ...and its partial to the colder weather.

 

Just a though.

Well, my stereo still works, and I couldn't find any blown fuses... Very very strange! I guy i'll have to drive in the dark for a while.

bypass your dimmer with a jumper lead or a test lamp but be careful

Did you fix it? solution?

 

i think my problem is a relay just outside the fusebox.. and not the dimmer.

hmm where's my test light haven't used it in so long.

on my 86 BRAT its my license/tail fuse (15AMP) id swap that first

Same thing happened to me on my 91 Loyale. Messed with the dimmer a bunch with no luck. Haven't checked any fuses though...

I have a feeling my dimmer switch is dead, although when i try to

by pass it, a fuse blows I think. I'll have to try it again. (could have been

related to my now technically unplugged cig lighter)

 

Another thing is, the feedback/feel of the dimmer switch feels different,

it used to have resistance, clicks, and an upper and lower edge stopping point

and now it kind of freewheels no resistance.

 

Hmm i wonder if the same one is in an imprezza i have access to. I'll have to check that out.

on my 89 GL wagon, the dimmer protion of the light switch was completely crapped out - as in the coils were burned thru - so no dash lights at all.

 

basically, i bypassed the dimmer portion & wired in some led's along the bottom of the dash panel - drilled small holes for the led housing to fit thru between the gauge faces and the clear outer cover - kind of ugly, but it worked. had always intended to "do it up" right, but never did get around to it.

My recommendation to confirm that it is the dimmer, go get a $5-$10 multi-meter from walmart, harbor freight, ect., and ohm it out. If the resistance is out of range, or infinite, it's dead. Make sure there is NO power to the switch when you do this, or you'll fry it. If it is, just go to the junkyard, and get a new one. If you'd rather something else, just go to autozone and pick up some $15 LED strips.

what i ended up doing was by passing the dimmer

 

and wiring in an LED, which i mounted by drilling a whole in the

bottom of the dashboard area, and put a small peice of tape over

the glass to keep ti from glaring at me..

 

Now i have a blue LED dash backlighs. it's kind of cool. I wanted red

but then it would have possible drowned out any red warning lights..

 

which remnds me, my CEL is on lol

If I remember correctly power for the dash lights comes from the left side headlight relay and then goes to a fuse in the dash fuse panel.

There are two Relays, one for each Headlamp and also one of those controls the Dashboard's Lights while the other one also controls the blue Low/High Light indicator.

 

The Full explanation plus a Guide about How to Swap Bosch Standard Relays in place of the old roundies, is ~► Here.

 

Kind Regards.