my gauge lights quit working

[stonewall618]

title says it all... the lights quit working... and i have no clue how to change it...

[Longhorn Man]

go see if your tail lights, brake lights and dome light work.
(very first step in troubleshooting this condition)

[stonewall618]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

go see if your tail lights, brake lights and dome light work.
(very first step in troubleshooting this condition)

ya they all work... and there are no blown fuses...

[72lb4x4]

What if the tail lights, brake lights and dome light didn't work?

[stonewall618]

idk ask longhorn

[jimfulco]

Might mean a bad fuse if all that stuff dies together.

Try turning the light switch back & forth as if you were dimming/brightening the dash lights. If that makes them work temporarily, the switch rheostat is going bad.

Might also slap the top of the dash, not so hard you dent it, but enough to jar everything pretty well. If that works, you likely have a dirty connection somewhere. Pull all the bulb sockets and clean their outer and inner contacts, as well as the corresponding bulb and dash contacts. If the bulbs look old and gray, replace them while you have them out. New ones can brighten things up greatly.

[Longhorn Man]

that woulda been a popped fuse, or fuse box not getting power to the fuse.
Stone, did you have more than one light working... or were you down to one bulb?
Did you try messing with the rheostat at all?

[70clone]

i had the same problem, replaced my headlight switch and fixed it

[Mint68]

My head light switch does the same thing. If I pull the lights out too far, then all the dash light go out; just a tap in on the knob, and back to normal.

[HoupPhotography]

Originally Posted by stonewall618

idk ask longhorn

Originally Posted by jimfulco

Might also slap the top of the dash, not so hard you dent it, .

I don't know why..... But those two comments made me laugh pretty good!!!

[Longhorn Man]

lol

[Ole Blue 68]

I don't want to jack this thread but I've got a similar problem. Can somebody confirm if the turn signal indicators in the dash are bulb operated or are they part of the circuit? I'd rather find out this way then have to take the whole bezel apart.

[Longhorn Man]

turn signals and indicators are on a completely different circuit

[Ravenmocker]

Longhorn you just answered part of my question. My turn signal indicators work, the high beam light works and that is all. No other dash lights work at all. New bulbs in most that I can reach, fuse looks good in the box, what is next? Could this be a light switch rheostat? Printed circuit? There are also two small lamps dangling underneath the dash that do not work. I suppose they are for the heater/ac and possibly the glove box? I would be happy with the dash lights working at this point. All of my other lights work on the truck.

[Longhorn Man]

usually if it is the rheostat, you can wiggle/push/pull the switch and get at least a blink of light.
There ARE other things that it can be, but the switch is more common than a wire or printed circuit going bad.
It's also a cheap part avalible at any parts house

[stonewall618]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

usually if it is the rheostat, you can wiggle/push/pull the switch and get at least a blink of light.
There ARE other things that it can be, but the switch is more common than a wire or printed circuit going bad.
It's also a cheap part avalible at any parts house

yep the w/p/p... and i dont even get a response from the lights... it could be the switch... but idk... i love my truck buy it gives me a head ake and i am seriously thinking about selling it... i cant take having to put more oil in every day... not being able to get over 55 with out smelling burning oil... the missing tooth in my flywheel.... and some other various problems...

[El Jay]

Originally Posted by stonewall618

yep the w/p/p... and i dont even get a response from the lights... it could be the switch... but idk... i love my truck buy it gives me a head ake and i am seriously thinking about selling it... i cant take having to put more oil in every day... not being able to get over 55 with out smelling burning oil... the missing tooth in my flywheel.... and some other various problems...

Relax and hang in there, Dude.
These ol' trucks are a passion, even when they become a PITA!

[stonewall618]

Originally Posted by El Jay

Relax and hang in there, Dude.
These ol' trucks are a passion, even when they become a PITA!

ya but when you start a just that requires you to get on a highway every morning its not fun... its freaking scary because if they hit me its my fault for not doing the speed limit... i would love to have the truck... but 1) its not the stile i want and 2) it needs a bout a thousand dollars to make it highway worthy and a week in a pros shop... it needs a new rear main seal... flywheel... dust cover and the reason i say thousand is becaue it needs a 4spd or a 5 spd transmission... and i cant go with out the truck for a week... i HAVE GOT HAVE GOT to be able to get to work...