Instrument panel lights are out... - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Truckstr · 01-29-2004, 10:54 AM

I thought it was the switch (headlight), but I replaced the switch and... still nothing.

I recently replaced ALL of the wiring (forward light harness, engine harness, dash harness, intermediate rear harness, rear harness) and all was working fine for about a week. All of a sudden I pull the lights on one evening and... no dash lights.

All of the bulbs are fine. All of the fuses are good. The electrical gauges work fine (battery, temperature, fuel level). Everything esle works fine... except the dash lights.

I'm ata loss. Anybody have any good ideas? Thanks in advance.

This is on my '67, BTW.

1971LT1SWBPOSI373 · 01-29-2004, 11:32 AM

although it's not likely, it could be the printed circuit panel on the back of your dash panel. What you might want to try is unplugging the electrical connector on the back of the dash panel and checking for voltage at the connector (and rotating the rheostat to watch the voltage climb or drop). If you have voltage present then you have a dash problem, if you don't have voltage then maybe you have trouble at the fuse block. You should be able to find a schematic for your truck in the FAQ section of this board. Hope this helps, TJ

sneakysnake · 01-29-2004, 11:34 AM

Check your tail lights, more than likely you have a blown fuse or a bad connection in that circuit, may have a wire rubbing the frame?
Turn the dash dimmer on your switch?

Truckstr · 01-29-2004, 01:16 PM

The headlight switch is brand new and yet the same condition exists as with the old one. I played parts changer on the switch knowing that the old one sqeaked pretty bad when I turned the rheostat.

Again, all of the fuses in the fuse block test good.

This is brand new wiring from M&H Fabricators and was a plug and play deal.

I installed a new dash bezel and transfered all mof the old gauges into it. Still the same condition - no dash lights.

The printed circuit looks really good.

Help!

1971LT1SWBPOSI373 · 01-29-2004, 01:22 PM

he's a link to the wiring diagrams:

http://www.geocities.com/chevroletc1070/wiringdias.html

sneakysnake · 01-29-2004, 02:07 PM

Your gonna have to break out the volt meter
check voltage to the bulbs, you may have lost your ground, check your plug to printed board,and plug to body ground.

SWEET7T · 01-29-2004, 02:12 PM

Pull your gauge cluster and check your printed circuit for continuity with a multimeter (don't just look at it). If that is good, check the harness plug (as said above) for voltage.

stelth2002 · 01-29-2004, 02:36 PM

ground, i done had this problem

1971LT1SWBPOSI373 · 01-29-2004, 02:53 PM

you can also clean the printed circuit plug contacts using a pencil eraser while your there.
I'm in the process of rebuilding my dash panel, last night I threw out a bulb holder because for some reason it wouldn't make contact with the printed circuit. I had a good bulb but couldn't get continuity with the meter.
A quick check for a bad ground would be to put a jumper lead with the alligator clips between your dash panel and a good ground. If that doesn't work then you'll have to pull the dash panel and check the wires.
If you don't know which wires the check on the plug don't worry. Just look at the printed circuit, you can see the 4 bulbs that illuminate the guages. Trace the circuit to the connector contacts and you'll have it, the circuit is in parallel through all 4 bulbs.

Hope this helps, TJ

starbuckk · 02-01-2004, 01:45 AM

Had this problem and was a number of things all at once.

1. Headlight switch (you already checked that).
2. Bad ground.
3. Connection INTO the fuse box was bad.

01-29-2004, 10:54 AM	#1
Truckstr Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Lebanon, Tennessee Posts: 1,372	Instrument panel lights are out... I thought it was the switch (headlight), but I replaced the switch and... still nothing. I recently replaced ALL of the wiring (forward light harness, engine harness, dash harness, intermediate rear harness, rear harness) and all was working fine for about a week. All of a sudden I pull the lights on one evening and... no dash lights. All of the bulbs are fine. All of the fuses are good. The electrical gauges work fine (battery, temperature, fuel level). Everything esle works fine... except the dash lights. I'm ata loss. Anybody have any good ideas? Thanks in advance. This is on my '67, BTW. __________________ Jeff '67 short Fleet; my ongoing project. '66 long Fleet; my original "baby." Live life or bust trying.

01-29-2004, 11:32 AM	#2
1971LT1SWBPOSI373 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Springfield, VA Posts: 460	re although it's not likely, it could be the printed circuit panel on the back of your dash panel. What you might want to try is unplugging the electrical connector on the back of the dash panel and checking for voltage at the connector (and rotating the rheostat to watch the voltage climb or drop). If you have voltage present then you have a dash problem, if you don't have voltage then maybe you have trouble at the fuse block. You should be able to find a schematic for your truck in the FAQ section of this board. Hope this helps, TJ __________________ 1971 Shortbed 350/350 w/ Posi-traction 3:73's 1996 Chevy Silverado TJ in Springfield, Virginia Likes old Chevy trucks Drinks Miller MGD

01-29-2004, 01:16 PM	#4
Truckstr Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Lebanon, Tennessee Posts: 1,372	The headlight switch is brand new and yet the same condition exists as with the old one. I played parts changer on the switch knowing that the old one sqeaked pretty bad when I turned the rheostat. Again, all of the fuses in the fuse block test good. This is brand new wiring from M&H Fabricators and was a plug and play deal. I installed a new dash bezel and transfered all mof the old gauges into it. Still the same condition - no dash lights. The printed circuit looks really good. Help! __________________ Jeff '67 short Fleet; my ongoing project. '66 long Fleet; my original "baby." Live life or bust trying.

01-29-2004, 01:22 PM	#5
1971LT1SWBPOSI373 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Springfield, VA Posts: 460	re he's a link to the wiring diagrams: http://www.geocities.com/chevroletc1070/wiringdias.html __________________ 1971 Shortbed 350/350 w/ Posi-traction 3:73's 1996 Chevy Silverado TJ in Springfield, Virginia Likes old Chevy trucks Drinks Miller MGD

01-29-2004, 02:12 PM	#7
SWEET7T Try spinnin 4 rear tars Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 757	Pull your gauge cluster and check your printed circuit for continuity with a multimeter (don't just look at it). If that is good, check the harness plug (as said above) for voltage. __________________ SWEET7T 1970 C10, 2wd, LB, 307/TH350/3.08. PS, PB

01-29-2004, 11:34 AM	#3
sneakysnake It's a catastrophic success. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 2,077	Check your tail lights, more than likely you have a blown fuse or a bad connection in that circuit, may have a wire rubbing the frame? Turn the dash dimmer on your switch?

01-29-2004, 02:07 PM	#6
sneakysnake It's a catastrophic success. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 2,077	Your gonna have to break out the volt meter check voltage to the bulbs, you may have lost your ground, check your plug to printed board,and plug to body ground.

01-29-2004, 02:36 PM	#8
stelth2002 Young Gun wth Fast Inline Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Idaho Posts: 1,475	ground, i done had this problem __________________ 1967 Chevrolet LWB with built 292! 415 ft. lbs of torque, 4 speed :O with 27% overdrive too, 3.73 Posi. Frame and body done... getting painted!!!

01-29-2004, 02:53 PM	#9
1971LT1SWBPOSI373 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Springfield, VA Posts: 460	re you can also clean the printed circuit plug contacts using a pencil eraser while your there. I'm in the process of rebuilding my dash panel, last night I threw out a bulb holder because for some reason it wouldn't make contact with the printed circuit. I had a good bulb but couldn't get continuity with the meter. A quick check for a bad ground would be to put a jumper lead with the alligator clips between your dash panel and a good ground. If that doesn't work then you'll have to pull the dash panel and check the wires. If you don't know which wires the check on the plug don't worry. Just look at the printed circuit, you can see the 4 bulbs that illuminate the guages. Trace the circuit to the connector contacts and you'll have it, the circuit is in parallel through all 4 bulbs. Hope this helps, TJ __________________ 1971 Shortbed 350/350 w/ Posi-traction 3:73's 1996 Chevy Silverado TJ in Springfield, Virginia Likes old Chevy trucks Drinks Miller MGD

02-01-2004, 01:45 AM	#10
starbuckk Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Hanford CA Posts: 22	Had this problem and was a number of things all at once. 1. Headlight switch (you already checked that). 2. Bad ground. 3. Connection INTO the fuse box was bad.



Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.