Just when i thought the problems were over...

[Rennat]

My cluster lights dont work anymore! WTF.... it just never ends. i put the stock steering wheel on yesterday, if that has anything to do with it. and when i got home tonight i replaced the 'gauge' fuse with a new 7.5amp fuse and it got my climate control lights back (but it still worked even without the temp showing up, low, med, and hi)

so i've searched a little, and heres what others have said....
(i have an 86.5 BTW)

Dimmer Switch
Radio wires - the white with green stripes needs 12v's
Cig lighter needs good ground
Tail Light fuse and Ig. Fuse
Headlight switch/stalk?

any other ideas? im going to replace all of the fuses with known good ones and test them all.

 

[CRE]

Jumper the white with black stripe wire to the white with green stripe wire on the dimmer's harness connector.

White with green stripe is (to put it very basically) an adjustable ground.

 

[Rennat]

why would i jumper the wires? or do you mean connect that solder those two wires together?

and i did take the radio out, today, and put it back in cause i had to drive it somewhere... so i guess that could be the problem too...

 

[CRE]

Sorry, if the dimmer's the problem inserting a jumper in the harness plug, effectively connecting those two wires, will give you back the lighting in the absence of the dimmer.

 

[Rennat]

so its more of a test thing then right?

 

[Zumtizzle]

DON'T DO THAT!

Install a 7.5 amp fuse inline, and bridge it to test or you can melt the board on the gauges!

The stock dimmer has a failsafe that burns it out when that happens. It's approximately 7.5amps if i remember right.

 

[Rennat]

hmm... glad i wasnt doing all of this stuff tonight. i'll skip the jumper thing then. i think my dimmer switch might have gotten unplugged when i yanked out my e-fan switch... but i'll just go through everything in the morning and see wtf is going on...

 

[CRE]

A fuse isn't a bad idea, I used one when my dimmer died and had to wait to be replaced. The jumper is used if the dimmer is proven to be shot. It's not so much as a diagnostic tool.

Although, a short to ground up stream of the dimmer would blow the 7.5A Gauge fuse. If the white with green stripe wire is fed +12v the gauge will go full dim... but no burnt fuses. There's really not much in the way of jeopardy here, but a fuse is well advised.

 

[blackout_89t]

I had that problem a few times on my 89, it was always the dimmer switch. I must have gone through 4 switches, that car had alot of electrical issues..

 

[Rennat]

well i went out this morning, and pulled that little panel thing, everything was fine, but i tested it again and i saw the leds inside working, and my climate control worked when i would turn the head lights on...

 

[ILikeCarsYesIDo]

well i went out this morning, and pulled that little panel thing, everything was fine, but i tested it again and i saw the leds inside working, and my climate control worked when i would turn the head lights on...

The car knows you want to sell it and is very angry with you.

 

[Rennat]

i know. its probably PISSED that im selling... especially since i took the momo wheel and my awesome jvc deck out... haha.

 

[CRE]

my climate control worked when i would turn the head lights on...

That's bizarre. If the dimmer were out the CC would not light up with the headlights ON, but would light up fine with them OFF. Actually, I can't think of anything related to the gauge lighting that would cause the CC do what you're describing.

Just to be sure, check the fuses for both circuits. Cig., Gauge, Dome should be the only relevant ones. With the fuses and dimmer out of the way wiring's next. Have fun!