Salue

Hey everybody,
my dashlight went out, so did my heater light and my shifter light(P R N D L )..they flickered and then just went out. I don't have the little door panel that covers the fuses on the driver's side kick panel so I'm not sure which fuse it is. Also, all the fuses down there aren't burnt out. I've also checked the fuses in the engine bay and behind the glove box. Is there a relay or fuse that connects all those lights? Also, are those lights wired in sync(if the dash light goes out, the power to the heater and shifter lights get no power)? I'm just wondering cuz I just replaced the heater lights a couple of days ago and just checked it and it looks ok. So, either the fuse or relay is out or somehow the dash or shifter light is out and causing the others to get no power as well(??) Hope somebody can help me.

Thanks,

Salue

PhxTRDRunner

Are you getting no dash lights from anything? I.E. windows switches, gauges or heater/ac controls? And, if that is true, are you getting parking lights? How about headlights?

Give me some more info and I'll see if we can hunt down your problem.

Salue

You are correct in no dash lights from anything. But, I am getting power to the parking and headlights.

Salue

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Here is the circuit for the 2nd gen dash, and it shows a 10 guage fuse.
http://www.pnw4runners.net/tech/combo_meter.jpg

Underhood fuses.
http://www.pnw4runners.net/tech/underhood_fusebox.jpg

OK, just went out too the rig and scanned in my fusebox door.
http://www.pnw4runners.net/tech/inca...en_fusebox.jpg

Indeed it does have a 10 amp fuse for the guages.
Check that fuse again to make sure it's not blown.

Salue

Hey Corey,
thanks for scanning that for me, unfortunately my fuse is not blown. I even swapped it out for another 10A fuse and it's still out. Any ideas?

Could it be that if the Dash light is out, the other lights don't come on either?

Salue

Corey

iTrader: (1)

No problemo scanning it.
I have a dash light out in the far right corner of the cluster, but all of my other dash lights, heater light, and shifter lights all work.

It's gotta be something else.
Maybe a loose wire that comes off of that fuse upto the gauge cluster

Also, I have found out with electronical equipment, smacking it around can do wonders.

My TV set is from '89, and the tube is just now going out.
It will pop and go blank, and I'll hop up and smack the side and all is well

Maybe try smacking the top of your dash and see if it comes on.
Can't hurt anything by doing that.
If it comes on, something is loose somewhere.

Salue

I'm going crazy trying to figure this thing out. I currently have the whole dash apart including the guage cluster. I don't even know where the bulb(if there is one) would be on the cluster. This is so frustrating..


Salue

Cebby

Are these working? Do you have an aftermarket alarm?

Cebby

There is a ground wire for most of this stuff in the left kick panel. White with a black stripe. From my wiring diagram, it looks like it is beside the factory speaker. Check to make sure it is making contact or not cut.

Also, was the guage fuse tight? If it was loose, maybe it isn't making good contact. That would make it more intermittent though.

That circuit does go through an integration relay. Looks like it is on the back of the fuse block in the kick panel. I have no idea how to test it though...

PhxTRDRunner

OK, what you need to do next is get a multimeter out or even a test light. Turn your parking lights on, and see if there is power to the fuse(s) that you believe and that Corey is telling you that make your gauges/ect. light up. IF that does not have power, you can then backtrack to the relay for the parking lights (which I would highly doubt went bad, but it can happen). If you DO have power on both sides of that fuse, then you need to then move to checking power at one of the bults itself - an easy one to check is the one at the cig. lighter. The "green" wire is the parking lights wire and should read 12v + positive or light up your test light when the parking lights are on.


Once you have checked that stuff, let me know what you find. If you are really stuck maybe we can do some telephone support and find your problem.

Salue

Ralph,
I'll have to check on it tomorrow as I don't have a garage to work on it and it's too dark outside. I shall post tomorrow.

Salue

DH6twinotter

I had a similar problem with my clock/sig lighter/ash tray light a while back. It kept on flickering on and off and then finally didn't work anymore. Non of my fuses were blown either. Somebody here suggested bending the contacts on the fuse so it makes better connection in the fuse block. You could give that a try. It worked great for me.

Have fun.
DH6twinotter

Salue

Alright,
I've checked with my old multi-meter and I am getting power to the fuse on both ends. I then checked for power at the little bulb for the heater controls(since I had that apart). Well, it is getting power there when I check with the volt-meter. When I ground the meter and stick the positive end into the hole where the bulb should be, it shows no power until I turn the the parking light on it shows power. But when I put the actual bulb in, it doesn't light up. So, does this mean that something is not grounded? Last Tuesday I just replaced the heater light bulb with one that's supposed to be brighter but is the same wattage..That couldn't have done anything could it? Also when I installed my new CD player last week, I noticed a sinlge wire that didn't plug into anything(It was like that when I took out the stock cd player). I don't think it goes anywhere but I just checked it too and power only goes to it when I turn the parking lights on. This wire is white with a green stripe and has a blue or green terminal(?).Now, I don't believe this has anything to do with it since that plug has never been plugged in and the lights all worked fine until last Friday.

Cebby, you wouldn't have a diagram of where the ground wire you're talking about is would you?

Ralph, or anyone else....Where do I go from here?

Salue

Cebby

I looked in my wiring diagram last night and the best I could do was a general area. The drawing isn't very clear. I'll give it another look tonight... With the fuse not bad, and you are getting power, I'm kinda stumped. I don't think you'd see 12V if it wasn't grounded, unless your meter was completing the circuit (did you use a test light or a digital meter). You might have a bad socket shorting the works, but that would blow the fuse. The ground is white with black. Drop the bottom of your dash and pull the speaker to see if there is a ground wire attached to the body behind the speaker... Trace the wire to see if was cut somehow.

PhxTRDRunner

Ok, I believe I know what is wrong. Make absolute sure that you did not ground your new CD player to the parking light wire behind the radio, or the dimmer wire!!!! They both will test as a ground when the parking lights are not on!! I would even just unplug the cd player until you get your parking lights back . Ok, once you have done that, and still no lights you need to check your dimmer switch. Sounds like you may have shorted it out (possibly by the cd player install) as it is where the ground for the dash lights comes from. As a test you could unplug the dimmer switch, test again to make sure the "green" wire has 12v with the parking lights at any bulb - then put a ground to the other side of the light (white/black stripe) wire and you will then have dash lights. You just need to figure out what has failed as far as why the dimmer is not giving you a ground signal. My honest guess is the CD player is taking your ground path away - I've seen it done MANY times, and had to correct it for many a client.

Let me know what you find after these tests... I'm going out to play with my toys in the garage so I'll be back in a little bit to check on your progress.

Salue

I'm thinking my meter is completing the circuit, but I don't know. All this electrical stuff scares me. I'm not using a test light, but I don't think mine is a digital meter either, I'm not sure. It just has two probes and has a guage thats show the voltage. The thing is it doesn't even have a switch for 12V but it has other Voltage settings(9v). It just has a switch to turn to DC and the little guage moves up to show power. Hope this makes sense.

Salue

Cebby

I forgot all that stuff was connected. If the dimmer isn't plugged in will that give the same problem?

Cebby

Meters are supposed to isolate the circuit so they don't complete it, so your meter shouldn't be completing the circuit...:confused:

We'll track it down...

PhxTRDRunner

Very well could.

Cebby

Come to think of it, I think I forgot to hook mine up on my 87 Celica GTS and racked my brain about it. That was a long time ago (man I feel old)