I have pulled the cluster and checked all I know to check. I'm guessing it's a wiring issue.

 

Start with the basics: did you check your fuse?

 

I've checked all the fuses and their all good. The guy I bought it from said he never tried to fix it and they never worked for him. I've been driving it like this for a while so it's not a big problem since my speedo doesn't work anyhow, just curious to find the problem

 

Maybe the dimmer is all the way down. Sounds dumb but it happened to me...

 

I might be wrong. But I'm pretty sure I don't have a dimmer. Atleast I haven't found one yet. It should be located beside the clutch cancel button correct?

 

Somewhere around there, it's a round knob that you spin clockwise to make brighter. I believe it has a lightbulb on it. Go out and check, if that's you problem it takes 2 seconds to correct.

Also about your speedo, it could be that the cable has fallen out of the cluster and is no longer turning the speedo, that happened to me as well...

 

Does your taillights work? They are both on the same circuit, the dimmer switch is round and below the clutch cancel switch kinda to the left and below the steering column, you should have one, my truck is the most bare stripped down model and it has one.

 

Yea I don't have a dimmer knob. In addition, the lights on the climate control panel dont work either. And the speedo is in the cluster, something is going on where it connects to the back of the tranny, there is just a square cable end and nothing for it to connect to inside the transmission. I think it's a g52 and it was changed from a w56

 

Tail lights work fine. I checked the plug-ins that connect to the back of the cluster and everything seems fine there. Is there some kind of a relay or something I should be checking. If so, it seems if there was a problem with it, the tail lights wouldn't work either if they are on the same circuit.

 

So do you have a hole in the dash where the dimmer knob goes?



That could be your problem.

 

Ok I see now. Yea its missing. I thought that hole was just from a disconnected toggle switch or something. Anybody know where I can get a dimmer switch and how hard is it to wire up

 

Bad dimmer switch maybe? pull connector and get an ohm meter and check wiring or get a simple 12v test light and see if you got power coming in to the dimmer control knob first and back track the wiring, might also have a simple break, I bet it's something simple :} detective time, good luck and have fun :}

Darn I posted to slowly, not having a dimmer switch would not be good, do you have a connector back there dangling or cut wires back there under the steering column?

 

That should be your problem as the dimmer switch is just a variable resistor wired in line with your dash lights, so if there is no dimmer switch at all then that is like cutting a wire at that point as there is an open in the circuit, hopefully the previous person to mess with it just unplugged it for some reason. The way I would go about finding a "new" one is to find someone parting out a truck or 4runner, I believe you should be fine from 84-95 and buy it off them, ebay or the junkyard.

 

going back to basics.... have you taken bottom of fist to top of dash yet??? been working for me for years when the lights blink out from time to time.....

 

If that dimmer pictured above is missing, your dash lights will not work. Grab one at a junkyard and you should be good to go.

 

Thanks for all the help guys. Much appreciated

 

Do you have any idea what color the wires are that go to the dimmer switch? I have the same problem with the dash lights not working and i have a red wire with a female end crimped on it and a purple wire with a female end crimped on. Neither wire has power though.