Archived 96 dash lights out

[WaynesWorld]

My dash lights are out.

The illumination fuse is good but there is no power to it.

The head lights work.

Is there another area to look into???????



Thanks,

WAYNES WORLD

 

[WaynesWorld]

I looked under the hood------ all fuses are good.



With the head & tail lights working is the switch the villian ???????



WAYNES WORLD

 

[bmoeller]

Hey Wayne.



That sucks. It very well could be the switch. It is really easy to remove. Maybe put a test light on the wires on the back of it to check the switch out.



I replaced my switch last year (I think it was), but it was the headlights on mine, giving fits. IIRC, the fuse in the side of the dash, is the only one for the dash lights.

 

[ttbird]

if you have no power to the fuse of course you won't have dash lights. I have a 95 and the shop manual say, circuit E2 from fuse 13 in the fuse block feeds the illumination lamps. Circuit E1 from the headlamp switch powers fuse 13 when the parking lamps or headlamps are ON. Therfore your prolblem is no power from the headlamp switch. Seems time for a new one. There has been problems with the switch getting hot when dimming dash lights or adding excessive trailer lights. Check out the Summit relay kit to remove the headlight draw from the switch. Lights will be brighter as well.

 

[WaynesWorld]

Bryan,

It seems you are correct as usual.

But all the dash lights are out. :{

I threw a hot in the fuse & all the lights came on. Oo.



ttbird,

I simply love the town that you are from!!!!! :-laf



But you are absolutely correct---- its the switch.



Why would Dodge give me the new connector ?

Is it in case mine was burned ?

Since it wasn't, i will leave it alone & R&R the switck much quicker.

Now, about the relay, will it help the dash lights be brighter ?

I'm thinking of changing all my dash bulbs to brighter led bulbs to help as well.

This all started with the new Auto meter guages that have those very bright led bulbs.



Thanks guys,



WAYNES WORLD

 

[ttbird]

WAYNES WORLD- no, the relay will not make your dash lites brighter. Led"s, though a little high dollar will definetly be more intense and I would recommend them. The relays are wired so that the headlamps power is not the routed through the headlight switch, it comes directly from the batteries with the headlight switch just controlling the relay. It is suppose to stop overload on switch.

 

[bmoeller]

Wayne,



Glad you got them working. Since the LEDs pull so little juice, it may be possible that the dimmer won't have much of an effect on them to dim the lights down. You might need a bigger towel to go over the rest of the dash at night, and not just the new gauge. :-laf



Also, since you don't tow, I wouldn't bother with the relay in the kit. My kit didn't have the relay setup. just a new pigtail with the switch. Since mine wasn't damaged, I didn't use it either. I think a lot of the heat is from the dimmer pot, myself. They get pretty warm. I always keep the dash lights full on. Don't dim them down.

 

[WaynesWorld]

ttbird,



I like those LED's myself. I found them close by & will start the painstaking process of switching them over. :-{}



bryan,



I seem to have noticed a small dimming when I turned down the dash lights.

So I will attempt to change them all after the switch change.

I received the pigtail like you. What a waste since the switch is the only thing that will be replaced.

Of course you could be right about the much bigger towel provided I don't leave it in your driveway. :-laf



Thanks,



WAYNES WORLD