Dash lights problem

Need some help - I have a 1973 plymouth road runner - rally dash w/ tach

All of the dash lights are out - new bulbs.

Also the fuse for the instrument panel keeps blowing.

I see a ground to the dash metal looks like it comes from the instrument panel wiring.

I put in a new headlight switch and all works except for the dash lights and the dome lights - is there a lead for all the dash lights or a voltage regular problem

Please advise - thanks for your help.

Ralph

I think it might be the voltage regulator, The dome lights and instrument lights all wire into the wiring harness and should clip in. Grab a voltage meter and check the headlight switch connections after you check the voltage regulator.
The new headlight switch might actually be the problem the more i think about it because on my Charger you can control all the lights from it, so your should exactly the same.

When you open your doors does the dome light come on? If so then you have a ground and the connection in the harness is good. You could just have a flat spot on the "New" switch, Double check the connectors on the back, wiggle the wires and hopefully its something really simple.

If not pick up another switch and try it out, same problem then its something else.
Hope this helps a bit, I just got done doing the electrical on my car.

Thanks for the comments.

I have already tried a new headlight switch and basically the same all parking lights and headlights work but no dome or dash lights.

I will look for a voltage reqular that for the dash, I saw the original one at the back of the dash.

Do you know how to remove - just wiggle it out ??

Thanks again

Ralph

the dome light/instrument lights & tail lights/side marker lights, all run off the same circuit, have you done any recent changes to the car?, like add a stereo system,taken the cluster out?, if so I'd check for any pinched wires, in the area you worked on.

I changed the battery in my '66 Coronet years ago, it was dark at the time, and all I did was set the battery in the tray, well a couple of days later I was driving home (at night), when my dash lights went out, well I got home opened the door, and my dome light was out as well, so I checked the outside lights too, I had no taillights or parking lights, so I checked the fuse (it was burned), so I thought I'll just change it, as soon as I changed it and turned on the lights it popped it again, I knew something was shorting out, but what?, well in my head I thought about what I've worked on recently on the car, the last thing I changed was the battery, so I popped the hood, well I noticed the wiring harness that goes to the lights was "under" the battery, it runs right along the battery, well, when I put the battery in it just caught the harness and pulled it down under the battery!, it had rubbed a tiny hole in the insulation, and that was all it took.

the voltage limiter has nothing to do with any of the lighting.

You most likely have a ground problem. Have you loosened or removed the gauge panel or the steering column? The gauge panel itself is grounded when all 6 screws attach it to the metal dash frame. There are 4 screws around the gauges and 1 on each side of the column. Have to lay on the floor and look up to see them. There is also a ground wire under there that attaches to 1 of the 3 bolts with rippled washers that hold the column support. The other end attaches to the column itself and is about 5 inches long. At this point, disconnect the negative battery terminal. Might unplug/plug the column harness.... only if signals, flasher and brake lights don't work. After checking that, wiggle the fuse box a little. If any movement, loosen the 2 phillips screws about half way, wiggle again and then tighten. If it looks like a fuse is trying to pop out, 1 of the clips on the back side is bent. All of the fuses should be laying flat, not angled. If 1 of the clips is sticking out further than the rest, carefully push it back in. I had a bad connection there and solved 4 hours worth of wire checking. Lastly, check your bulbs. Actually you should replace each one and make sure you don't have any crossed, like the high beam bulb plugged in a turn signal socket. Also check you grounds under the hood. Best to loosen and scrape to new metal for better ground.

thanks for the information

this is what i have a new headswitch switch that works all lights except dash and dome - this now properly works all parking lights and headlights. dash has had this problem since i bought it.
fuse for the instrument panel keeps burning out.

I did not see a ground wire from the one of three bolts you explain to the steering column / saw a ground wire from the underdash harness to the metal dash support - could not locate where it came from.

where does the ground wire from one of the three bolts go to ??

I will also check the fusebox

Thanks Ralph

Ralph Cali said:

thanks for the information

this is what i have a new headswitch switch that works all lights except dash and dome - this now properly works all parking lights and headlights. dash has had this problem since i bought it.
fuse for the instrument panel keeps burning out.

I did not see a ground wire from the one of three bolts you explain to the steering column / saw a ground wire from the underdash harness to the metal dash support - could not locate where it came from.

where does the ground wire from one of the three bolts go to ??

I will also check the fusebox

Thanks Ralph

Click to expand...

I'm still leaning towards a pinched/bare wire shorting out somewhere,
this fuse controls the "instrument lights", "dome light", "parking lights" "license plate light" etc.,
I worked on a car that "Year One" had restored "Kenny Wayne Shepherd's" Duster, to be exact, and they kept popping the same fuse, they were blaming it on us (we did the cluster) and none of their "experts" could figure it out, I kept telling them to check for pinched wires, but they wouldn't listen, anyways when we got the car to our shop, in California, I took a peek under the dash/steering column, guess what?, I found a pinched wire, between the column and dash, it took me about 5 minutes!, Nice.

thanks, will work on it.

Ralph

Ralph Cali said:

thanks for the information

this is what i have a new headswitch switch that works all lights except dash and dome - this now properly works all parking lights and headlights. dash has had this problem since i bought it.
fuse for the instrument panel keeps burning out.

I did not see a ground wire from the one of three bolts you explain to the steering column / saw a ground wire from the underdash harness to the metal dash support - could not locate where it came from.

where does the ground wire from one of the three bolts go to ??

I will also check the fusebox

Thanks Ralph

Click to expand...

It is connected to the left bolt, hangs under the column and attaches to a screw on the bottom of the dash on the right side.