Gauge light bulbs not illuminating.

[hpg4815]

Any thoughts on what to do about the lights for the gauges not working? I have the ground from the new dash harness attached to the left side of the dash, and I removed all the paint. I also tested the ground using a light tester from the positive battery terminal to the dash wire grounded to the dash. it works. is there another ground wire I need to look out for? not seeing one on the new harness. if I turn the turn signal left or right that light indicator will come on but not blink. I do not have the tail light harness hooked up, nor do I have the windshield wiper switch installed. Not sure if either of those are needed to complete a circuit. this is the last thing I wanted to get working prior to trying to start the car. Please help in any way. I will try to run another separate ground wire from the dash to the battery as well. I assume that the dash lights should come on when the car is not running and the running lights or head lights are turned on? You can see in the pics that I have the left and right turn signals illuminated. The third pic is a temp ground to the battery. And then I have another ground to the dash from the new dash harness. Any recommend tests I can conduct?

 

[Ron H]

Checked the fuses?

 

[hpg4815]

Checked the fuses?

They look good from the surface. No browning and the elements all look in tact. Should I still replace them? Also I do not see any labels that pertain to the gauge lights. Headlights and running lights work.

 

[Ron H]

Sure looks good, ok maybe too elementary - but - you have the light switch dimmer adjusted?

 

[davek]

They look good from the surface. No browning and the elements all look in tact. Should I still replace them? Also I do not see any labels that pertain to the gauge lights. Headlights and running lights work.

View attachment 1473740

just test with your test light.

 

[davek]

there should be a ground wire on your new harness,that needs to be grounded.

 

[hpg4815]

Sure looks good, ok maybe too elementary - but - you have the light switch dimmer adjusted?

I played with that and also bought a new light switch just in case the original was the issue.

 

[hpg4815]

there should be a ground wire on your new harness,that needs to be grounded.

I have a wire on on the new harness grounded to the metal dash. I tested the ground with a light going from the pod battery term to that ground and it light up.

 

[hpg4815]

They look good from the surface. No browning and the elements all look in tact. Should I still replace them? Also I do not see any labels that pertain to the gauge lights. Headlights and running lights work.

View attachment 1473740

Also tested both sides of the fuses and they light up

 

[hpg4815]

just test with your test light.

Yeah. Lights up on both sides of the fuse.

 

[Purepony]

When was the last time you replacd the fuses?

I would recommend replace the fuses. If you’re already down there replace all of them I had a similar issue with my satellite. I had no parking lights no headlights no gauge lights. No instrument lights and all the fuses look good but a friend of mine told me to replace them and I already had bought them so for cheap insurance sure enough I replaced them and everything started working, interesting enough the old fuses looked good but for whatever reason they weren’t working so as soon as I replace them everything started work, so if I were you, I would recommend just replacing the fuses anyway it’s cheap insurance down the line .

 

[hpg4815]

I played with that and also bought a new light switch just in case the original was the issue.

They are on! Unbelievable but I think I didn’t have the dimmer turned enough. Feeling stupid now! Thanks all

 

[davek]

When was the last time you replacd the fuses?

I would recommend replace the fuses. If you’re already down there replace all of them I had a similar issue with my satellite. I had no parking lights no headlights no gauge lights. No instrument lights and all the fuses look good but a friend of mine told me to replace them and I already had bought them so for cheap insurance sure enough I replaced them and everything started working, interesting enough the old fuses looked good but for whatever reason they weren’t working so as soon as I replace them everything started work, so if I were you, I would recommend just replacing the fuses anyway it’s cheap insurance down the line .

he tested them so no need to change them IMO, its a ground or dimmer switch.

 

[davek]

Move the dimmer switch back and forth with the dash lights on. Would help to know what car.

 

[hpg4815]

Move the dimmer switch back and forth with the dash lights on. Would help to know what car.

It was not having the dimmer turned in the right orientation. They are working. 1972 charger. Thanks all for the quick turn around. I assumed that turning it all the way right would increase the brightness. It was the other way

 

[davek]

 

[Purepony]

he tested them so no need to change them IMO, its a ground or dimmer switch.

I tested mine too, and they showed good after I replace them everything started working but that was just my experience