I still have no dash lights. I've replaced the headlight switch, the transistor and the dimmer switch under the dash, and the dimmer wheel itself. Still nothing. Every so often they will blink on for about 2 seconds and go out. My blue dingie thinge won't beep when the headlights are on and the cars off. help?

Apply 12V from a source to the metal can of the transistor. If the lights light then you know your good from that point on.

Did you solder the two pins of the transistor when you replaced it. They get loose or bad in the socket and not make contact.

You could also try pushing on the two transistor pins while the lights are on and see this the dash lights. That might also test to see if it's the pins on the transistor...

You might also push on the connectors to the dash cluster to see if it has connection problems

Did you also replace the inst fuse, they can look good and be bad.

[This message has been edited by Dodgerunner (edited 09-27-2007).]

Did you check the connections on the IP cluster circuit board?

EDIT: Probably not this as too many things would be affected, not just the IP lights.

[This message has been edited by Hudini (edited 09-27-2007).]

Sorry forgot to mention, I replaced ALL the fuses just for the hell of it, the transistor was the new already assembled transistor+block form the Fierostore, I've checked all the connections on the back of the inst. cluster. Every other light in the car works fine and everything functions normal. Although I did notice my reverse lights don't work anymore, but I don't think the 2 would be connected and have everything else still work normal.

I tried dodgerunners suggestion(s) and checked all connections and took the dash apart and visiually and with a test light and voltometer checked the wiring and it was all fine. No dash lights though. Everything else is still working normally. It could be the circut board thing on the back of the dashboard it self, but all my turn signals/temp lights, and shift up light work so that rules that out. I swapped around some of the dash light sockets to make sure they all worked and they do.

I am beat on this, i'm thinking about just ordering some of the speedhut overlays, that run on their own circut. Everything else electrical works fine, and i've done everything I can think of..

Have you tried the test I suggested and applied 12V to the case of the transistor to see if the dash lights up. If that works then can help you work backward from there.

You have to logically work thru where the problem is.

OK so I tried 12V to the new transistor (I had tried the old one and nothing) and this time I got the lights. So where do I go now?

That's interesting. It should have not made any difference which transistor was in since the case of the transistor should be a direct connection to the dash lights unless there was a wiring problem.

So if it they light now that's good.

Now do you have a meter. The next check would be to turn the light switch so the tail lights are on and measure from each pin of the transistor to ground with the meter.

You should have a full 12V on one pin and some voltage on the other depending on where the dimmer dial is set.

I lent my voltometer to a friend, i'll be getting it back tommorow so I will check that out then. Is it safe to run the 12V straight to the transistor for a wee little while till I get this sorted out or will that just wreck more stuff?

To the case of the transistor is would be completely safe for the transistor. Don't know if the dash light would get a little warmer or not.

Would say you should be ok thought since other lights like the oil or over temp lights would get full voltage from their switches.

You should be able to put a wire under one of the screws of the transistor if you wanted.

[This message has been edited by Dodgerunner (edited 09-30-2007).]

Well, just went to hook it up to the 12V, turns out it wasn't the dashlights that came on with the switch, it was the warning lights(check eng, ajar, oil and batt) but no actual backlights for the dash.

[This message has been edited by Disillusion (edited 09-30-2007).]

I added some comments to the drawing above on meter measurements.

Just to be clear. The two lines might not measure 8V. The voltage could be anything from 0-12V depending on what the dimmer is set to unless there is something else wrong.

I've had a lot of electrical gremlins with this car. Mechanically it's in awesome shape minus normal wear things(ball joints brakes and tires at the moment) but electrically it's got about 4 cars worth of problems..

I also forgot to mention in the origional post that about 3 months ago someone broke into the car, nothing was damaged but they did pull the CD player pretty far out of the dash, and that caused a few wires to go loose on it, I cleaned up the wires and put the CD player back in. could something else have gotten damaged in the attempted brake in thats messing with my lights?

Humm, will since many of the wires go into the loom, pulling on the radio wires could have pulled on other wires causing problems.

Never know...the dimmer transistor is very close to the radio.

Yea, i'll just plug away at it, Thanks for all your help Dodgerunner, i'll post in this thread if I find the solution, I can't be the first person to have had this problem.

Maybe as a last resort you could run a 12V to the connector that powers on the lights. on the rear of the speedometer. They would be full bright all of the time. Run it through a fuse and an on/off switch. You can do that wit just the back side of the speedo removed I think.

Joe Crawford

[This message has been edited by josef644 (edited 10-01-2007).]

I went ahead and orderd my speedhut gauges, I've wanted them for a while in blue, and figure if now's not a good time then i'll never order them. I'm going to keep digging around in the electrical for the lights and see what I can find out for the stock light set up though. Too top off my great luck lately the windshield wiper motor is dying on me and I only get internmittent wipers about half the time.

Do your tail lights work? There on the same circuit as the dash. If you dont have dash, usually an indication they dont work either. May help you narrow it down.