Dashboard lights just.... shut off? =S

[jeromea]

So late last night leaving work I went to turn on my car and the dash lights didn't come on, and I'm not sure why. I played around with the dimmer switch thinking I might have turned it by accident but that did nothing. My emg brake light, CEL, defrost light, and radio still come on, but the actual tachometer/speedometer and heater controls don't light up at all. Anyone else ever ran into this or have any tips? I get out of work at 2am, and it's a little scary as the inside of my car is darker than Satans butthole.

If it helps any the only thing I did to the car before that happened was change the shifter-plate bushings.

 

[ktgurl87]

My car used to do that. What it ended up being was the main alt fuse was shorting out almost the entire fusebox, so everytime you'd put a new fuse in, it would pop as soon as you turned the switch on. Have you checked your fuses in the engine bay?

 

[jeromea]

My car used to do that. What it ended up being was the main alt fuse was shorting out almost the entire fusebox, so everytime you'd put a new fuse in, it would pop as soon as you turned the switch on. Have you checked your fuses in the engine bay?

The only one that I see that was clearly popped was the fuse for the tail-lights. Which doesn't really make any sense to me either cause every single one of the lights in the back work.

 

[turbo98eclipse]

Well did you replace the fuse anyway???

 

[jeromea]

Well did you replace the fuse anyway???

I just figured out it was blown, but I'll get to it ASAP. God knows how long it's been that way. The question I have is how would that fix anything if that fuse is for the tail-lights, and my problem is in the dash? I'm gonna go get the fuse anyway, just curious.

 

[ktgurl87]

I honestly dont think the one that controls the dash lights say anything about dash lights . But I think it also messes with the running lights when you turn on the switch. That's exactly what mine did. The headlights would work, and the tail lights would work when you pressed the brake, but the dash lights wouldn't work, and the tails wouldn't work.

 

[jeromea]

I honestly dont think the one that controls the dash lights say anything about dash lights . But I think it also messes with the running lights when you turn on the switch. That's exactly what mine did. The headlights would work, and the tail lights would work when you pressed the brake, but the dash lights wouldn't work, and the tails wouldn't work.

That little 15a fuse fixed it. I went to the store, but unfortunately it had just closed so I had to go fishing around in the car. Apparently this isn't the first time this has happened, the guy before me had ten 15a fuses in the glovebox.

 

[ktgurl87]

Make sure your big alt fuse is bolted in good and tight and not loose at all. That's why mine kept blowing. The previous owner had stuck a new one on top of an old broken leg of a previous fuse, and so it wasn't sitting all the way down and was shorting it out. It also caused my alternator to charge sometimes, and I ended up having to replace my battery also because of it. The fuse had actually welded itself to the fusebox and it took some doing to get the old bolt and the old leg out, but once we got all of that out and the new one in, all was gravy.

 

[jeromea]

Make sure your big alt fuse is bolted in good and tight and not loose at all. That's why mine kept blowing. The previous owner had stuck a new one on top of an old broken leg of a previous fuse, and so it wasn't sitting all the way down and was shorting it out. It also caused my alternator to charge sometimes, and I ended up having to replace my battery also because of it. The fuse had actually welded itself to the fusebox and it took some doing to get the old bolt and the old leg out, but once we got all of that out and the new one in, all was gravy.

Will do, thanks.