Interior light question

[prayers1 153]

My heater/fan panel lights have no power. It is operated by a light blue/ red wire. I pulled the wire out of the panel and it has 2 other wires connected to it. One for the heater/fan panel and the other I don't know.

It's # 24 & B on the Instrument Panel below.

 

On fuse #5 when using a test light I am not getting any power, but I don't know how this can be since I have pwr at the radio. I have pwr to all other fuses.

 

I have power to the cigerette lighter, radio, light on ignition switch, courtesy lights (one on each side of the lower dash panel) and glove box.

 

 

 

 

[LindenBruce 27]

Okay, but do you have voltage at that connection? Are the bulbs possibly burnt out? Bruce

[prayers1 153]

I tried with the bulbs as well as a testlight. Right now I have the dashpad out so I'm open to suggestions.

[LoneWolf2U 136]

IIRC, the #5 fuse has power only with the headlight switch out.

[LindenBruce 27]

I assume the rest of your instrument cluster lights are working right? Could be a bad ground. But, you should have power at those sockets when your headlight switch is pulled out/turned on as Mach1Rider states. If you have no power there you have a broken wire somewhere.

 

Also, make sure your test light is well grounded as well. I have been fooled by those buggers before. Bruce

[prayers1 153]

Used a lead form the neg battery post to the test light. Fuses # 1, 2 & 3 work with key on. Fuse # 5 works with light switch pulled and Fuse # 6 & 7 work all the time.

 

This was the first and ONLY time I got power to the glove box light and heater panel light, now nothing. Also No power to radio as well. #5 fuse is so small it's hard to tell if it pops or not, what makes matters worse is that I have to break it everytime I take it out, so tight in that position. I can't find that fuse in 4 amps only in low amp fuses. Where are you guys finding that fuse. I'm almost think of getting an inline fuse and tie it to the ends of fuse #5, so I can have an easier time checking that fuse.

 

You would think it's an interior wire problem, But why no power at fuse #5?

[prayers1 153]

Went at it again tonight. Now power at #5 fuse and all lights. No power to radio feed but power to the light side of that feed. Went to hook up glove box light, moved a few wires over there, then No lights again. I checked power to fuse box. This time there is Power. What gives??????????????

[Mike65 476]

It almost souns like you have a connection problem, loose wire maybe.

[danno 128]

I think I know what it is. The heater and radio lights are controlled by the dimmer on the headlight switch. When you pull on the headlight switch, turn it all the way clockwise 9 I think) until it clicks. The clicking is it turning on the interior lights. But when it is in this position, the instrument lights will be at their brightest. The dimmers on the headlight switches are known for not working. That is why sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. When it works, you have the knob turned so the lights are at maximum brightness.

 

Give it a try!

Danno

[prayers1 153]

Lucky for me I still had the original wire harness laying around, so I took it apart instead of the one in the car. It's easier for me to show a picture instead of explaining so here's a rough drawing.

 

 

 

I found the ONLY 2 blue/red wires coming out of the fuse box, one going to the light switch, then onto a wire that goes through the firewall, I think it has something to do with the reverse lights.

 

The 2nd wire from the fuse box goes to a factory junction, from there it goes to the radio lamp, heater panel lamp, Dash Cluster wires and glove box.

 

I couldn't find any shorts, so I took the fuse box off and puled the center bolt out in order to look at the rear for any burnt wires. I found none, but I was able to trace the 2 blue/red wires. On the side facing the driver, I started to look at the terminals that hold the fuses. I found fuse #5 the smallest fuse of all feeds only the 2 blue/red wires and the fuse terminal was rather rusty, something you couldn't see from looking within the car. I scuffed the terminal with emeroy cloth, cleaned it up and put everything back together. Now I have power to all lamps. The problem was a rusty, pitted fuse terminal. It was a lot of work for something so little.

 

I hope someone can learn from this post.

[miketyler 15]

Thanks for posting this and the illustration. I am in the process now of installing my radio and like you, discovered no lights at the glove box, AC/Heat control, and light-side of the radio connector.

 

I too have no power at the #5 fuse. Looking at your diagram I would have thought that the light switch would have been place between the fuse box and the factory connector. All my other lights thru the light switch are working; could I assume then the switch is getting power and the switch is defective?

Edited November 24, 2012 by miketyler

[danno 128]

Mike, do you have a voltmeter? I would look to see if you have 12 volts on both ends of the #5 fuse when the lights are on and the dimmer is all the way to bright. When you say "all the lights through the light switch are working", are you talking about the exterior lights, or the dash lights?

 

If you have lights for your instruments and not for the radio and fan, then your light switch and fuse are ok.

 

You can use a short piece of wire to jump from one fuse that you know has voltage on it to the #5 fuse. See if your lights work when you do this. Try it on both sides of this fuse if it does work. If adding this jumper fixes it, then you either have a bad light switch or a broken wire.

[miketyler 15]

Hi Danno - yes, I meant to say all the external lights are working thru the switch. Since I posted that I started working with the light switch trying to remove it yesterday. Once I got it out of the dash, tested again and did get power thru the light side of the radio connector. However it was intermittent during the dimming operation so I ordered a new headlight switch.