Dash/ Tail Lights out
10-09-2007, 08:43 AM
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Car: 1986 IROC Z
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Dash/ Tail Lights out
Suddenly went out on me 2 days ago. The buzz that comes on when u turn your car off but leave the lights on also went out. I noticed that my dash lights come on when i hit the alarm, but not my tail lights or front orange lights. Fuse is good. Any input would be very much appreciated.
10-09-2007, 09:35 PM
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Car: 89RS(other cars & pics in vBgarage)
Engine: LO3, 305 TBI Mildly Modified
Transmission: BakerBuilt 700R4 w/B&M Megashifter
Axle/Gears: 3.23 Auburn Pro Series LSD
Re: Dash/ Tail Lights out
are you getting power at the fuse plug for the lights? make sure one side is hot, try replacing the fuse anyway.......when the alaem flashs the lights it send power to the parking lights via the alarm, so in fact you could remove your fuse to your parking lights and activate you alarm and they would flash, if you get power on both sides of the fuse than it may be your headlight switch
10-10-2007, 05:08 PM
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Car: 1987 IROC (parts car) '86 IROC
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Re: Dash/ Tail Lights out
89RS_82Z: If you only have power on one side of the fuse, the fuse is blown. If you have power to both sides of the fuse, it's probably good.
Black IROC 86: Check your brake and tail light bulbs. One of them is probably shorted. Check your turn signal bulbs, too. You'll have to pull each bulb and look at them. Since your dash lights blink with the alarm being set (they shouldn't) that is where I'd check first.
Does anything wierd happen when you step on the brake? I've seen shorted bulbs light up the factory radio display in Caprices.
Black IROC 86: Check your brake and tail light bulbs. One of them is probably shorted. Check your turn signal bulbs, too. You'll have to pull each bulb and look at them. Since your dash lights blink with the alarm being set (they shouldn't) that is where I'd check first.
Does anything wierd happen when you step on the brake? I've seen shorted bulbs light up the factory radio display in Caprices.
10-10-2007, 05:36 PM
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Re: Dash/ Tail Lights out
dash lights are suspose to flash when you activate the alarm, they flash just as the parking lights do to conferm it was activated, all my lights work and when i activate my alarm my parking lights flash as do my dash (gauge cluster) lights falsh, one time for arm, two for dis arm, the reason i said make sure you have power on both sides of the fuse was to make sure it was good, as curent flows through the fuse you have power on both sides (talking about using the "test probes)" on the fuse with it pluged in...... if it is a bulb replace them all, heck they are so cheap, dont forget to check your small bulbs (side markers and tag lights)
Last edited by 89RS_82Z; 10-10-2007 at 05:42 PM.
10-10-2007, 06:54 PM
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Re: Dash/ Tail Lights out
dash lights are suspose to flash when you activate the alarm, they flash just as the parking lights do to conferm it was activated, all my lights work and when i activate my alarm my parking lights flash as do my dash (gauge cluster) lights falsh, one time for arm, two for dis arm, the reason i said make sure you have power on both sides of the fuse was to make sure it was good, as curent flows through the fuse you have power on both sides (talking about using the "test probes)" on the fuse with it pluged in...... if it is a bulb replace them all, heck they are so cheap, dont forget to check your small bulbs (side markers and tag lights)
Your first post spoke volumes about your electrical knowledge. Please do not post misinformation.
10-10-2007, 07:44 PM
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Re: Dash/ Tail Lights out
i deleted this comment to avoid a big show of ego!!! LOL 
Last edited by 89RS_82Z; 10-11-2007 at 05:20 PM.
10-10-2007, 08:14 PM
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Re: Dash/ Tail Lights out
ok look, i got a brand new honda accord, got the VTEC V-6 its fully loaded and it does the same, i know what im doing........... if you tie any hot into your parking lights it going to make you parking lights flash, the reason the dash lights are tied into your parking lights is to tell you you have no lights except your headlights......as the head lights are tied into another system, you can have head lights and no parking lights....my alarm was hook up 100% acording to vipers instructions.......but i know viper dont know crap...... they are dumb as a box of rocks why should i trust them to hook the light confermation to my parking lights... they are soooo dumb..... why did i go viper, i should of went with someone else.....dang it.......now unless we are getting tail lights confused with parking lights ( i guess i need to explain) parking lights are ..... side markers..... the dim part of the front turn signals, and the dim part of your brake lights.......but well lets see if we look at a factor GM camaro dealership repair manual (the one they use at your dealership) the parking lights are in the same circut as you parking lights.... BTW i didn't go to school and get my ASE to just go around like a retard and just guess, take your fuse out of your tail/parking light circuit and see how well you speedo lights up...... if i post something im not sure of im man enough to tell you that im not sure of it........... but then again the pros at Viper, Honda, Chevy and Ford (all of witch have parking light fash confermation on there factory alarms witch flash the dash lights with it) dont know there *** from a hole in the ground
BTW: I went to school and became a certified Master Mechanic through ASE and had more than 20 years experience to back it up. SO, I know how to read a schematic. Why are you digging this hole?
----------
Heh... r1cer was filtered
Last edited by Zwrench; 10-10-2007 at 08:23 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
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10-11-2007, 05:18 PM
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Re: Dash/ Tail Lights out
lookin at wire diagram now, the brown wire goes from the light switch to all parking lights..........it also branches off to the remote dimmer that goes to the dash lights, the orange wire going to the switch, is from the "tail fuse"..... so if you hook the parking light flash wire from your alarm module, to the brown wire, it will activate all parking lights and the dash lights, since the dimmer for the dash lights gets power from the tail light wire, so you should know that it is set up like that so if you have a parking light problem, you have no dash lights telling you, that there is a problem, a safety issue..... but anyway
Zwrench, you should agree with me on this one, if he takes a jumper wire from the hot on his batt, then hooks it to the parking light + terminal on, lets say his side marker light and all his parking lights light up, then he has a switch or power to the switch, i think we can both agree he sould test to see if he has power to his headlight switch (that orange wire) he could also run that jumper to the brown wire on his switch plug, but anyway i will delete the other comment, maybe you do the same and it will make us look alot better, lets just both try to help out without nit picking others idea, as every idea counts......and sorry for getting off on the wrong foot... i was in a real bad mood last night
Zwrench, you should agree with me on this one, if he takes a jumper wire from the hot on his batt, then hooks it to the parking light + terminal on, lets say his side marker light and all his parking lights light up, then he has a switch or power to the switch, i think we can both agree he sould test to see if he has power to his headlight switch (that orange wire) he could also run that jumper to the brown wire on his switch plug, but anyway i will delete the other comment, maybe you do the same and it will make us look alot better, lets just both try to help out without nit picking others idea, as every idea counts......and sorry for getting off on the wrong foot... i was in a real bad mood last night
Last edited by 89RS_82Z; 10-11-2007 at 05:21 PM.
10-11-2007, 08:18 PM
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Car: 1987 IROC (parts car) '86 IROC
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Re: Dash/ Tail Lights out
I have uploaded the schematic that I'm looking at. That way folks at home can play along. And, can correct me if the schematic is wrong.
You are correct: The brown wire goes to the parking lights. That happens after the switch. That is an important distinction to make when diagnosing this kind of problem. The brown wire gets it's power from the switch, correct? Where does the power come from when the switch is in the 'off' position? If the dash lights blink, the circuit is being back-fed and is incorrectly wired. That is why I suggested shorted bulbs. They can backfeed the circuit and provide power to the dash lights when they're flashed. We also don't know if this car has a remote dimmer.
I enjoy a good debate and you're a good debater. Please post again soon. However, since Black IROC 86 hasn't seen fit to weigh in, we may never know what he discovered!
You are correct: The brown wire goes to the parking lights. That happens after the switch. That is an important distinction to make when diagnosing this kind of problem. The brown wire gets it's power from the switch, correct? Where does the power come from when the switch is in the 'off' position? If the dash lights blink, the circuit is being back-fed and is incorrectly wired. That is why I suggested shorted bulbs. They can backfeed the circuit and provide power to the dash lights when they're flashed. We also don't know if this car has a remote dimmer.
I enjoy a good debate and you're a good debater.
Please post again soon. However, since Black IROC 86 hasn't seen fit to weigh in, we may never know what he discovered!
10-13-2007, 05:46 AM
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Re: Dash/ Tail Lights out
Hey Guys, the following day I had my stereo installed at a shop because I wasnt reading power to my hot wire nor acc wire, I was going crazy without music so decided to go get it done and took it to a shop. The guy ended up replacing 3 fuses, I had checked all my fuses the day before with my volt-meter and didnt find any fuses without power. One of those 3 fuses was the tail light fuse, so got those workin...but I still have a problem, my DASH LIGHTS ARE STILL OUT...and now my my tail lights and parking lights dont blink with the alarm. Im kinda lost on what to check, any input is appreciated Thanks for all the replies. 
10-13-2007, 03:44 PM
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Re: Dash/ Tail Lights out
An aftermarket stereo AND an alarm system? It could be anything.
Find out what three fuses were replaced and try to determine if they have anything in common. Or just check each circuit that had a bad fuse. That's the best advice I can give without seeing the car, sorry.
Good luck and let us know if you find anything.
Find out what three fuses were replaced and try to determine if they have anything in common. Or just check each circuit that had a bad fuse. That's the best advice I can give without seeing the car, sorry.
Good luck and let us know if you find anything.
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