Daemorok

Ok, my last post the car wouldnt start, it ended up being a melted wire near the starter, it jiggled around and was rubbing on the headers till it melted.

So anyway now that the car is running again my dash lights and my tail lights dont work. Brake lights headlights, and everything else electrical DOES work.

I tested all the fuses in the fusebox, but not the relays, cause I don't really know if you can test them, or how.
Anyway I have been looking at the wiring diagrams in my haynes manual and I cannot figure out what it is, that could make both the dash and tail lights not work, although they are listed on the same page of the diagrams.

So, first, is it one of the relays?
Second if it isnt the relays, doesn anyone know what i might be able to check for

almost forgot its a 1984 trans am

thanks

Kaps

had the same problem on my 88 GTA, turns out it was a blown fuse, tail or crtsy, dont remember which one, 20 fuse though right next to each other. Might want to recheck/replace those two, also check for change in the cig lighter. Sorry couldnt give a better answer

Daemorok

I checked all the fuses, but ill try all the 20s again

I do get juice from cig lighter cause my radar detector is plugged in there and it works fine

ZZ28ZZ

A LOT of gm cars have the dash lights and the tail light on the same fuse. Been that way since at least the 60s. (my 67 GTO was like that)
Guess they figured if the tail lights blow a fuse, the driver needs a way to know something is amiss with the elec sys.

Daemorok

i replaced the tail fuse and another one with brand new fuses, still nothing =\

Kaps

Dont know, Are you getting juice from the block? Check those two fuses mentioned before. Not too good with relays sorry.

Daemorok

literally everything works execept the tail lights and the dash lights

actualy only part of the dash lights DONT work, the gauge illumination.. all the warning lights work

fbodyandy

that happend on my 91 Rs it was a melted wire, but the dash lights and tail lights are on the same fuse.

Daemorok

was the wire under the hood, or in the dash ?

RB83L69

The dash lights get their power from the tail light circuit, right at the ignition switch. Battery comes to the switch from the fusible link; whenever the taillights are on, there's supposed to be 12V on their wire; a feed from that circuit goes to the fusebox, goes through the instr lp fuse, and comes back to the dimmer.

So if you both the tail lights and the dash lights are out, the problem has to be in the tail light circuit, right close to the headlight switch; either the connector to the headlight switch, or wiring within a couple of inches of the switch, or the switch itself.

If you're positive the tail lp fuse is good, take your instrument cluster out and check the headlight switch, you can get to it the easiest that way.

Daemorok

I just recently replaced my ignition switch, so there is a small chance, that i missed a set of wires when i was reconnecting everything... hopefully thats it ill check when i get off work.

If its not then i guess ill be taking the dash apart

RB83L69

Amazing how that works sometimes....

Daemorok

well, since the ignition switch didn't fix the problem i was having before, and I needed to get it fixed on saturday, I rushed the dash back together saturday morning at like 6am so i could get it towed to the mechanics at 7:00, there is a small chance i missed a plug, but i doubt it

Daemorok

Ok, had the dash apart, as far as i could get it. I couldnt get behind the headlight/dimmer switch... but it seems to be working

All the connections are fine around the steering column.
So the only thing i can think of is, since RB83L69 said the dash and tail power meets at the ignition switch, maybe that plug is bad, or maybe there is a fusible link thats blown.

I am really bad with electrical stuff, so its probably going back to the mechanic =\