Ok , this seems a bit strange , but it has happened 3 times now : You switch the headlights on (as you do ) , around an hour later , your dash-cluster light and the light that illuminates your gear-select display console ( the P-R-N-D-1-2 thing .) suddenly blacks out. Upon moving the dimmer wheel switch , it is hot to the touch. If you actually switch the headlights off and on ( the headlights are fine during all this , only the cluster / console lighting is affected , luckily ! ) , the dash lights up again and all seems normal , but this only lasts a few seconds then blacks out again . This only happens after the lights have been on for a while and the headlight / dimer switch heats up . SHould the switch heat up ? If it shouldn't , what could cause this ? Could the switch be faulty , as I don't think it should heat up at all .

Certainly when the switch cools down , normal operation is restored , so it appears to be directly related . Can anyone advise ??

This is for an 82 Trans Am .

thanks !!

 

Don't know if this is related--but the same thing happened in my g/f's 93 Camry. Turned out to be a bad dimmer switch. An aftermarket radio was installed by me--oops , and I mistakingly wired a pos to a neg(for the dimmer)it was fine if the lights weren't turned on but once on it would have the same problems you described. is there an aftermarket radio in it? Might want to double check the wiring on it. Took me 4 times of taking it apart to finally find the problem.

 

cheers Tonyrodz - yes there was an aftermarket radio in it when I got the car 4 years ago , one of the pull-out ones. This was removed as it wasn't working at all , but the wiring is still there , and it is a shambles - so that's next on the "to go" hit-list ! Will have a good check through the wiring in this area at the weekend and let you know what I find . From what you've said , this could well be the source of the problem !

thanks again for your help !!

 

My pleasure! Always glad to help someone out.
let me know what you find.

 

check for a brown and or gray wire hooked up to the radio as a ground. I made this mistake with mine. I used my multi meter to find hot, keyed hot, and ground. I grabed a brown wire and it checked out as ground so I hooked it to ground the radio. that night I turned on my lights and the dash lights and all parking/ tail lights quit working. pulled the radio out double checked every thing and with the head light switch on the brown wire was hot. with light switch off the brown wire was straight to ground. so I found a black wire that was also ground and all has been fine. oh I had to replace the tail lamp fuse to troubleshoot b/c that is what It blew being hooked up wrong.

Rich