Hey guys the title just about explains everything. My headlights, parking lights and all the interior lights don't work but every other electrical system does. Does anybody have any idea what could cause this?

Thanks,
-Max

 

Could be a broken headlight switch or blown fusible link off the starter. One of the heavy gauge red wires runs from the starter to the headlight switch for power.

 

damn it..i have the same problem cept on my 86 iroc...wtf...no front lights or interior or radio..if someone knows how to fix this let me know..

 

I had the same problem with interior lights. this link should help you out.

http://www.geocities.com/modularmoto...en/dashlights/

don't know if it will fix the problem with headlights though!

 

Thanks for the help guys,
Well today whatever the problem is, it drained my battery. I tried cranking the car over, it would have trouble spinning the starter and then the battery died completely and couldn't spin the starter at all.

It is not what cfirebird86 posted (my bird is an 84 so it doesn't have the module you replaced), because I'm not talking about my dash lighting (never works on my car) I'm talking about the dome light and the illumination uder your feet when you open the door. Also my radio works, but it is an aftermarket unit.

Now I think deadbird is onto something. I doubt its the headlight switch because if it was bad, why would the interior lighting go out too? Which wire runs from the starter to the headlight switch? Is it one of the ones connected to the big post on the starter, or one that is connected to the little starter psot marked "s"?

I'm pretty convinced I ahve a short cause one of the starter wires "may" have melted and fused itself to the headers (happened before), so I will check that out tomorrow and let everybody know.

Thanks for the help, not sure if any of my post made sense but it ois very late at night.

Goodnight everybody,
-Max

 

I need help with this. Whatever is casusing tyhe headlights to malfunction is also draining my battery so please give me some ideas where to start. I checked all the grounds and all the fuses and they are all good.

Thanks for the help,
-Max

 

Well, my guess was more toward the fusible link having toasted (the switch was just a stab at a 'could be' thing). BTW, the power wire to the light switch is on the large post of the starter. To find the correct one at the starter (since they aren't labeled or anything), a multimeter would make it more handy to hunt.

Anyways.. the wire comes in thru the bulkhead & then splits. One goes to the headlight switch & powers the headlights 'directly'. The other half of the splice powers, I believe, the TAIL (fuse/circuit) lights (powers all the parking lamps), and from the lights switch (also powerd from the TAIL circuit thru the headlamp switch), the green wire runs to the INST fuse & powers the dash lights. Not positive (I'm to lazy to look) but, I think that the ACC fuse/circuit is also powered off this wire (don't quote me on that though) which, your dome lights are powered by. Also, if that's even right, your cig. lighter & (factory) radio wouldn't work either.

The battery thing sounds like a different peoblem but, maybe the 2 are related somehow. I dunno, the battery usually dies because it's life span is up (dead cell or something similar) or there is something staying on & using power even when the car is off (a relay, light, ignition left on.. something).

Obviously, I don't know what the hell I'm talking about (over 90% of the time.. lol) but, it's an idea

 

Well I figured my problem is somewhere around the starter so I whipped out a volmeter and measured. I measured the voltage between the batery positive and teh big post on the starter solenoid and it showed approx. 10V when the manual says it should show 0V. I then measured the voltage to the starter ground and it measured 0V like it was supposed to.

Does anmybody have any idea what this means because I am confused.

Thanks,
-Max

 

Check the power distribution curcuit board. Mine went out so all I did was splice all the wires in it together in a staggered splice. should work after that. Never had a problem bypassing the board.