I was driving home just now when I heard a pop and my gauge lights went out, I played with the dimmer switch and they came back on, then I heard another pop and they turned off again. When got home I checked the fuse, it was still good! somethign must have gone bad in the wiring. Does anyone have any idea was or what it could be??? I am proper F**ked if my light don't work.

Is there a way to make the lights work without a fuse if worst comes to worst? please help.

thanks.

 

The gauge lights are powered from the healight switch. If you're messing with the switch and they work or go off, there's a descent chance the contacts on the switch are heading towards their final resting place.
One thing you could do is check the power at the fuse with a multimeter and see if when the gauge lights go out, the feed side from the light switch still has power. The gauge fuse usually blows pretty easily (or at least all the times I've blown one screwing around with stuff) if the power wire from the fuse to the lights is grounding out.

 

Ok that sound reasonable, but there a litle bit more I didn't add.

I blew 2 10 amp fuses the day before, I was messing around with my manual shifter and i moved a bunch of wires in the way that go to my stereo. I decided to put a 30 amp fuse, " I know its stupid!" in its place and it worked, but this time the fuse didn't blow, it just stoped working, did I fry something by doing that?

 

I don't know about a camaro but, on my bird (5speed) there is a stupid little light that lights of the shift pattern thingy in the console. Yours may not have that but the wiring could be there anyways (or for an auto shifter as well). If the wire has ground out there for some odd reason (under a screw that was tightened) and popped) and you used a larger fuse as a 'band-aid' solution, either the contacts in the switch are now burning up or, if the contacts don't go and there is a ground-short somewhere, you can )not saying you will have one but I'd hate to see it happen over a wrong fuse) run the risk of an electrical fire.
I'd take the console back apart and make sure there are no wire rubbing metal or tightened down under a screw. IIRC, gauge light wiring color is grey but, don't quote me on that.

 

Ok,

well today i removed the center console again and started going through the wires, I clean everything up and made the wiring neat but did not find one exposed circuit, I also founf the wiring for the shifter light! but It was not grounded by anything so I tucked it away somewhere safe.

I could not find anything wrong. I do not know what to do! hmmm, does anyoen else have any ideas? it looks liekt here is no longer any current going to the lights. when I pull the light switch they do not turn on, I have a 10 amp fuse in there and it doesn't blow, but non of the lights turn on.

I took off the gauge panels and looked at the bulbs, replaced the ones that were burnt lol. but that didn't help much.

IF anyone else has any ideas please let me know.

 

If you turn on your lights enough to get the gauge lights on, pull the fuse & test for current on both sides of the fuse holder. If one side has 12v, that's the feed from the light switch and the switch is good, the problem lies on the outgoing side of the circuit.
If no voltage on either (given the outgoing side won't have any w/the fuse out anyways), the contact (dimmer thingy.. rheostat ? I dunno) in the headlight switch might very well be cooked now.
Voltage for the headlights is supplied from a wire direct from the starter so, if your headlights are working, you know the switch itself has power. I think that makes sense hopefully.

 

I get the idea, my friends dimmer went out on him so he had to directly link power to the lights, I think thats what wrong with mine, because I turned my lights on and tested for voltage with a voltomiter on the fuse box and I got nothing out of each side.

I will try to bypass the wire tonight. I'll post my further discoveries.

p.s.

Thanks dude, looks like you're the only guy in the section that knows what he's talking bout

 

I'll be on pins & needles waiting for results

I don't really but, it sounds good doesn't it ? :sillylol:

 

Same thing happened with mine when I got it....Check the wires on the back of the fuse panel..Some moron ran other gauge lights off the same fused and messed up the wire so the fuse wouldn't grip right.... make sure wires are tight on the back and the fuse has good contacts...Next off try replacing the switch...Its not too expensive and a fairly easy fix.

 

how do you take off and replace the switch?

 

Damn it!

Well last night I was driving to my friends house to have him help me out, and someone pulls up next to me and tells me that my tail lights don't work, I was like WTF! Now my tail lights AND my instrument lights are not working! Checked my tail light fuse and I am getting no power.

I am really in a bind here. Does anyone have any idea whats going on and what I could check/bypass in order to get me going again?

Also if anyone knows how to remove the rheostat/dimmer switch from a Camaro please tell me, I couldn't get it out!

 

I would say that your headlight switch needs to be replaced. It sounds like part of the switch works and part does not work. To replace the headlight switch you will need to remove the instrument cluster and then you will be able to see the switch.
You need to locate a button that needs to be pressed in to get the switch **** out of the switch.
Next remove the panel that the **** sticks through.
Use a pair of needle nose pliars to turn the piece that holds the switch to the dash.
Manuver the switch out of the hole in the dash and disconnect the wiring harness.
Plug in new switch and reassemble the dash.

If I didn't explain it too good or want to see some pictures with it I have had good luck with A Haynes repair manual and they explain it pretty good in there.
Good Luck.

 

Ok I will try to change the switch, but it looks like a major pain.
I have to remove my instrument cluster just to get the friggin thing out! what about the dash pad? can I see it if I remove that?

 

I don't think that you have to remove the dash pad. From what I can remember that is. You can see it but you can't get your hands on it.
And yes it is a PITA!
Also the gauge cluster is held in by 2 nuts down at the bottom where the idiot lights are.
It might make it easier to get the cluster out if you drop the steering column down out of the way.

 

If you loosen the light switch you can spin it slightly to be able to press the **** release button w/o having to take the cluster out. Either way it is a major b---h to get out. Getting the plug off is not pleasure too but, GM was at least kind enough to not put any holding clips on the harness plug. I don't believe removing the dash pad will get you anywhere quicker but, I've never take the one off my camaro so I can't say that for certain.

Your brakes lights... back up to a wall so you'll be able to see the tails reflect or have a buddy stand behind the car & play (as in move it around and/or poke at the button) with the brake switch (mounted on the the brake pedal bracket obviously) and see if the they light back up. I have a bad switch on my camaro as well that sticks (doesn't pop out when you press the brake pedal). My el-cheapo solution was spraying WD40 in it. Since your car is actually nice.. I'd just replace it.. it just pulls out & snaps back in.