Buddy's gause cluster don't light up

LXDriver

More HP is always good
5+ Year Member
What do you guys think it might be? Him and me are going to check the fuses, wires, and bulbs in the back of the cluster, but besides that what do you guys think it might be?

Sorry 'bout the title, just checked it after I posted the thread
 

RonJ

Banned
First check the fuse.

Next, if the cluster lights work when the red wire is jumped to the black wire in the dimmer switch connector, then replace the switch.


 


4bangincivic

sup
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What do you guys think it might be? Him and me are going to check the fuses, wires, and bulbs in the back of the cluster, but besides that what do you guys think it might be?

Sorry 'bout the title, just checked it after I posted the thread
Him and I. Do you have a battery in the car?
 

LXDriver

More HP is always good
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Come on guys, Im asking for help with my buddy's gauge cluster, not my grammar
 

JDMchula

c0up3 stAY Fr3SH
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its probably that dimmer switch/box. my friend slams the box around and the cluster lights up lol.
 

Raabe

Hell yea I suck toes!
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recheck your fuses. do you have fog lights? if your fogs/cluster lights dont work then its the fuses for a fact.

- check your fuses again
- fiddle with the dimmer box
- smack the top of the dash
- f**k it


and its "my friend and I" . you cant rock two pronouns like that. "him and me" :thumbdown
 

somejaykid

i'm a mod now
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First check the fuse.

Next, if the cluster lights work when the red wire is jumped to the black wire in the dimmer switch connector, then replace the switch.


i'm going to try this with my car hopefully that will solve to my cluster not lighting up, wish me luck guys
 

ocdjg

New Member
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Hey guys I'm having the same problem as this guy had...I checked the fuses and they checked out. I tried jumping the red and black wire and still no luck. Any other place to check?
 

RonJ

Banned
Hey guys I'm having the same problem as this guy had...I checked the fuses and they checked out. I tried jumping the red and black wire and still no luck. Any other place to check?
Which fuse did you check and how did you check it?
 

ocdjg

New Member
5+ Year Member
Which fuse did you check and how did you check it?
The instrument fuse under the dash and I also checked the one under the hood. I pulled them out and looked into them to make sure they were not burned out. Is there another fuse I should check?

Also let me report that when the gauges went out, at first it was just the gauges. Then everything went out.
 

RonJ

Banned
The instrument fuse under the dash and I also checked the one under the hood. I pulled them out and looked into them to make sure they were not burned out. Is there another fuse I should check?

Also let me report that when the gauges went out, at first it was just the gauges. Then everything went out.
The proper way to check a fuse is with a voltmeter. You should read battery voltage at BOTH small metal tabs located at the top of the fuse while it is installed.

Are you having problems with the cluster gauges or the cluster back lights? What do you mean by "Then everything went out."
 

ocdjg

New Member
5+ Year Member
The proper way to check a fuse is with a voltmeter. You should read battery voltage at BOTH small metal tabs located at the top of the fuse while it is installed.

Are you having problems with the cluster gauges or the cluster back lights? What do you mean by "Then everything went out."
I don't have a voltmeter handy atm. The backlights. Everything works like the blinkers ac controls, ect. Its the back lights that don't work. After trying to jump the dimmer without success and from more digging around, I'm starting to think I have a faulty headlight switch.
 

RonJ

Banned
I don't have a voltmeter handy atm. The backlights. Everything works like the blinkers ac controls, ect. Its the back lights that don't work. After trying to jump the dimmer without success and from more digging around, I'm starting to think I have a faulty headlight switch.
Do the taillights work? If the taillights work, then the switch is fine.

You need to recheck 7.5A fuse #30 under the dash. This is best done with a multimeter. For example, does fuse 30 get battery voltage? Otherwise, replace fuse 30 with a known good fuse.

Edit: If the heater control panel back lights work, then you may have a problem with a cluster wire or connector or the cluster itself.
 

ocdjg

New Member
5+ Year Member
Do the taillights work? If the taillights work, then the switch is fine.

You need to recheck 7.5A fuse #30 under the dash. This is best done with a multimeter. For example, does fuse 30 get battery voltage? Otherwise, replace fuse 30 with a known good fuse.

Edit: If the heater control panel back lights work, then you may have a problem with a cluster wire or connector or the cluster itself.
They do. Good call man. I'll be able to get my hands on a multimeter at noon and I'll check it again. I have plenty of spare fuses so I'll just replace it for good measure. Now if I do in fact have power there, and I replace the fuse with a known good fuse and still I have no power, could I assume that the dimmer switch is bad then?
 

RonJ

Banned
...Now if I do in fact have power there, and I replace the fuse with a known good fuse and still I have no power, could I assume that the dimmer switch is bad then?
If fuse 30 is fine and you correctly jumped the red wire to the black wire in the unplugged dimmer connector, then the dimmer switch is unlikely to be the problem. Start by checking whether fuse 30 has battery voltage at both top tabs with the light switch on.

Do the heater control panel lights work and both brighten and dim with the dimmer switch?
 


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