Dash lights not working

[pSycHOarsOnisT]

My dash lights do not come on, the fuse is fine but not getting power, my headlights and interior light come on from the same switch are working fine, have had trouble before with them coming on. I had to fiddle with the switch for it to work but now they dont at all, i replaced all the bulbs a few months ago. Any ideas whats wrong?
Thanks

 

[PanamaExpat]

Possibly the rheostat for the lamp brightness is bad. Take out the headlamp switch and check it out. There is also the possibility that there is a bad ground to the cluster assembly.

 

[pSycHOarsOnisT]

Possibly the rheostat for the lamp brightness is bad. Take out the headlamp switch and check it out. There is also the possibility that there is a bad ground to the cluster assembly.

Yeah i just pulled the switch and the spring inside is all mangled, idk what its supposed to look like but it doesnt look right ill try to get a pic up

 

[pSycHOarsOnisT]

 

[adsm08]

That's not right. I'd say you need a new switch. That spring is supposed to be wrapped around a track inside the white wheel. It's the resistor to drop voltage and dim the dash lights.

 

[pSycHOarsOnisT]

That's not right. I'd say you need a new switch. That spring is supposed to be wrapped around a track inside the white wheel. It's the resistor to drop voltage and dim the dash lights.

Thats what I thought, just went and picked one up for $20, thought it would be more thanks for the help

 

[pSycHOarsOnisT]

Now the lights all work but when i take the key out the running lights and the dash lights are sometimes staying on, there seems to be a point where the switch goes passed the off position and there is an on position after it, i can push the switch all the way in or the lights stay on, i have to kind of leave it in the middle, its only a matter of a few millimetres but it doesnt seem right

 

[adsm08]

Well power to the headlight switch is not dependent on key position in 1989. Sounds like you aren't getting the switch in the whole way.

 

[pSycHOarsOnisT]

Well power to the headlight switch is not dependent on key position in 1989. Sounds like you aren't getting the switch in the whole way.

What do you mean by not in the whole way?

 

[adsm08]

Well you pull back (out) on the knob to turn them on, and push forward (in) on it to turn them off. Well there is that click in the middle for just the dash and marker lights. You may not be getting off that middle spot.

Its also possible that you got a bad switch.

 

[pSycHOarsOnisT]

Well you pull back (out) on the knob to turn them on, and push forward (in) on it to turn them off. Well there is that click in the middle for just the dash and marker lights. You may not be getting off that middle spot.

Its also possible that you got a bad switch.

Yeah i push it in until it stops, its about 50/50 for them to turn off or stay on, if they stay on i just pull it out a little (1 or 2mm) and they go off, its nothing too bad, its just annoying. Thanksmfor the help im done with it unless i forget about the problem and drain my battery, thanks for the help

 

[PanamaExpat]

Glad you got it fixed. It was the rheostat. On your lights off issue I agree with adsm you may have gotten a bad switch.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Did you press on the little silver button as you push the knob in, the knob should fit all the way in up to the dash panel. It can be a pain getting it all the way in it is hard to push the button while you wiggle the knob in and out until clicks all the way in. Or yea get another switch.

 

[doorgunner]

Did you press on the little silver button as you push the knob in, the knob should fit all the way in up to the dash panel. It can be a pain getting it all the way in it is hard to push the button while you wiggle the knob in and out until clicks all the way in. Or yea get another switch.

ain't it the truth......that little spring-loaded button on the light-switch housing can cause the pull-push knob NOT to snap all the way in without some turning/pushing/button-pressing until it clicks all the way in place.