cluster lights - some work some dont

[444spd]

Hi Guys...couldn't identify how to trouble shoot this...believe its simple....hopefully you can help

69 charger RT -

tictoc tach lit and left half of speedo lit - rest of cluster lights dark, everything else works

cluster restored in 2011....no issues for 3 years...but car unfortunately sits a lot and problem would be intermittent until recently went dark as described above.

I pulled the cluster and checked basic stuff like the bulbs, board corrosion where they twist in, bulb housing copper tabs - everything clean and connected.

any guidance....much appreciated

[green69rt]

The bulbs in the cluster are so small and the filaments are so tiny that they are really hard to check visually, use a VOM.

[444spd]

understood....will do

my concern was that all 3 or 4 coming on/ off at the same time....might be something else

[BLK 68 R/T]

Sounds more like a loose connection or a bad ground somewhere. Check the 5 pin connector on the back, any loose pins on it?

[444spd]

Thanks R/T

I will check...also when I pull the cluster i will take some pics....see if anyone can spot anything

[green69rt]

An easy check is to take one of the bulbs that work and swap it for one that doesn't.  Then swap them both back to the original position.  That will, at least, tell you if it's the bulb or something else.

[70 sublime]

In the back of the cluster some of the lights are individual on an orange wire and some are on the printed circuit board
Sounds like the ones on the printed circuit board are the ones not working
They get their power from one of the 5 pin conector that presses onto the back of board
There is a group of 3 pins a space and a group of 2 pins
The first pin of the group of 3 pins is the lights (second is gauge feed power , next is gas and (last 2 pins) then oil then temp)

Check to see if you have power in the light pin

[Dino]

I've been telling this to anyone willing to listen: no matter how fine the pins on the circuit board may seem, it's a good idea to solder them to the board.  When I had my board out I checked for continuity and it was fine.  Yet in the car I had the same issue as you describe.  I soldered the pins and the lights have been fine ever since.

Be sure to install a solid state voltage limiter while you have the cluster out.  Well worth the money!

[444spd]

thank you sublime and dino

now i have a plan when i pull this thing

i will research the voltage limiter also

thanks again to everyone that weighed in