No tail lights and Instrument pannel lights?

[41husk]

I was going to a drive in Sunday night the Charger overheated and the gauge gave me no warning, Anyway added some anti freeze turned on the lights and headed home after the movie.  My buddy lgkuda calls and says I have brake lights but no tail lights, I already new I had no instrument lights.  I will check fuses this week anybody have any other suggestions or maybe know what is wrong?  Thanks!

[General Ryan]

I had the same prob on mine about 3 weeks ago.

I had headlights and turn signals/brake lights, no dash or park/tail lamps

I changed the fuse, wasn't burnt but cheap to change. Found a 20 amp stuck in the 3amp instrument light fuse (former owner-SHOULDA CHECKED WAY BEFORE i KNOW)

I installed the new fuse then removed the wiring from the switch and cleaned the dust ans little corrosion of and re-installed it a little firmer than before to make sure and everything works fine.

I'm assuming that the dust/corrsion and vibrations/bumps from driving jarred it loose just enough.

Anyway, that solved my similar prob, I hope its the same for you, it has to something simple as I read the wiring diagram and since the other lights work normally, its gota be either the fuse or switch.

Good luck

[41husk]

Thanks iwill get some fuses in the morning, good luck with your headlights.

[Chryco Psycho]

could be corrosion in the plug behind the kick panel to the rear lights too

[41husk]

Thanks , I will take that apart and check it also.

[Nacho-RT74]

I'm agree... do you have also sidemarkers, parking front lights ?... if doesn't then it is for sure is fuse.

On 3rd gens the headlights runs directly from charging line, parking, sidemarkers and cluster ilumination runs from a fuse on battery side of fusebox, and THEN the cluster ilumination ( if I remember right ) pass through ANOTHER extra fuse located also on fuse box but not linked with rest of fuses. ( accesory line or battery line ).

[41husk]

Thanks everyone! problem is solved (for the time being)  I bought some fuses removed the old and sure enough, blown, put in a new one turned on the lights, no instrument pannel no tail lights, check the fuse blown again.  Short somewere,  I start at the tail lights and there is a couple of exposed wires were it enters the bulb holder.  Tape them up, put in a new fuse and have tail lights but no instrument pannel lights.  Check that fuse wich I had also changed, blown, put in a new fuse and now have tail lights and pannel lights.  I am keeping my fingers crossed! 

[Nacho-RT74]

check at glove box socket... gets power from the same sorce... is easy that it moves or loose and positive makes contact with chassis on dash frame.

[41husk]

thanks if it happens again I will check that, but I think it was the exposed wires in the trunk.  After I taped them up I had lights,  It was barely exposed I really doubted that would be my problem, but like I said for the time being it appears to be fixed.

[bull]

I know on a '70 the fuse that runs the gauge lights also runs the taillights. I learned that when I was 17 from a cop who pulled me over for no taillights. No ticket though.

[andy74]

like nacho said! my 72 did the same thing,i looked over the fuse box and the bottom right hand fuse(accesory?)was blown,all the others were fine-changed it and poof,had lights again-i traced all the wiring and never found a short or bare wire,i think the fuse was just old as hell and let go

[41husk]

Troy and I took the car to a cruize Saturday night and my tail lights and instrument lights worked fine, but I am still crossing my fingers.

[Afflyer]

  How about when you have all the lights working in the back- but no instrument lights?  Here's a funny note; when I hit my floor mounted dimmer switch to bright- I get a just a few instrument lights to work.  Any clue as to what's the cause?

Bradley 

[71_deputy]

SOUNDS LIKE THE GROUND TO THE DASH IS NOT THE BEST!