WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

[cpthowdy1369]

Hey guys.  I've got a wierd thing going on with my instrument panel here.  I had to splice the dash lights wire to the headlight switch so that when I turn on my headlights, the dash lights turn on with them.   
Now for the problem,  When the key is in the on position(i think there are three positions:off, on, and start), the dash lights from the middle of the speedometer all the way to the right hand edge of the instrument panel blink in unison like they were turn signals and the turnsignal lights in the dash kind of shimmer or half blink with no pattern like the connection was blowing in the wind. 

Now when I turn the key to the off position and I turn on the headlights, the dash lights are solid and work fine.  But, my hazzard lights also work and my turn signal lights work as well.(I was told that the hazzard lights and the turn signals were not supposed to work with the key off.) 

We were thinking that maybe something was wrong with the ignition switch and if I replaced it, everything would work fine.  What do you guys think?   Thanks for your help in advance guys.

[TylerCharger69]

Well....i think the hazard lights work with the key off as well as the other lights.....when the key is in the "on" position then the turn signals will work, but not in the "off" position.  I think that maybe you have a couple of bulb sockets placed in the wrong holes. 

[maxwellwedge]

Agree. Also think the splice you did doesn't help. The dimmer in your headlight switch is probably rusty....that may have been the reason your dash lights didn't illuminate.

[A383Wing]

The lights blinking on the far right sounds like your dash cluster voltage limiter is back-feeding to some lights...I'm thinking a bad ground or loose pins on the circuit board back there....

Remove your added wire and start over with diagnosis....

[Patronus]

Agree. Also think the splice you did doesn't help. The dimmer in your headlight switch is probably rusty....that may have been the reason your dash lights didn't illuminate.

had the same prob...might have gotten lucky, but I had to turn the dimmer all the way on, then back it off just slightly, then I had to jiggle the dimmer knob back and forth and they came on.. elect. probs are the worst...

[tan top]

Agree. Also think the splice you did doesn't help. The dimmer in your headlight switch is probably rusty....that may have been the reason your dash lights didn't illuminate.

The lights blinking on the far right sounds like your dash cluster voltage limiter is back-feeding to some lights...I'm thinking a bad ground or loose pins on the circuit board back there....

Remove your added wire and start over with diagnosis....

  !   best way  

[cpthowdy1369]

Thanks guys    Ill let you know how it turns out

[cpthowdy1369]

ok guys, I put the wires back the way they were and did my best to clean the dimmer switch.  Now the blinkers still blink irradicly (but brighter)while off and key is in the on position. and the dash lights dont work at all (god I hate electrical work)  what should I do now?

[TylerCharger69]

To me....it sounds as simple as you may have your dash light bulb socket switched around with your turn signal socket....meaning they are in the wrong holes.  That electrical current comes and goes to different places.  In other words you turn on the blinker, and the dash lights start acting up...or you turn on the dash lights and that one signal indicator light stays on.....I may be wrong...but I'd start there at the simplest possible solution.   Keep us posted!!

[A383Wing]

It's a printed circuit board..you cant put wrong socket in...they are all the same

I say he's got a bad ground or faulty pin in the board...common problem

[71_deputy]

YEP- SOUNDS LIKE THE GROUND ON THE BACK OF THE DASH IS BAD- MAKE A GROUND WIRE FROM THE BACK OF THE DASH- STEEL PART TO THE DASH FRAME!

dang caps!!

[cpthowdy1369]

ok ill try that.  here is some new info, when the key is in the on position (and the blinkers are flashing all wierd when they are supposed to be off) if i turn the dimmer switch all the way up, the blinkers turn off.   i looked at the circut board on the left of the dash(when you look at it from the back) and it looks brand new(I've only owned my 69 charger for 2 years)      I will try the ground idea and see what happens.

[cpthowdy1369]

alright,  good news, i grounded the instrument cluster and the blinkers work just fine.  the gauge lights still don't work unless i turn on the wipers. when i push the wiper swtch, the gauge lights flash on real quick then turn back off.  what do you guys think?

[moodgie68]

Id get a new circuit boardor test the one that's there. If EVERYTHING isn't perfect on the board, then EVERYTHING isn't perfect with the cluster/lights. You can't always see an inperfection on the cicuit board. I'd test it out of the cluster, and then test it again installed. Good luck!,

[Patronus]

check the switch.
clean/lube/tighten, check its connections

[cpthowdy1369]

hey guys, i got an ohm meter(spelling?)  and put the points in many different configurations on the connectors of the dimmer switch(while it was out of the dash) and the numbers on the meter never changed.  before i call the dimmer switch busted, i would like to see if someone would tell me exactly how to use the meter(100-175 bucks for a new switch is a little hard to come by right now). 

this dimmer switch looks like a pretty simple switch and i dont understand how it could not work

[TylerCharger69]

i didnt realize the wipers were in this equation.....wow.....

[cpthowdy1369]

Hey guys, here's a update on the wierd light problem.  I did a little reading on this site and then bypassed the dimmer switch by connecting the middle tan wire to the bottom yellow wires on the switch.  Then I put everything back together and tested out the lights and here's what's going on now.    When I turn the headlights on with the key in the on position,  all the dash lights work great except for 2 that are next to each other.  The light on the right hand side of the speedometer(connected by an orange wire(not the blinker light))and the light inbetween the fuel gauge and the temp gauge(connected to the circuit board) come on but the start blinking.  When the key is in the off position and I turn on the headlights, all of the dash lights work just fine.  Any ideas?   Thanks again for all of your help guys.

[71_deputy]

I think you have on the board a broken trace or part of the board is not 100% grounded dausing the issue.

take apart and double check the grounding area for all the traces!