Dash Lights

[BubbaDuke]

Good day people.  I'm in a bind.  I bought my car 2 years ago and when I got it the dash lights didn't work.  I figured it was the fuse or bulbs.  I replaced them both the following winter and I still didn't have dash lights.  So this winter I pulled the dash cluster out.  Traced all the wires under my dash, made sure there weren't any burnt ones, which there where, but I replaced.   then I cleaned the dash dimmer switch to the best of my ability.  Put everything back and....nothing.  Still no lights.  I replaced every bulb again and fuse, but nothing.  I'm kind of thinking it is my dimmer switch.  Is there a way I can test or by sight to see if it is the reason.  Or does anyone have other suggests.  Thanks

[bobs66440]

If you have the gauge panel out you should be able to bypass the dimmer switch and run a wire direct from the battery to the feed for the lights (Panel probably needs to be grounded). Or locate the feed under the dash and run a wire from the fuse block to it. That will tell you what's what. If they work then you know it's the switch or the connection in between. Just make sure it's supposed to have 12V running to it and not like a voltage drop or anything. On my car, the dash lights are powered by about 300V AC so it wouldn't work. I'm not that familiar with your car's setup so...

[tomfed]

did you test the orange wires at the fuse box?thats some of your dash light's the other 3 is on  the cicut board.test on fuse side test one end of the fuse then test the other end of fuse if both light it's not the fuse.with a test light that means you got power with headlight switch on even with out a fuse one side will light.If not your roller dimmer needs cleaning or it's no good anymore that's your promblem.all that run's them light's are the orange wire to fuse box and tan wire to roller dimmer which is the same fuse . hope this help's let me know.

[BubbaDuke]

Thanks for the feed back Tomfed.  I followed all my wires and tested them all and cam to the conclusion that it was my headlamp switch that was bad.  I did some bypassing and I got my dash lights to finally work.  Now I just have to get a new switch.