Running/dash lights
08-27-2004, 10:47 PM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Running/dash lights
My wife and I just got a '82 280zx w/ ttops and we have electrial problems. The running lights only worked for about 45 minutes, they came on about half an hour after turned on (I am assuming the same goes for the taillights). I turned the car off,restarted it and no dash,radio or running tail lights, headlights work great and no fuses blown. I have been looking online for a hour or so tonight and I saw a couple of people have had same sort of general problem and it was in the switch on the steering column, any suggestions where to start looking?
Other than heater/ac not working everything else seems nearly perfect, all original as far as we can tell after 24 hours.
Other than heater/ac not working everything else seems nearly perfect, all original as far as we can tell after 24 hours.
08-28-2004, 09:47 AM
#2
East Coast Style
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Spartanburg S.C.
Posts: 536
Caveman, You are correct about the light switch. Nissan used an electrical grease on the contacts to keep them from arcing, but the grease they used is corosive after about 15 yrs. Causing a problem they tried to avoid 
If you feel confident enough you can take the switch out and clean the contacts yourself. Or you can simply go buy a new one, Not a used one because it will probally give you the same problem. Hope this helps.
If you feel confident enough you can take the switch out and clean the contacts yourself. Or you can simply go buy a new one, Not a used one because it will probally give you the same problem. Hope this helps.
08-28-2004, 03:40 PM
#3
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Alameda, CA
Posts: 903
Another place to look would be the realy box under the hood. Sometimes they get loose and all you really have to do is plug 'em back in.
But, I'd go ahead and replace that switch first. You'll end up doing it anyway.
But, I'd go ahead and replace that switch first. You'll end up doing it anyway.
08-30-2004, 07:31 AM
#4
The Evil Twin
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 9,294
I have that problem about once a year. Its always the plug under the dash.
Remove the under dash panel below the steering wheel. (the panel with the light in the middle) There is a large connector that that connects all the wiring from the steering column to the rest of the car. Unplug it and plug it back in or just push it in and move it a little. This should make contact and get your lights back on.
Remove the under dash panel below the steering wheel. (the panel with the light in the middle) There is a large connector that that connects all the wiring from the steering column to the rest of the car. Unplug it and plug it back in or just push it in and move it a little. This should make contact and get your lights back on.
08-31-2004, 01:46 AM
#5
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 85
I had that problem, but mine was a little more difficult, it seemed my fuses we'ren't contacting fully, because of corrosion, so i went to a junkyard, pulled a fuse panel out of another 79', that had shiny contacts, redid all the wiring and it worked...
07-31-2023, 09:45 PM
#8
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2023
Posts: 1
Switch?
Hi all, my dad and I are trying to fix up his '82, but recently we encountered this problem (no running lights outside the car, no dash lights). The fuses are all fine except for the "clear tail lamp" one, which I replaced and was blown again after we drove the car. I am planning to investigate that as well, but in the mean time I tried unplugging the big wiring harness under the steering wheel and plugging it in but that didn't fix the problem either. I know that a lot of people have mentioned a switch being the problem, but I am unsure which switch people are talking about. Any advice about where to look to fix this problem would be much appreciated!
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