Dashboard lighting issue
05-31-2016, 10:01 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Kansas City, KS
Posts: 2
Dashboard lighting issue
TLDR:
Dashboard lights aren't working along with gauge cluster to the side. Dudes are fine, and all other lights work. Can't find corroded wires or connectors. What am I missing?
Long version:
Hey everybody!
I've got a 1983 280ZX non-turbo over here with a bit of an issue at hand.
Sort of new to this whole ZX ownership thing. My girlfriend bought this car and surprisingly enough, after sitting for 5+ years, it started right up and ran perfectly. (had to change the oil and drain/clean the fuel system, but thats not surprising right?)
So far, so good. As it seems, all the little systems seem to work fine. The A/C blows cold, engine doesn't leak, transmission shifts smoothly, clutch disengages properly, and the brakes stop the car. As far as I can tell, the electrical system is all intact and in functioning order except for one system; the dashboard lights for the combination meter and the various gauge cluster to the right do not come on.
From a mechanical experience, I've never seen every single lightbulb in a system go bad at once, so i cant help but believe the problem lies elsewhere. I have a FSM in hand that came with the car, and have traced as many wires as I could through the system, but haven't been able to trace down any corrosion or loose connections yet. To be quite honest, all of the wiring and connectors still appear brand new. What's even more, is that the radio lights as well as the heater control face lights seem to work fine, and dim as intended with the dimmer switch.
I've ohm'd out all of the fuses in the passenger kick panel with no luck. I've played around with the fusible links under the hood, but have not ohm'd those out as of yet. All the exterior lighting works. Tail, reverse, brake, headlights, marker, etc. along with all of the flashers. The cigarette lighter works fine, and the light inside the cigarette lighter works great too. In fact, every single lighting element works except those gauges...
It's really puzzling me at this point. Theres got to be something I've missed. The wiring diagrams I have are somewhat hard to trace down all the time, and Ive decided to give in and make an account to try and enlist some help from those that have owned these cars much longer than I. This car would damn near be mint if it weren't for this little issue. (and some rust spots haha. Good ol' midwest)
P.S.
Sorry for exceedingly long post. I find it best to try and explain everything I can so that we're all on the same page here.
Dashboard lights aren't working along with gauge cluster to the side. Dudes are fine, and all other lights work. Can't find corroded wires or connectors. What am I missing?
Long version:
Hey everybody!
I've got a 1983 280ZX non-turbo over here with a bit of an issue at hand.
Sort of new to this whole ZX ownership thing. My girlfriend bought this car and surprisingly enough, after sitting for 5+ years, it started right up and ran perfectly. (had to change the oil and drain/clean the fuel system, but thats not surprising right?)
So far, so good. As it seems, all the little systems seem to work fine. The A/C blows cold, engine doesn't leak, transmission shifts smoothly, clutch disengages properly, and the brakes stop the car. As far as I can tell, the electrical system is all intact and in functioning order except for one system; the dashboard lights for the combination meter and the various gauge cluster to the right do not come on.
From a mechanical experience, I've never seen every single lightbulb in a system go bad at once, so i cant help but believe the problem lies elsewhere. I have a FSM in hand that came with the car, and have traced as many wires as I could through the system, but haven't been able to trace down any corrosion or loose connections yet. To be quite honest, all of the wiring and connectors still appear brand new. What's even more, is that the radio lights as well as the heater control face lights seem to work fine, and dim as intended with the dimmer switch.
I've ohm'd out all of the fuses in the passenger kick panel with no luck. I've played around with the fusible links under the hood, but have not ohm'd those out as of yet. All the exterior lighting works. Tail, reverse, brake, headlights, marker, etc. along with all of the flashers. The cigarette lighter works fine, and the light inside the cigarette lighter works great too. In fact, every single lighting element works except those gauges...
It's really puzzling me at this point. Theres got to be something I've missed. The wiring diagrams I have are somewhat hard to trace down all the time, and Ive decided to give in and make an account to try and enlist some help from those that have owned these cars much longer than I. This car would damn near be mint if it weren't for this little issue. (and some rust spots haha. Good ol' midwest)
P.S.
Sorry for exceedingly long post. I find it best to try and explain everything I can so that we're all on the same page here.
Last edited by 1983ZX; 06-01-2016 at 12:28 PM. Reason: Added a TLDR
06-18-2016, 09:52 AM
#3
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Kansas City, KS
Posts: 2
Quick little update for those of you curious about the fix. After deciphering the wiring diagram I came across a common link. There is a connector block and wiring loom right above the passenger kick panel with a green connector in about the middle position. Once disconnected, there was a female terminal on the top right that was pushed out of the back of the connector. Pushing it back in solved the problem and now all of the interior lights seem to work as intended.
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