I have a 83 non-turbo GL model. Had it about a month or so, I need some help. When I first got the car I spent the better part of a day ripping out old amps under the seats from the 80's, an 80's style UNGO alarm and miles of additional wiring literally going everywhere. I had noticed when the car was cranked the park lights came on regardless, later after ripping out the wiring, someone had ran an ignition on hot wire and added it into the park light harness. I restored the harness to original. But now my digital dash will only light up when the park lights are on, anyone know a fix and if this is a common failing. I did find a semi burnt plug going into the combination switch on the steering column into the light switch but I cant see where it would impact the digital gauges lighting up. I know the dash has power, the other lights and warning indicators light up without the park lights. Any clues?

 

You'll need a wiring diagram. Get the FSM for your year from http://www.xenons130.com/reference.html

 

ok, got it but not the best at reading complex diagrams. Can some explain in captain dummy talk, lol.

 

are you sure while you were ripping out all that stuff that you didn't accidentally clip a factory wire? some of them can look like they were additions but were actually factory, your best bet is to learn how the wiring diagram works, maybe somebody can explain it but the best way I learned it was to sit down and see if I could follow a simple circuit, like the engine compartment light or the kick panel lights.

 

i didnt clip any factory stuff, only factory wiring that was involved is where they had wired the park lights in at the license plate light to a constant hot into the fuse box, all the other stuff was old speaker wires, amp wiring that wasnt hooked up, stuff like that. i was just really wondering if this is a failing on the digital dashes part, im thinking about converting to a analog dash in the future.

 

Or if anybody had the same thing happen to them and found a solution. Tomorrow i'm going to remove the dash again and see what is the hot wire that lights up the gauges when the lights are switched on and may reverse the scavange to that with a key on hot only.