Wiring Dash lights out

[pharpe]

I just installed a new steering column and after completing my dash lights are out. Head lights, tail lights, markers all work. Also the indicator lights in the dash work (brake, blinker, high beam, etc) It's just the alumination that is out. I checked all the fuses and they are good. I checked the headlight switch and the dimmer output is working (0-12v). I pulled one of the bulbs and there is no voltage there. I also checked around the column for pinched wires or unseated connectors. Where do I go next?

 

[TSB8C]

The dash lights use orange (+12) and black (ground) wires all daisy-chained together. So a break or loose connection or bad wire splice in either of those can knock out all those lights. If you have +12 on the wire from the headlight switch, then simply trace that along the orange wires in that chain between each light. There is usually an inline fuse in addition to the main fuse in the panel. One thing to also note is that there is a splice in the orange wire after it leaves the headlight switch and then branches out to all the indicator lamps. Those butt splices are notorious to act up, especially after they've been disturbed. The easiest way to tell if it's the splice is whether the indicator label for the headlights is on or not (also the backlight for the clock if you have one). It doesn't go through that splice like the rest of them do.

 

[pat76cj]

And verify all your grounds are clean and tight

 

[pharpe]

And verify all your grounds are clean and tight

The dash lights use orange (+12) and black (ground) wires all daisy-chained together. So a break or loose connection or bad wire splice in either of those can knock out all those lights. If you have +12 on the wire from the headlight switch, then simply trace that along the orange wires in that chain between each light. There is usually an inline fuse in addition to the main fuse in the panel. One thing to also note is that there is a splice in the orange wire after it leaves the headlight switch and then branches out to all the indicator lamps. Those butt splices are notorious to act up, especially after they've been disturbed. The easiest way to tell if it's the splice is whether the indicator label for the headlights is on or not (also the backlight for the clock if you have one). It doesn't go through that splice like the rest of them do.

View attachment 106008

The dash lights use orange (+12) and black (ground) wires all daisy-chained together. So a break or loose connection or bad wire splice in either of those can knock out all those lights. If you have +12 on the wire from the headlight switch, then simply trace that along the orange wires in that chain between each light. There is usually an inline fuse in addition to the main fuse in the panel. One thing to also note is that there is a splice in the orange wire after it leaves the headlight switch and then branches out to all the indicator lamps. Those butt splices are notorious to act up, especially after they've been disturbed. The easiest way to tell if it's the splice is whether the indicator label for the headlights is on or not (also the backlight for the clock if you have one). It doesn't go through that splice like the rest of them do.

View attachment 106008

Thanks for this. I thought I checked everything. I had power coming out of the switch but not getting to the lights. This diagram helped me figure out the power runs back into the fuse panel after the switch before running to the lights. (Even though it shows an in-line fuse) It was a bad fuse. I had checked them all visually but didn't actually test it. Filament was good but there was no continuity through the fuse. Swapped it out and that fixed the issue.