[ElReyes]

Hola Amigos

Happy new year to all!

Now here is my problem,

my light switch, which I hope is the problem because it's an easy fix, only turns on my head lights. none of my dash lights go on, no dimmer, no side market lights, no parking lights.

I've checked the fuses 5amo for dash and they it seems fine.
I already took apart the light switch, cleaned the connectors for better contact and still no luck, any suggestions? much appreciated as always

 

[CAMINO BAKER]

I think you started in the right area. A new headlight switch looks like the most likely culprit.If that doesn't do it,time to get out the ol' meter. Happy hunting!

 

[steelybill]

Headlight switches have their own built-in circuit breaker, so they may work when other lights don't.
Maybe one of your fusible links has failed. (??) They are usually in the harness near the starter, where the feed wires are located from the large battery terminal on the starter solenoid...

If you have a meter, you can check for voltage on the fuse block, where they are labeled for lights. Those should be powered all the time....

 

[JJLT1]

the headlight switch has 2 power sources, the big red wire and the orange wire..
check the orange wire for power..

the tail light fuse will take out the dash lights also..

:texas:

 

[ElReyes]

well guys! you rock I found the culprit fuse, tail light fuse, 20amp.

Now I noticed when ever I turn the light switch on to full it blows the 20amo fuse.

I've never messed with meters so I have no idea what to do, time for some YouTube video homework.

 

[HKDUP87]

well guys! you rock I found the culprit fuse, tail light fuse, 20amp.

Now I noticed when ever I turn the light switch on to full it blows the 20amo fuse.

I've never messed with meters so I have no idea what to do, time for some YouTube video homework.

Put a 25 inoke:

 

[ElReyes]

went up to a 30 and still blew it lol:nanawrench:

 

[464elky]

Vic, you have a dead short somewhere in the tail light or dash light circuits. This could be a trick to find.
One of the old time tricks is to put a circuit breaker onto the fuse terminals so it will keep resetting. It will start to make the wire warm that has the short. When you get to where it is not warm you have just passed the short.

 

[Old Bear]

Vic said
"Now I noticed when ever I turn the light switch on to full it blows the 20amo fuse. "

Vic, does that mean that if you do not turn it to full (brighten dash lights via the rheostat), everything works and the fuse does not blow?
If so, I still might be suspicious of the light switch.

 

[ElReyes]

Old Bear, that's correct, everything stays cool just as long as I don't engage the light switch all the way, once I pull it to just the parking lights and side markers, it blows the fuse, the head lights work when I pull the light switch all the way, the turning signal works when set to turn, the brake lights turn on when pedal is pressed. it's gotta be the switch, I pulled it out and opened it, once I get back from a trip I'll take pictures and show you guys. I'm in Detroit and we just got hit with the snow and 20degree cold. weather sucks!!!

Thank you all for your input

 

[ElReyes]

CORRECTION
it blows the fuse as soon as I pull on the light switch to engage. does not matter if the brightness is set to low or high:smileyb:

 

[JJLT1]

the brown wire from the headlight switch goes to the tail/park/marker lights..
disconnect the brown at the switch or
disconnect it at the next connector and see if the fuse still blows..
that may tell you if its in the switch, dash or the wiring..

:texas:

 

[Bryan59EC]

CORRECTION
it blows the fuse as soon as I pull on the light switch to engage. does not matter if the brightness is set to low or high:smileyb:

There a couple of connectors between the headlight switch and the taillights.

it is a dead short---could be license lamp, side marker or a damaged socket in the taillights or park lamps.

find the body connector that is farthest away from the headlight switch.

you should have a rear lamp harness and maybe 2 intermediate harnesses (not sure--the older cars only had one)

On the "G" body cars, I understand there is a connector near the left rear wheel and there may be another near the left rear tailllamp.

disconnect the last connector----turn on lamps----check for blown fuse
If fuse blows, then you should be safe to assume the short is closer to the switch

find and disconnect the next connector-----turn on lamps---check for fuse.

when you get up into the cabin of the car and find that harness connector, disconnect that, ----check for blown fuse. If the fuse still blows with everything to the rear disconnected, it will be an issue with the park lamps (likely) or a bad dash harness (unlikely)

My feeling is that you will find a harness that has worn thru in a traffic area of the cabin, or has been damaged or modified in the rear of the car.
The wire colors in the harness that you will be looking for are

yellow & green----------these wires are okay as you have brake and turn lamps
Lt green---------------backup-----not your problem as is it switched somewhere else
Brown-----this is your problem child-----this feeds to all of the side markers, park and tail lamps, and license lamp
tan-(maybe pink)----------fuel gauge----not the problem

 

[JJLT1]

x2 B
and you can disconnect the front lighting harness at the firewall connector, to rule that out.. :texas:

 

[Old Bear]

While looking under the rear of the truck for harness connections, check to see if someone once spliced into the brown wire to provide power to a trailer light connector. That might be the source of a short.

 

[ElReyes]

WOW I am amazed and truly
humbled to the amount of knowledge you all have and are willing to share with me. Thank you all so much. At times I feel lost and want to just give up but thank god for this forum
And it's amazing members such as yourselves.

I'd like to share that I am going to be a first time
dad, and would
want nothing more than to pass on this knowledge along with the car to my kid. feels
weird just saying that lol I'm still kind of shocked. oke:

Anyways I'm in Houston visiting my dad who I just told
he is going to be a grandpa . He said now you have two babies, one you made the other you bought lol
Thank you for making this auto adventure informative and educational.

 

[xlchjoe]

Well wishes for both babies!

 

[ElReyes]

There a couple of connectors between the headlight switch and the taillights.

it is a dead short---could be license lamp, side marker or a damaged socket in the taillights or park lamps.

find the body connector that is farthest away from the headlight switch.

you should have a rear lamp harness and maybe 2 intermediate harnesses (not sure--the older cars only had one)

On the "G" body cars, I understand there is a connector near the left rear wheel and there may be another near the left rear tailllamp.

disconnect the last connector----turn on lamps----check for blown fuse
If fuse blows, then you should be safe to assume the short is closer to the switch

find and disconnect the next connector-----turn on lamps---check for fuse.

when you get up into the cabin of the car and find that harness connector, disconnect that, ----check for blown fuse. If the fuse still blows with everything to the rear disconnected, it will be an issue with the park lamps (likely) or a bad dash harness (unlikely)

My feeling is that you will find a harness that has worn thru in a traffic area of the cabin, or has been damaged or modified in the rear of the car.
The wire colors in the harness that you will be looking for are

yellow & green----------these wires are okay as you have brake and turn lamps
Lt green---------------backup-----not your problem as is it switched somewhere else
Brown-----this is your problem child-----this feeds to all of the side markers, park and tail lamps, and license lamp
tan-(maybe pink)----------fuel gauge----not the problem

Thank you man!
I'm closer to finding the problem. I disconnected the plug for the rear lights and the fuse does not blow.

Now I did forget to mention the rear end frame is very rusty maybe that's causing a short with the ground wire? Idk..

I'm going to just find another plug for now, once the weather warms up a bit ill check the wires.

 

[Bryan59EC]

The short will be in one of the feed wires to the taillamps, sidemarker, or license lamp.
The brown wire

All the rest are probably okay.

Not a ground issue-----(well it is a brown wire shorted to ground)---it is a feed issue