Instrument Lights helpp :(

D

Daniel Sanchez

New Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2012
Hi, I'm a new guy. Basically from what I read I am having a kind of common problem, My Inst. lights aren't working correctly when I turn on my headlights. Also the stock Tach and Boost Gauge turn off and the clock on the radio.

The Inst. fuse socket blows fuses, which leads me to believe there is a short so I remove the console and see that the shift indicator light is half ass hooked up so i removed it temporarily to see if that was the problem. Same thing happened tach, boost, radio off and Inst. lights... does anyone else have ideas? Thank you in advance.
 
Subscribed. I'm having very similar issues with mine, but my factory tach stays fully pegged & boost gauge was still working. However, you cut the headlights/parklights on & the instrument cluster doesn't light up & the radio lights go out also?
 
Yeah mine is the same the tach is always pegged or almost pegged. But yeah soon as the head lights/parking lights come on both shut off as well as the little clock on the radio.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Turbo Buick
 
Daniel I think I just found my problem... unhook the power wire off the back of your cigarette lighter (should be an orange wire). Evidently mine was shorted internally due to corrosion, I unhooked it, replaced the 5A fuse & my dash, radio & shifter indicator light all work & change intensity with the dimmer now. Hope this helps!
 
Now that I think about it my cig lighter doesn't seem to be in great shape either. I'll try that thanks for sharing, I'll follow up if it works

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Turbo Buick
 
Check the dimmer switch output and all the gray underdash lamp wiring.

Search feature should provide all the lamps and locations powered by the 5A INST LPS fuse, that is fed by the 20A taillamps fuse.
 
Alright took me a while to get around to it but, I got the cig lighter unplugged tach, boost, and clock on radio is still turning off with the head lights turning on.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Turbo Buick
 
Did you check the 5A fuse for INST LPS like salvage was saying? Just asking because mine would blow that fuse instantly until I chased down the cigarette lighter, unplugged it then replaced that 5A fuse.
 
Well I didn't have a 5A fuse but used a 10 to test it, with the cig unplugged it didn't blow the fuse this time but still no lights so it might be a combo of that, and the dimmer switch might need replaced I'll check on that tomorrow maybe. thanks for keeping up with me, and the advise Notch and Salvage.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Turbo Buick
 
The cig. lighter is on the CIG/CLK fuse, not the 5A LPS fuse nor the 20A TailLamp fuse.

Unless the wiring is messed with it shouldn't affect the dash lights.
 
Yeah your'e exactly right, doesn't make much sense but some how it's no longer blowing fuses. and the wire on the back of the lighter was all melted and the plastic plug as well.

It's progress I guess, I'm gonna test the dimmer soon, if it's good I'll keep searching
 
Daniel Sanchez said:
Yeah your'e exactly right, doesn't make much sense but some how it's no longer blowing fuses. and the wire on the back of the lighter was all melted and the plastic plug as well.

It's progress I guess, I'm gonna test the dimmer soon, if it's good I'll keep searching
Click to expand...
I see you're a new member, so welcome aboard. Just curious, do you have a voltmeter and a schematic?
 
I copied this from Steve Wood's vortex Buick site.

Inst LPS Tach/boost gauge, illuminated trim plate, instrument cluster, LPS terminal, heater.ac control head, convenience center, radio, defogger ashtray or console light. All of the above circuits used gray wires for power supply.


Cig-Clk Antenna relay, AC control head, radio capacitor, security indicator, chime module, instrument cluster (digital), radio, cigar lighter, glove box lite, engine compartment lite, footwell courtesy lites, power door locks, dome lights, trunk lites, vanity mirror lites, BAT terminal. These circuits used an orange wire for power supply.

Get the CD shop manual it has all the wiring diagrams in it. Very useful and important.

http://buickman.r00td0wn.net/
 
Thanks for the info guys, soon as I get time off of work and have.the energy I'll go at it again

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Turbo Buick
 
Common problem-check the grey wire in the center console that lights up the PRNDL. It is held in place with a metal tab that wears thru the wire and causes a short. I think it also affects the tail lights although I don't see tail lights on that circuit in the post above.
 
Bringing this back up since i'm having a similar problem. I had no dash INST lights. Previous owner had installed some LED strip light crap to light it up. Well, after about 3 hours of taking things apart and poking around, I found that the large ground wire under the dash was off and once that was fixed things started getting much better. I found that all but 2 of the light sockets in the cluster needed to have corrosion cleaned off for them to work. Got that fixed... Then several fuses had corrosion. Fixed that. Brake lights quit working, more corrosion on the switch.. Fixed that.

Now I have the car running and everything light wise works, but my tach just stays at the same level. It reads a few bars and that's it. The boost seems to be over reactive. I give it some gas and it shoots up to half way quickly. Any help on why the tach would not be responding??
 
Disney Lincoln said:
Bringing this back up since i'm having a similar problem. I had no dash INST lights. Previous owner had installed some LED strip light crap to light it up. Well, after about 3 hours of taking things apart and poking around, I found that the large ground wire under the dash was off and once that was fixed things started getting much better. I found that all but 2 of the light sockets in the cluster needed to have corrosion cleaned off for them to work. Got that fixed... Then several fuses had corrosion. Fixed that. Brake lights quit working, more corrosion on the switch.. Fixed that.

Now I have the car running and everything light wise works, but my tach just stays at the same level. It reads a few bars and that's it. The boost seems to be over reactive. I give it some gas and it shoots up to half way quickly. Any help on why the tach would not be responding??
Click to expand...
they re just old and not very accurate.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
Running Tail Lights don't work?
Replies
2
Views
353
1986 Buick GX1
1986 Buick GX1
We4ever
Dimmable interior lights out
Replies
2
Views
587
We4ever
We4ever
NoVA_87_GN
Lights/ RT blinker issue
Replies
1
Views
435
pacecarta
pacecarta
84RegalLimited
NO DASH LIGHTS
Replies
3
Views
652
"Black Ice"
B
V
No power from ignitionswitch to starter solenoid
Replies
6
Views
1K
Scarab
S
Top