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My instrument cluster has gone dark; even though all the other turn/warning/hazard illumination in the instrument cluster is working fine (see pic).
I followed the illustrations (see pic) from the manual.
I've removed, disassembled and cleaned the illumination wheel/control, and tested the control for continuity and voltage (at the battery - 0 to 12v when the wheel was spun). It seems the switch is fine.
I also removed the instrument cluster and traced all circuits from the cluster connectors to the bulbs and between each bulb. All continuity was present in the circuitry.
The illustration talks about testing for voltage from behind (downstream) of the illumination wheel connector. I did that. A I got was '0' when I tested RL and RG. What, if anything, does this indicate and what do you recommend I do/check next?
Last edited by Phineas; 11-26-20 at 01:33 PM.
Reason: Add Image.
I would connect the wheel switch back up and find which wire on the cluster supplies the voltage at the cluster connection from that switch and see you have 12v. I would also double check the ground that supplies that circuit. Also pull one of the bulbs in the cluster for gauge illumination and test it. You might also be able to swap with a known good one from your pic with the idiot lights;
Do all of the other lights on the dash work properly?
If not, you can use a jumper and jump the two of the pins together on the harness for the dimmer switch. I think one lower and the one upper.. This should cause the lights on the dash to be at full brightness and will confirm a bad dimmer switch.
All other turn, hazard, and warning lights are working.
I put power directly to the illumination terminals on the back of the instrument cluster; all general illumination bulbs lit to full brightness. The cluster and lights qork.
I've already disassembled and cleaned the dimmer switch. I wired it up with power and a volt meter.. When I spun the wheel the voltage adjust from '0 - 12' as required. The dimmer switch works.
Just did. Going counterclockwise - terminals 2 and 3 are the ones that plug into the 'illumination' circuit of the instrument cluster board.
When I test for continuity I get '0' on both terminals.
However, if I keep going around the clock on the plug I get three other continuity '0' readings while using the same and either terminal on the connector.
As if the two wires from the connector were divided i to four different wires to the instrument cluster plug. That ai t right, is it? I should only be getting continuity one wire from end to end, not across wires, right?
Last edited by Phineas; 11-27-20 at 07:33 PM.
Reason: Forgot picture.
The wiring diagram for the cluster connector shows a (B)lack connector for the illumination negative and a (RL) Red/Blue for the illumination positive.
lug the wheel switch back in, turn key on and turn on the lights and see if you get 12V between those terminals.
Took another look at that wheel circuit and it controls all the lights, so the cig lighter, glove box, basically almost all illumination in the interior are supplied/controlled from the circuit. Do the other lights work?
Also remember when reading the pin positions on plugs that the that all locations are given from the back of the terminal.
Connectivity can give weird readings sometimes because the circuits can't be isolated.
Last edited by KansasCityREPU; 11-27-20 at 09:17 PM.
Where do I start to determine whether this thing works, and its actually the wiring that is causing the headlight pop up issues,, and the instrument cluster illumination issue?
No; with the dimmer switch installed and lights on, there was no voltage on meter reading RL wire.
What does RG in the wheel connector body side connector have? That is the input voltage. If you have 12v there, jumper it to RL and see if the light illuminate.
Disassembled, cleaned, greased, reassembled, tested again. Same results - no continuity on BA/HU with light switch off, or with light switch in 'Parking light' position. Only when the switch in 'on' and set to high beam does continuity happen.
Try putting 12V on RL when the wheel switch is disconnected. This should light the cluster and validate the wiring from the dash side of the wheel connector and the cluster itself. Then we start back tracking.
11-26-20, 01:31 PM
